The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-03-06
THE PHONOGRAPH WITNESS.
BY v 8 NJ,
CHAPTER |.

certain morning IN December, 1861, IMAM
Mr.. Luther Tenniel 1t would have been
difficult for the casual observer, or even a
mere acquaintance, TO see any reason for II,
however.
The owner of an elegant mansion, the
senior partner in the wealthy and prosper.
Gus banking house Of Tennicl & Courtney,
a man highly esteemed among his fellow
citizens, and one whose name had gone
unscathed amid the wreck of commercial
integrity and business reputation which
had characterized the business centers of
the country in the previous decade; so
much so, indeed, that even beyond the
limits of his own country, the name of
Luther TenniCl commanded respect as
synonym of commercial honor; il was
indie d difficult 10 imagine tina, Mr. Tcnniel
was An unhappy man. A peep into Mr..
Tenniel's home on ordinary occasions
would have rendered his misery still more
Incomprchcnsible, for in il would have
been found numerous signs Of domestic
happiness and refinement, wife, the beau
ideal of matronly dignity and womanly
tenderness, and daughter an only child,
who seemed TO unite in her mind and per.
son all the admirable traits, mental and
physical, that characterized both of her
parents, Helen Tcnnicl, at nineteen, was
deservedly the belle Of the town, and her
first party since her return from Europe,
which had taken place only few weeks
prior 10 the time when our tale begins, had
been the great event Of Eldridgc social life,
and only served 10 confirm the almost
unanimous verdict which had awarded her
the palm for grace, beauty, and accomplish.
ments, on her return 10 her native place,
after an absence of over year
Still, for all this, Mr. Tcnnicl, as We said
before, was unhappy; truly and utterly
unhappy, as any one could have seen, who
had been permitted TO enter his elegant
home on the morning We speak o..
Mr.. Tenniel's clouded brow and agiatcd
manner, would of themselves have fur.
nshcd sufficient evidence of the harasSed
mind and disappointed hopes of their
owner while conviction would have been
made doubly sure by glance at Mrs.
Tenniel's gentle look of sorrow and dis
may, and Hclcn's fearful face
Helen" said Mr.. Tennicl, "you had
better leave us for few minutes. | wish
TO speak with your mother alone"
Mr. TcnniclS tone and manner were not
harsh, but nevertheless they indicated
plainly enough that displcasurc with his
daughter had large share in his i'll.
feelings.
The young lady rose without speaking,
and, giving glance al her mother which
said as plainly as look could, that in her
lexicon there was no such word as yield,
left the room.
Mr. Tcnnicl stood for few minutes look
ing out upon the lawn, the frOwn deepening
upon his face, and the fingers of one hand
nervously tapping the knucklcs Of the
other behind his back. At last, with an
impatient gesture, he turned and said to his
wife:
"Mrs. Tennicl," Gt was an evidence of
Mr.. Tenniel's evaporation that he so adj
dressed his wife, in this formal and for him
quite unusual mannerJ Mrs. Tcnnicl !
must leave 10 you the pleasant task of
bringing Helen to reason in regard TO this
foolish attachment 1t is utterly unrcason.
able, and do not propose to put up with
it. shall speak TO Leighton to-day, in
h such way as to put an end 10 the whole
matter, as far as he is concerned, and |
shall expect you to have brought Helen TO
her senses when return"
"An easy task, truly" was Mrs. Tenniel's
reply Helen is too like her father to be
managed in this way. am very sorry
that you did not take my advice when we
first came back from Europe"
"Well, WELL" replied Mr. Tenniel, I" tits
too late to talk about that now. If Helen
Is like her father she will feel it her duty to
abide by her fathers decision. must say,
! do not sec that she much resembles her
father in this silly and romantic attach
ment Come, Mary" he added, in more
gentle tone, you really must help me in
this matter know you thoroughly agree
with me in deplOring Helcns persistence
in this matter Richard Courtney is just
cut out for her; he is certainly dcvC'edIy
fond OF her. and his father, as well as my
sell, have set our hearts on the match II
is 40 emineutly suitable in every way, il
seems almost like selishncsS in Helen TO
oppose US"
inere was a tOuCn On numOr N hlrs.
Tennie's tone, although the smile was sad
that accompanied her words when she
replied: Luther did you marry to
please others, or TO please SourSclf;"
This was something of q home thrust,
inasmuch aS Mr. Tcunicl's own marriage
had been persisted in, in direct opposition
10 the wishes of his own father, although
favored by Mrs. Tcnnicl's own family.
AT least in my case" was the gallant
rejoindct, experience has proved that my
choice was a wise one, but there are no
grounds for expecting such results in
IIclcns case Good bye; know you will
do your best to settle this matter as we all
desire, and if Helen can Withstand her
fathers diSplcasurc, she certainly can not
hold out against her mothers tender
circumstances.
The frown on Mr. Tcnniels brow had
well nigh disappeared, as he left the house
and stepped into the coupe that was to
convey him to his office,
The vehicle had not proceeded far, how
ever, before the driver rein,d up in obedi-
ence to vigorous pull at the check strap
and Mr. Tenniel threw oren the door of
his carriage, with n cordial motion of his
hand toward singular locking old gentle
man, who was hurying alCrg in the same
direction as himself
All glad to see you, Luther, glad 10
see YOU were the first words of this indi.
yluual, as he unccrcmoniouSly jumped into
The vehicle, and took his seat beside Mr..
Tenniel "Tell that man Of yours to drive
last ] have not moment TO lose, not
moment! But what's the matter with
you' BY Joye! Luther, you look actually
lugubrious you, who ought 10 be the
happiest man in the whole State. upon
nv word il Is pOsliiyply unurainrnl Ia, a