Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-11-02

ILL MlDLh.
he shattered old brown house
stfM all alone upon the wide
conmon "a slightly elevated,
70 ing piece of ground. Nc
trt grew upon it. 1t was
fu of deserted rtone-pits or quar-
ii4 Huge boulders were scat.
tefed over its extent, and ebelv-
Ing rocks cropped out at irregular
intervals. 1t was as barren and
desolate o scene ns couli we'll be
conceived; but in its midst John
Etheridge had lived alone for
more than thirty years. burrow-
Lin3 like q beast and subsisting
3nfQu the contributions OF charity.
set thirty years before John
aeridge, a gay young bachelor,
,slt in the grand old mansion
~ deserted) on the other side
the town. msster of the old
soe and its wide domain. HE
rorers gathered smiling harvests
I'm his broad fields; bis Il her
sn the fnDy produce Of the
yer; while the wide common
elded from its sterile bosom
sge blocks Of granite. that my
is Of stout-armed men deIved
eless toll to raise. Then
brown house was the
overseer of the qnar-
ascendant of the Ethe-
ever dive is so poor a
be end camel Scarce five
0f profusion, OF reckless
lganoe, sufficed to bring
rsssment. The young man
Bd to examine the proofs Of
boming ruin, much less to
pt the means his faithful
ard recommended. His house
ull Of guests. His betrothed
se and her parents had honored
with their presence. Aiissdy
Preparations for his marriage
D been commenced on large
Ale.. Already the reitting ot
70 old house had been ordered
soon as the Autumn should
ear it OF lis occupants Already
rriags-makers were at work on
splendid equipages he had be-
p6keu. Already the b.idal trous-
aau was in a state Of forward
Hess, and fashionables begged
privilege OF visiting the cele.
tied modiste who had it in
nd. while newspapers printed
sterlous little paragraphs con-
erning IL. That was q strange
lime, indeed. as John Etber.ds
aid to his steward. to retrench
he good man. was surely mis-
taken There were the fsher.es
ond the qusrries.
But the fisheries had been al
host totally destroyed by the
potion OF factories on the rivers
ow. aud the quarries were al
u sxhsusted-by the overseei's
king-the profits wouI scarce
exceed the expenses this year.
- Etheridgs whistled aud
sway. His brow clouded
5ment; then he laughed,
er,ily. haIi-scornfulIy. and
u away 10 the stables.
minutes later he was
toward the county towr.
Q visited the principal
( and received from Lis
hs splendid diamond
ich had been ordered
r Ia, from town, giving
check for an almost
imount. That nigotI
bIazed upon the bis
bride elect at the grand
which filled the old manor
Sc with gay revsl rs. The
lard said, afterwsrd. that
price OF the brooch aud the
u Of the ball might have saved
last Of the Etheridges from
But he tempted his fate
il overwhelmed him.
icy we're to havs been mar
at Christmas. John Elberidg.
Blanche Bernard. but ere
/. day came, the stroke hat
en- When the sun rose over
gray silence Of that winter
ming. John Etheridge, home
3 and utterly forsuk IN. sai
)6lons in the poor roo u OF the
village tavern. which had been
Lhis refuge when the officers Of the
law took possession Of his house
nd estate. HIS friend. utterly
Drank away from him. Not one
/ all the crowd who had enjoyed
is splendid hospitaIities was
ound to stand manfuIIy by his
hide in the hour OF trial and