The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-12-13
THE LAWYERS SECRET

,;.h.' WIRE d eiOWii Is crate threw genial
nsn' ana warmth upon the occupants,
!nat denera! LaDgton, lawyer aud mill.
iohai,e, listened with bated breath and
Paiiiu cheeks to low and mclodious
voice S that told story of life.
The speaker, q beautiful woman of
a9out thirty, yet ten years Younger than
Mr. Langton, recined in low. cusb.
loned chair, her attitude bespeaking the
ease which wealth gives, but her face
was III! CT .hc deepest anguish as her
ilps recounted the story.
10y love me-" she said gently, yet
sadly, and | love you as l never loved
any one before, although am a widow.
l nat you knew, but did not know nv
husbands name. BY my uncle's last re.
quest | dropped it, and took his with the
property he left me. Do not look at inc
tcnderly, Gerald, do not shake nv voice
or my heart, for when you know who
am you VIII not repeat the offer you
made me. and which heaven is my wit.
ness, tried to avert"
Let your conscience be at rest there"
said her listener, in Il grave yet tender
voice; you have never given me one
nope, Maude. BY what instinct knew
that you loved me l can never tell
something in your eyes, some tone of
your voice betrayed you. If, as you say.
something IN your past life does separate
US, you are no coque,.c 10 torment me
with false hopes. But, Maude, tell me
again, whatever stands between us, YOU
love me?
II love YOU" she said, gravcly, "and
u Is because love you that l will not
let you link your honorable name with
that OF the wretch who was my husband.
was very young-not sixteen-when he
came to make visit to some friends liy-
ing at Grassbank. Uncle Richard has a
country seat near the village. first met
Alexander at Il picnic, where he was the
very life of the party, everybody's caya-
ller, courteous to all, full OF wit and ami
nation and service to ALL believe
every girl on the grounds thought she
had captivated him, his attentions were
so well divided and yet so impressive 10
each one. He claimed to be no more
than salesman in large wholesale
house with q good salary, but he had the
manners OF gentleman, of good educa-
tion, and the most perfect beauty of face
and form that ever saw in n man. 1t
was not long before it was evident that
he wished to win my love, and he had an
easy task. Such love as child of six
teen can give gave him. He was the
impersonation of every hero of poetry
and fiction with whom my limited read
ing had made me familiar School. girl
like, had made an ideal hero, and fitted
this, my first admirer, with all his inag.
inary perfections.
From the first Uncle Richard disliked
him, pronouncing him false and shallow,
and assuring me that my personal attrac-
tions had not won his heart but the
fact of my being an heiress to q large
property had gained ME the protestations
in which so firmly believed.
ut is painful story to me now Go.
raid. Let us suffice that had lived in
world of pleasant dreams while Alexan.
der remained ut Grassbank. When he
left me he carried my promise to be his
wife al Christmas.
II think if my money had depended
on Uncle Richard, my marriage might
have been prevented by his threatening
to disinherit me, but both from my
father and mother Ihad inherited money
that made me independent in pecunia-
ry sense of his control or consent.
"Most grudgingly, however, uncle did
consent, after searching inquiry about
resulting in no worse report
than his employers thought him fast,
idle and just the man to be a fortune.
hunter Even then my dear uncle
would have protected my fortune by
settling it upon myself; but with the
reckless generosity of extreme youth /
refused to have this done. Never, l was
firmly convinced, would my adored al.
eSander wrong me in any way.
"For year after the splendid we'd
ding that made me Alexander's wife l
was too ignorant of value to understand
that we were living far beyond our
income, enjoyed to the utmost the luxu-
ries around u1e-tle constant gsyety
that was in such strong contrast to the
school routine from which I had been
released.
"Then began life of neglect, often of
quarreling, when l objected to my hus.
bands course Of conduct-his drinking,
his extravaganza, and his late hours
Still found my own pleasures in society,
and renewal of some Of my own favor
ito studies, especially language and
music. l was fond, too, Of water color
painting and made presents to my
friends of specimens in that line.
"It was four years after my marriage
when was thunderstruck by Alexander
asking me to request loan from Uncle
Richard. with the Information that every
penny Of my property was gone.
Since then have known that por-
ton of it was lost at the gaming table.
"Long before this / had lost all love
for my husband. Respect had died out
when ! knew the dissipated life he was
leading, and foolish as l was ! could not
continue to love man whose actions
were 30 despicable. refused the er.
rand, and brought down torrent of such
great abuse that l really expected that
Alexander would end by striking me.
"Day after day the request was renew.
marriage Uncle Richard had sold his city
abode at Grassbsnk, where, knowing my
husband to be an unwelcoms guest, |
never visited him. wrote occasionally,
but the love of years, like that Of mother
and child, has been so sadly strained by
my persistence in marrying Alexander
that even our: correspondence was Ian
guild and commonplace.
II would not, therefore, write to him
to ask favor that knew would not be
necessary without criminal recklessness
of expenditure, and each refusal made
my husband more furious. Then came
an overwhelming blow. Alexander
forged q check, aud drew $4,000 Of
Uncle Richards money from the bank.
don't think my uncle would have pros.
ecuted him had he guessed who was the
forger; but he handed the whole matter