The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1883-12-06

sense OIL HIS cOHGrOl VI COHSelI.
"Most grudgingly, however, uncle
did consent, after searching inquiry
about Alexander, 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 I re.
fused to have this done. Never, I
was firmly convinced, would my
adored Alexander wrong me in
! any way.
For a year after the splendid
wedding that made me Alexanders
wife I was too ignorant of value to
understand that we were living
/ far beyond our income, enjoyed to
| the utmost the luxuries around me
the constant gayety that was in
/ such strong contrast to the school
routine from which l had been re-
leased.
Then began q life Of neglect,
often of quarreling, when I objected
to my husbands course Of conduct
his drinking, his extravaganza,
and his late hours. Still l found
my own pleasures in society, and
renewal of some of my own favorite
studies, especially language and
music. l was fond, too, of water
color painting, and made presents
to my friends of specimens in that
line.
G at was four years after my mar
riage when | was thunderstruck by
Alexander asking me to request a
loan from Uncle Richard, with the
information that every penny of
my property was gone.
'Since then l have known that
portion Of it was lost at the gaming
table. :. -
Long before this I had lost al,.
love for my husband. Respect hads
died out when i knew the dissipated
life he was leading, and foolish as !:
was I could not continue to love P
man whose actions were so despicainn
BILE. I refused the errand, and,
brought down a torrent of such
great abuse that l really expected
that Alexander would end by strik-i
ing me.
"Day after day the request was
renewed, but l would not yield.
Upon my marriage Uncle Richard
had sold his city residence and took
up P permanent abode at Grass
bank, where, knowing my husband
to be an unwolcome guest, never
visited him. I wrote occasionally,
but the love Of years, like that of
mother and child, had been so sad
y strained ly my persistence in
marrying Alexander that even our
correspondence was languld and
commonplace.
Il would not, therefore, write to
him to ask o favor that I knew
would not be necessary without
criminal recklessAess Of expendi-
ture, end each fusal made my
husband more fu: 3Es. Then came
an overwhelming olow. Alexander
forged a check, md drew $4,000
of Uncle Richard ! money from the
bank. l don't tlin.l my uncle
would have prosecuted him had he
guessed who was the iorger: hca;to he
handed the whole matter over to
the law as soon as it was dis
covered that the check was forged.
It was then traced to Alexander,
and at the same time it was found
he had robbed iii the same way his
former employers. He had given
up all work On his marriage; but
when he fould himself without
money, his knowledge of the busi-
ness enabled him to forge the note
Derkiss & Co. Even if Uncle Rich
ard had spared him for my sake
this other forgery would have en-
titled him to penal servitude. He
was sentenced to seven years, and
uncle took me home, full Of heavenly
pity and forgiveness for the child
who had treated him so migrate
fully
'Then YOUR husband is in pris-
on?" said Gerald, in a hard,
strained voice.
':No, no, he is dead! He died
within the first year. Uncle Rich
ard saw the death in a paper and
sent the money for his burial. No,
1 am free; but none the less [ am
the widow of q convicted felon."
':But none the less quoted Ger
aid, "the woman I honor and love
above all others, and hope Still to
make my wife
1t took, however, more than one
interview, full of loves pleading, to
win Maude from her resolution.
She so honored her lover, and was
so proud of his good name and the
position he had attained by his
talents, that, her sensitive nature
shrank from even the shadow of her
misery upon his life.
But the victory was won at last,
and the lawyer walked home one
evening full of proud, glad joy,
for Maude had then promised to be
his wife.
IF you are willing to take Alex
ander Hulrs widow to be your
wife," she said, Il will not oppose
you any longer, for | love you with
all my heart
He had no thought but of that