Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1884-09-18

SllillNh bA iNNhNNt Nllo 'NAihNA 'ANI ~
Il reveric.
They said little. At times the sight
of a gull catching fish, or fishing
boat, with its three.corncrcd sail, or
the appearance above the horizon OF
some steamer dragging its long smoke
pennant behind 1t, would elicit 4 re-
mark, but that was all.
When they were quite on the open
sea Adrien stopped rowing and sighed
deeply.
you seem tired, dear said Renee.
"Aye, tired. y
"And so carcworn."
"Alas, yes he exclaimed, vainly
trying to conceal the bitterness of his
anguish
Renee looked at him steadily for an
instant, and then in n short, deter
mined tone, said:
Something is wrong
81 will tell you all, Renee" he an
swered.
The wavclcts ripplcd on. The sun
sank slowly to rest in the clear golden
sky. Adrien began his story.
"Rencc, a friend of mine is in a ter
ribc position. No matter what his
name is, it matters little. All that
YOU know is that he has spcculated
with money which did not belong to
him. A company on which he counted
has failed, and he is not only ruined,
but at the mercy of the mercilCss laws,
awaiting dishonor." :"
"How do you think Of helping
him?"
81 don't know. He has asked me
for advice"
"If were in his place I'd kill my
self.
"IIc has wife,
married." exclaimed Renee. "Mar-
ried! can give him no advice then.
Adrien said no more for time.
He was torn by an inward struggle.
He would fain have spoken, but the
confession that trcmblcd on his tongue
seemed to be choking him. At last by
desperate effort, he said, .hoalscly:
"Rencc, have not told all yet. /
| am the man who Mas speculatcd with
that money. | am the man who has
been ruincd-thc man who may to-
morrow be standing in the fclon' 5
| dock"
Renee gave one wild cry and grew
white as death. But as her husband,
thinking she was fainting, drew near
to help her, she gathered strength and
pushed him from her.
81 am miserable wretch" said
Adricn. "FOrgiye me.
81 forgive YOU
There was silence again, The
waves Tapped la2ily against the boat
and the clear, bright light seemed to
mock them.
Renee never ,rccriminatcd nor MUIR
INJURED. nor wept. Her stony glance
told of terrible despair. Her silence
was big with resolution. Adrien said
nothing; he sat still, watching her,
scanning her face with the eager and
searching eye of the criminal. His
wife had suddenly became his judge,
and her virtue crushed him.
As he waited anXously, Renee said
with fcverish excitement:
"All is lost. Let it be so. Ruin
and shame are bCiolc us. Let us face
them-but let us face them in death"
death, Renee? You-to die?'
1--WE can die together
The tears wclIed to Adrian's eyes,
and Renee continued:
"They saw us row away together.
Everyone will fancy it was an accident,
What do we leave behind us? No one.
Nothing binds us to the past, | loved
you. am bound TO you by indissolu-
Bile bonds. Your shame would be my
shame. | could not live on longer.
We have had happy lovclit hours to.
gethcr. Now that fate has cruelty
snatchcd all from us, let us have done
with life forever
death! Suicidc!n muttcrcd Adricn
"Ayc suicidc,' replied Renee. at
is n crime, and God, who reads my
heart, may pardon it"
The sun had by this time almost set
beyond the horizon. A long purple
reelection coOrcd the surface of the
water. The sea was still, and over
away where the golden rays glanced
upon the cliffs where crowds of happy,
careless people idling.
The farewell was terrible but short.
Ere the sun had quite sunk, red and
round, into the waves, acting under a
common impulse they upset the boat,
and locked in one last embrace, they
disappeared,
There is twilight on the beach now.
The lcadcn sea signs like the wind in
pine wood. The beach is deserted
except in the corner, on the other side
of the Harbor, where group of horri-
fed people have gathered around the
body OF man that has driftcd on
some low rocks. Some fishermen arc
trying hard to call Adlien back to life.
A brave hearted Pollet man had
rescued him Just rs he was sinking.
At length he opens his eyes, rcyivcS,
and murmurs fcebly, Renee! Reneer'
No answer. The plying looks of the
people round HIM tell him the whole
dreadful truth. He has been saved
aloncl His reason gives way under
the shock Of this last, terrible blow
Rcmorso and grief oyerwhclm bin
He is mad.
The news spread rapidly througl
the TOWN. II got to the ears OF just
ice, and Adren Vernon, the dishonest
cashier, was carried off e g rlE ,inlirm
: ary of the pn5dt,
i Solemn magistrates questioned hin,
5 Grave doctors examined him and tric
their best to get him to confess. Al
2 in vain. One liked idea has possossio
!. of his wretched brain. Renee has It
turned from long, long journey, an,
all these pitlcss people, those doctors
judges and nurses, arc lcagued to
. gether to part him from hor forever.
The days pas, by, but Ids mind nuve
70 for on instant iJsss the impress sion
, Renee Is awaiting him They ar
keeping her from his arms. He is tn
l victim of horrible persecution.
One night, with the cunning on
!. sometimes finds in madmen, he man
aged to cheat the vigilance of hi
!, guards. An open window gives hin
I his opportunity. With one leap h,
reaches the court yard. In anothe
; minute he has scrambled over tn,
wall and is running as for dear lif,
across the fields. Overhead the star'
are twinkling. Below tho sea il