The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-10-17

but it was something.
Soon | had another. One day be-
gan to unpack my effects, and arrange
them in my present home. Almost at
the last of the work / came to that
which was TO be our sleeping cherub,
but which was now, like the hand
which thought to mould it, mere cold
lump of clay. laid it on the table
and looked at it. l thought to weep,
but amazement checked the tears.
There in the midst of the dry mould,
was the impress of a foot-the lower
part of coarse, large manned mans
foot.
The truth burst upon me at once.
The robber had trodden in the clay.
| remembered that the stairs and floors
were spotted with it. l remembered
his ejaculation and the thud of tho
clay against the bedstead. 1t was
plain. ! locked the door and sat down
with both hands to my head. A fierce
Joy possessed me- l knew not what to
do. My hands had dabbled in cast
making often enough. found some
Plaster OF Paris, and soon the foot, up
to the instep, stood before me, with
two toes gone the great toe and the
next one to it-and an incision in the
side, as though it had been cut away.
When had done this, and though it
was matter of some time, said no
more to anyone, / broke down, and lay
x,,ht Nhn hal
very great and brought on fever,
from which / nearly died.
Yet, despite all this, nothing came
of my discovery. l waited and hoped
in vain. A year passed-five-the
sixth began and crept on until winter,
and yet, though I had written to in
fluential friends in New Orleans, moth.
ing was made of my discovery.
AT last I said: "The secret is yelled
from human eyes forever. l must
give up my hope" And I was calmer
after that
My boy was now a comfort to me
and had gone to housekeeping with
young sister for my companion. She
was beautiful creature and very
much admired. My house grew gay,
for | could not doom her to dullness,
and young voices and laughter and
music filled the parlors almost nightly.
Sometimes, however, / was alone
there, while she was away amidst gay
scenes and merry friends, and then l
thought until thinking was a pain and
the hours seemed years.
One cold winter night l had been
thus alone, when my sister Grace came
home. She was in a merry mood, and
cast her fur wrappings from her glee-
fully, as she sat down by the fire.
"I've made conquest, my DEAR" she
said.
"Is that anything newi' asked l.
"He is. What do you say to mil
lionaire y
81 should ask what is he besides a
millionaire :"
"Oh Cuban, forty odd, suppose,
and not bit handsome but he
adores me already. It's no joke, Ella,
and l always said would marry a
rich man."
"Not without loving him 7"
"Bahl It's enough if he loves me.
How do love matches end Either
one dies, and the other is wretched, or
they quarrel and are divorced in a year
or two. Better not love, say l.
sighed. She was half right, after
all.
"He's a mystery, too" said Grace.
"No one knows anything about him,
except that he's enormously rich. He
has bought the Elms-the finest place
here, you know-and they are making
great pet of him-all for his money.
He saw me home, to the envy of every
girl in the room, and he will probably
call tomorrow and ask howl am.
Will you shut me in my room and
send him away, cruel sister?'
! tried to smile and the thought
came upon me that it might be bette,
never to know the height of happiness
if one must be plunged from it into
the depths Of misery.
| shall not turn the Cuban away il
he is a good man and my sister likes,
l said and Grace laughed and went to
bed.
The Cuban did call next day but
was out and did not see him, however
and he had bought the great place
called the "Elms," and intended TO be
resident of the town. In worldly
point of a view it seemed a gooG
match for any girl, and l waited to see
the man myself. Three days after
had the opportunity.
Grace had been to church in the
evening; my boy was ill and l had tc
stay away. When it was time for ser,
vice to be over, sat by the window
watching for her. The bedroom was
dark, and the moon outside very
bright; consequently I could see the
garden very plainly.
Soon Grace came up the path on 9
mans arm. AT the gate she bad him
goodnight, and stopped to say few
words. He leaned with both arm.
folded on the tence outside.
l had seen the picture before
where! with leap my mind wen
back to the night before my husband
was murdered. saw Jane, the mu
latto cook, and her companion and
oh, merciful heavens the mans fac,
was the same. This was shaded by
fashionable hat-a fashionable cola
and cravat, an elegant overcoat finish
ed the costume; while the first fac,
was set off by ragged garments, th'
persons were the same. l could hav
lain my hand upon the Bible ant
sworn to that fact upon the spot A
l grew positive of this, my senses de
parted, as my sister, when she entere'
found me in swoon upon the floor,
When / recovered l doubted m
own sanity. ] laid what l had seen t
the illusion of moonlight and distance
/ argued with myself that until ha,
seen the Cuban must regard the al
fair as a delusion. / waited not pa
tiently, but silently. Soon l met hin
face to face in my own parlor, Th
moment was terrible one. khe,
now | had made no mistake.
There had not been the slightes
| Ionht In my mind that tb;a oo,,non;o