Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1884-02-07

ated hm, his attentions were so well
divided and yet 50 impressive to each
one. lie claimed to be no more than n
salesman in large wholesale house
with good salary, bat he had the man
ners of gentleman Of education, and
the most perfect beauty of face and
form that | ever saw in man. 1t was
not long before it was evident he wish
ed to win my love, and he had an easy
task. Such love as a child of sixteen
can give gave him. He was the i'm
personation of every hero of poetry and
fiction with whom my limited reading
had made me familiar. Schoolgirl like
l had made an ideal hero, and fitted
this my first admirer, with all his IN
aginary perfections.
"Flom the first, Uncle Richard dis
liked him pronouncing him false and
shallow, aud assuring me that my per-
sonal attractions had not won his
heart but the fact of my being an
heiress to large property had gained
me the protestations in which so firm
ly believed.
''It is painful story to me now, Ger
aid. Let it suffice that have lived in
a world o: pleasant dreams while Alex
ander remained at Grassbank. When
he left me he carried my promise to be
his wife at Christmas.
81 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 had inherited mon-
ey that made me independent in a pc
cuniary sense of his control or consent.
"Most grudgingly, however, uncle
did consent, after searching inquiry a
bout Alexander, resulting in no worse
report than that his employers thought
him fast, idle, and just the man to be a
fortune hunter. Even then my dear
uncle would haYe protected my fortune
by settling it upon myself but with
the reckless generosity of extreme
youth l refused to have this done.
Never, was firmly convinced, would
my adored Alexander wrong me in any
way.
''For year after the splendid we'd
ding that made me Alexander's wife
was very happy. l was too ignorant of
value to understand that we were liv-
ing far beyond our income-enjJyed
to the utmost the luxurles around me
the constant gayety that was in such
strong contrast to the school routine
from which 1 had been released.
Then began life of neglect, often
of quarreling, when l objected to my
husbands course of conduct-his
drinking, his extravagance and his late
hours. Still l found my own pleasures
in society.
1T was four years after my mar
riage, when | was thunderstruck by
Alexander asking me to request loan
of money from Uncle Richard, with the
information added that every penny of
my property was gone.
'-Since then have known that a
large portion Of il was lost at the gam
ing table.
'Long before this | had lost all love
for my husband. Respect had died
out when l knew the dissipated life he
was leading. and foolish as | was, |
could not continue to love a man whom
despised. | refused the errand, and
brought down torrent of such great
abuses that really expected that Alex
ander would end by striking me.
"Day after day the request was re-
newed, but would not yield. Upon
my marriage, Uncle Eichard had sold
the city residence and taken a perma-
nent abode at Grassbank, where, know
ing my husband to be an unwelcome
guest, | meyer visited him. 1 wrote oc-
casionally, but the love of pears, like
that of father and child, had been SO
sadly strained by my persistence in
marrying Alexander that even our cor
respondence was languid and common
place..
Il would not, therefore, write to
him to ask favor that l knew would
not have been necessary without Grim.
inal recBlessness of expenditure, and
each refusal made my husband more
furious. Then came an Overwhelm-
ing blow. Alexander forged a check
and drew $4,000 of Uncle Richards
money from the bank. | don't think
my uncle would have prosecuted him
had lie guessed who was the forger !;
but he handed the whole matter oyer
20 the law as soon as 1T was discovered
that ..the check was forged. 1t was
then traced to Alexander, and at the
same time it was found that he had
robbed in the same way his former EN-.
ployers. He had given up all work up
on his marriage but when he found
himself without money, his knowledge