Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-01-10

Madge would occupy as his honored and
| cherished wife, Let no scruples, he begged,
| on the score of economy restrain her IN her
preparations The paving of bills could be
matter of future consideration between
himself and Colonel Madison.
He particularly desired that his wife
should come to him handsomely equipped
for the round of country-house visits he
meant to take her Immediately after the
first few weeks of the honeymoon were
over Miss Madison, upon this, went to
the best people, and ere long had ordered
a trousseau of modern and recherche mag
nifcence. The letters of her lover became
more and more ardent He begged that
the marriage might take place at Easter,
when he calculated he would have just
reached England Let not false delicacv
he implored his dearest Madge, prevent
her acceding to his wishes on this point
Miss Madison had no false delicacy, and
the point was conceded. Expectation in
the BOSOM of the little circle at Norwood
rose high; for Mr.. White was on his way
home via India, whittier his miserable
affairs dragged him. In a few weeks a
letter came announcing that he had
| reached Paris, where he was just stopping
ell PEASANT to buy few pretty trifles for
his bride Then came a break Of three
| DAYS in the correspondence, followed by a
letter from an English friend Of Mr.
Whites who had met him at his hotel,
| telling of his sudden illness, brought on by
over-traveling and over-excitement. After
| this came a short telegram announcing his
death
Terrible, terrible downfall of high hopes,
Was ever any girl so much to be pitied
| Madge Madison turned white to her very
| lips with the shock of the news. She
walked blindly out of the room, up the
shabby Stairs, and, locking herself alone in
her bedroom, sat down to face the awful
collapse of her bright expectations.
The next day brought some amelioration
of the situation to Colonel Madison, though
his poor daughter could hardly be expected
as yet to take comfort in it. The same
friend wrote to say that his unfortunate
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS last act had been to
sign hurriedly prepared WILL leaving
everything he possessed to his betrothed
wife. He had expressed wish that the
whole Madison family should provide
themselves with proper mourning and be
present at his funeral, which was to take
place at Kensal green the following Thurs
day The writer stated that he was max
ing all necessary arrangements, and should
start for London with the remains that
night
The widowed bride-elect seemed stunned
by the extent Of her misfortune in losing
thus cruelty the best and most generous
| of men. Her plying sisters procured her
mourning, and their own, from the same
celebrated artists who had executed the
wedding order The fabrics were of the
richest. Severe and elegant simplicity in
woe is expensive; but what of that? Was
this a time to haggle over the price of
needful garments to do honor to the mem
ory of a noble-hearted benefactor?
Thursday morning saw the whole family
arrayed in their sables, ready to set out on
their mournful journey. A coach from the
nearest jobmaster's, the driver being in
decent black, so as to be in harmony with
the melancholy occasion, pulled up at the
door. The four black-robed Young figures,
with Colonel Madison, took their places in
it, Barbara sitting bodkin-her eyes bright
with excitement-for even funeral was
something to her. as she had but few dis
fractions They arrived punctual to the
minute at the cemetery, and waited for the
funeral cortege to appear. Time went on,
but it did not come. One hour, two hours,
passed in anxious expectation, and still
the funeral Jagged strangely on the road.
Colonel Madison interviewed the officials.
No notice of Mr.. Whites intended inter
ment had been given. Other groups Of
black-robed figures came weeping, buried
their dead and went away, and still the
Colonel and his daughters fingered, IN
willing to be accused hereafter of any lack
of respect. \ cold, cutting northeaster
whirled mockingly amongst the head
stones, seeming to deridc and insult the
mourners with its bitter cheerlessness. At
length it became apparent to every one
that some in-Xcusable mistake had been
made, and the uselessness of further wait
{ ing was obvious. Colonel Madison slowly
Withdrew his little cohort from the field,
matchmaking the wind, the otficious
friend of the deceased, and every available
subject for displeasure.
He went that evening to Kensington to
see tine lady at whose house his daughter
had first met her betrothed, but only TO find
to his dismay that the house was to let,
and that no trace of Mrs. Bigley was to be
found Nothing, therefore, was to be as
certained from that quarter. He was at Il
loss to know where else to apply for infor-
nation, and so waited patiently with the
hope that the post would bring him some
explanation.
But no such explanation came. Puzzled
and furious the Colonel telegraphed to the
hotel in Paris for particulars Of Mr.. Whites
death, and the subsequent disposal of his
remains. An answer came back that no
such person, nor anyone answering to the
description, had visited the hotel, and the
proprietor Indignantly denied that anyone
had died suddenly under his roof 1t then
began to dawn upon the unfortunate family
that they had been made the victims of an
infamous and cruel hoax.
The Dowager Lady Dumbledon, filed
with pity for the poor girl thus heartlessly
made a fool OF, carried her of to Brighton,
charitably trusting that change Of scene
might assuage the acuteness Of those ago
MES OF shame and modification that the
deceived and deserted young creature must
be experiencing.
The little circle wherein the Madisons
moved and had their being was shaken to
its foundation with indignation at the
heartless cruelty of which poor Madge had
been the victim. The tale OF her woes
leaked out in Brighton, and awoke per-
feet iurore of sympathy. Her behavior
was pronounced as perteot-she was so
quiet, 50 digniied 50 patient under her
shattered feelings.
Meanwhile, Colonel Madison was receiv-
ing a great deal Of sympathy, too. lie be-
come a feature at his club, and enjoyed no
toriety he could we'll have dispensed with,
as the father of the young lady who had
met with 50 extraordinary and unpleasant
an adventure. Every one offered him .ad-
vice in the matter
Hang it, Colonel, the backyard ought
10 be discovered and made to pay for it,
cried one Of his old friends, enersetically.
Sc; a detective on his tracl@man.'