Daily Republican., 1885-06-26
The Lawyers Secret,

II was luxuriously furnished room
vhere glowing Crate threw genial
light and warmth upon the occupants
hat Gen. LanstoD, lawyer and million
IRE, listened With batsd breath and pal.
i'd chit eks TO . low and melodions voice
hat told story Of life.
The speaker, beautiful woman OF
lbout thirty, yet ton years younger than
Mr. LsuKt0n, reclined In low cush-
Ioned chair, her attitude speaking OF
the ease wealth gives, but her face was
full Of the deepest anguish a. her lips
the story. i
"You love me" she said gently, yet
sadly, "and I love you - never loved
my one before, although ! am widow.
That you know, but did not know my
name. BY my uncle's last
req uast dropped it and took his with
The property he had left me. Do not
look 1T me tenderly, Gerald, do not
shake my voice or my heart, for when
Won know who I am you will not re-
peat the offer you made me, and which
Heaven Is my witness tried to divert"
"Let your conscience DO at rest
there" said her listener In q grave yet
tender voice; "you have never given
me one hope, Maud. By what instinct
knew that you loved me can never
tell. Something In your eyes-some
tone of your voice betrayed you. If, as
YOU say, something In your past life
does separate US you have been no Co
auette to torment me with false hopes
But, Maud, tell me again, whatever
stands between as, you love me p
az love you, che said gravely j." and
1t is because love you that will not
let you link your honorable name with
that Of the wretch who was my hus-
band. was very young-not sixteen
when he came to make visit to some
friends living at Grassbank. Uncle
Richard had country seat near the
village. l FIRST met Alexander at
pic mic, where he was the very life Of
the party; every body's cavalier cour
teous to all full Of wit and animation
and service to all. believe every girl
| on the grounds thought she had capt.
waited him, his attentions were 30 well
divided and yet 30 impressive to each
one.
HE claimed to be no more than a
salesman In o large Wholesale house
with q good salary, but he had the
manners Of q gentleman Of education
and the most perfect beauty and form
that ever saw in q man. 1t was moi
| long before 1t was evident he wished u
| win my love, and he had an easy task
Such love as q child of sixteen can give
| gave him. He was the impersona
ton OF every hero of poetry and fctioI
with whom my limited reading hac
made me an ideal hero, and fitted this
my first admirer, with all his imaginar,
perfecti0ns. :,
Z" From the first Uncle Richard dis
liked him, pronouncing him false AM
shallow, and assuring me that my per
soual attractions had NOT won his heart
but the fact of my being an heiress t
q large property had gained me tn
protestations In which L 30 firmly De
lieved.
aid. Let it suffice that have lived \
the world of pleasant dreams whil
Alexander remained at irassbank.-
When he left me he carried my promis
tn be his wife at Christmas:
81 think If my money had depend
ed on Uncle Richard, my marriae
might have been prevented by MS threa
leping to disinherit me, but both fror
my father and mother L had ineheri'
ed money that made me independer
in pecuniary sense OF his coHtroi
consent.
"Most grudgiugly, however, unc
did consent, after searching inquir
about Alexander, resulting in no wor,
report than that his employers though
him fast, idle, and just the man to
| hrn
uncle would have protected my forum
by settling it upon myself, but with tt
reckless generosity of extreme youth
refused to have this done. Never,
was firmly convinced, would my adore
Alexander wrong me in any way.
"For q year after the splendid we'
ding that made me Alexander's wife
was very happy. l was too ignoral
, of value to understand that we We
living far boy ond our income-enjoyt
to the utmost the luxuries around II
the constant gaiety that was in stroI
contrast to the school routine fro
, which 1 had been released.
i" Then began life of neglect, oite
a quarreling, when 1 objected to N
husbands course ofconduot-hisd rin|
ling, his extravaganza and his la
hours. Still found my own pleasur
in society.
). SIT was four years after my marriaI
when l was thunderstruck by Alexa
der asking me to request q loan
money from Uncle Richard, with Il
Information added that every penny
, Imy property WAS gone.
"Siuce then 1 have known that
large portion OF it was lost at the gar
ing table.
for my husband. Respect had died o
when knew the dissipated life he W
leading, and foolish as was, cou
mot continue to love o man whom l 4
spised. refused the errand, al
" brought down q torrent ofsuch gre
4. abuse that really expected Alexand
10 would end by striking me.
4. Day after day the request was
90 newed. but would not yield. Upon 1
q marriage, Uncls Richard had sold
en- city residence and taken up . perm
10 nent abode at Grsssbank, where, kno
g, ing my husband to be an unwefool
10: guest, I never visited him. VIZ
he occasionally, but the love Of years, II
he that of father and child, had been
nd sadly strained by my persistence
nd marrying Alexander that even .
On correspondence was languid and CO
g monplace.
nd II would not therefore write to b
Ler TO ask favor that l knew would
'ys have been necessary without crimi
~ reck lessness of expenditure, and es
mt refusal made my husband more fario
Then came an overwhelming bic
,er Alexander forged a check and dr.
at two thousand pounds Of Uncle Richar
money from the bank. l don't thi
my uncle would have prosecuted b