The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-05-08
The Expiated Crime.

thO GNplttlCu VI illlOi
I had had trying day. Something
had gone wrong L knew not what in
the large warehouse whora my brother
Robert was master and was head clerk.
Robert always stern AMI imperative,
was, this day, insE.jrrlhy SO. L had
never seen the temper which my dying
mother warned ma against irritating so
bitter and cuttin us now. Why was
it? True, | had won the love which
he so earnestly coveted; but was | to
blame because Olive Stoughton liked me
better than him? was but poor
clerk, and he II thriving, prosperous
man, able to give her a splendid home !;
but she cared more for the little cottage
which alone l could afford to live in,
and which already we were furnishing
for our future residence.
1 had lodged with Olives mother for
five years, and Olive had ever beeu as
u dear sister to me- When Robert who
had seen her but a few times, but was
Nllll lLllOCtHb btulitN, Muul6lt
to make her his wife, she came weeping
to me. Her mother had urged her
earnestly to marry him; but she could
not love one so cold and stern Would
1 please to go down and talk her mother
into reason? Would 1 tell her that it
was not right in the light of Heaven to
form such an alliance?
Before this l had felt quite content
that Olive should look upon me as a
brother. The thought that she had been
so nearly lost to me made me know
that this relationship was not all 1
coveted loved her rs one who should
be my wife and when L went down to
talk to Mrs. Stoughton | told her so,
and she, who saw in my future a
counterpart of my brothers success. was
persuaded that it was best to consult
Olives own inclinations.
That night the weeping girl confessed
that she refused Robert for my sake !;
and as soon as / was able, by close
economy, to take small house in the
suburbs, 1 did So We were to be
married in a week. Something had kept
me from telling my brother but pre-
sumed that he knew it from another
source. Perhaps l cannot make anyone
understand how much [ stood in fear of
my brother Robert He was seven
years older than myself, had been the
tyrant of my boyhood, and the scourge
of my mother. When she died he was
my guardian; and although L suspected
that he appropriated the little she left
me- dared not ask him any questions
lest it might irritate him. On her death
bed my mother had charged me, and
had promised never to oppose him
always to give way to him. My poor
mother! she would not have done so
had she but known all He took me
into his warehouse when | was fifteen,
and l had been the slave of his will ever
since, never daring to cross his path,
until, armed with the desperate courage
of love, / had rivallel Inn in the heart
Of Olive Stoughton.
On the morning Of this day l had
caught malicious CLEAN in Roberts
eye.
He kept me very late at the Office that
evening and sent me afterwards on an
errand connected with a
bill of exchange.
When l went 10 the counting-house
t1,a ,,,a,.,,,np IR,l,Avt lnnlynl
with the old grave stare now 50 familiar,
and said, There are two bills abroad
this morning of the description of
that which you took away Yesterday
one of them is, of course, II forged one.
Someone here has done it, Who
initiates my handwriting, save your
self!
| was thunderstruck, but / recovered
myself sufficiently to say, How do you
know that it was done here?"
because our own paper was used
the blanks which we had expressly
engraved for our bills. No one has had
access to it but you and myself, there
fore l accuse you'll"
But, Robert, you do not believe
that did this ?"
What else can think? Here is the
bill which have had to redeem. look
att"
NAY, / sec that it strongly resembles
my writing, but it is only a resemblance
I never wrote it, Robert, you are in
Jest you do this to frighten me, Look
at me. Do look like guilty person p
He colored, bit his lips, and did not
reply
said, Brother some one seems try.
ing to do me an injury. l swear faith
fully that l will find that person out
and expose him, even if it is years and
years hence. No matter who it is,
will do so, l would expose man who
would do thatifhe were my own brother,