The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-04-23
A MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE.
It was Christmas Eve.

VIC sunny SiSCh PiiNS "HlN4i S'PpO' ~
the pier.
friend, and heaven knows that the
voices of friends were not numerous
enough in my ears at that time. Oh,
what dreary Christmas-time it was!
1t was only the old story. | was q
Journalists literary hack-with some
talent; but my style, they told me. was
out of fashion; and ''just then there was
no call for that particular kind of arti-
cle." and the courteous editors showed
nc to the door, and blandly remarked
on the weather, as if poor creature
who was starving cared what the wealth
or was.
/ had tried for work at anything
which offered. | had gone out into
the country, and sought for employ
ment on farm, but nobody wanted to
hire man with white hands like mine.
] had offered TO work for board and
lodging, but the shrewd old farmers
told me that a man who would work SO
cheap as that was not worth his salt; so
returned to the great city, spent my
last siXpence for n meal at q cheap
restaurant, and went down to the river,
resolved to put an end to 1t before
Christmas morning broke.
Yes, there was Il woman in the case.
There generally is when man comes
to an extremity such rs / was in.
had loved her from boyhood up.
She was fair and sweet, and l thought
the little house we had so often talked
about would be an earthly paradise, but
when luck went against me, and every
body seemed anxious to help me down
hill, she joined the majority, and told
me, with cruel GOODNESS, that her papa
did not think it best that she should
marry man so naturally shiftless.
Two weeks afterwards she was the
bride of old Goldbeater, who had one
wife living and one dead, and five
grown-up children, besides money
enough 10 dress her in cloth of gold, if
he had chosen.
was a fool. no doubt; any man is %
fool to wreck his life for woman like
that; but | was young, ana Agnes had
formed hitherto so much of my life.
Never mind let her pass.
had written no letters to leave be-
hind me. Nobody in the world would
care, when they found my dead body,
some day, what led to the act; it would
make nice newspaper paragraph, and
that was all.
looked up at the sky set with stars,
faint waning moon Just coming up in
the east. No man looks his last on any
thing he has loved without feeling of
sadness. The stars were no more part
of my world; henceforth | should be
above them, or-God knew.
l closed my eyes and said little
prayer. When i opened them again /
was not alone. Two figures stood beside
metal men, well muffled up, and with
an air of authority about them. One of
them laid a heavy hand on my shoulder.
young man." said he, "give it up
and come with me. You are desperate
enough for anything. You are our
man!'
'For what?" / asked, struggling to
free myself from his grasp, but in vain.
For marriage" he answered in an
impressive tone.
laughed aloud.
''Marriage!" cried. "Where is the
woman insane enough TO marry poor
wretch like me, who has not courage
enough to live-who is cowardly enough
to flee from troubles that he has not
pluck enough to grapple withP"
You are to know nothing" said the
man, tightening his grasp on my should
err. '"Come with me; ask no questions;
do as you are hidden, and for your
nights work you shall have the sum of
one thousand pounds paid down to you
in cash."
Without a word more spoken between
us, l turned and followed him, the
other man, who had not joined in the
conversation, bringing up in the rear.
At the foot of the street q close carriage
was in waiting / was asked to step
into it. did SO. One of the men took
his seat by my side, while the other
mounted the box beside the coachman.
We started off at q rapid pace. An
hours hard driving took us beyond the
confines of the city; the pavements were
succeeded by soft country roads.
By-and-by-it had seemed an age to
me-the carriage turned out of the road,
and began the ascent of steep incline.
We drove through ponderous gate
way, lighted by lamp, up long
avenue, closely set on each side with
tIccs, anu sUOppcu DclOIc ~ large HOuSc
whose windows were dark as q tomb.
Somewhere in the distance l heard a
bell ring, and directly the great door of
the house was opened, and a voice babe
as enter.
NY companion drew his arm through
mine, and led me up thickly carpeted
stairway, along corridor lighted by
one dim lamp, and at the extremity of
the passage he raped lightly on a closed
door.
1t was opened silently from within,
and we passed through.
saw long shadowy room, furnished
in pale blue. and sitting together, on a
low couch. were two ladies, both yelled.
These two women rose at our en-
trance, and my companion spoke few
words to them in language did not
understand. Then he turned to me.
|'This lady," said he. touching the