Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-07-10
I'D I'd lIur-

reached the cir. Helpl Hslpl Muir
derr
at was a great trial in those times.
! The testimony Of the wife Of the muir
dered man was overwhelming. My
/ grandfather confessed his crime. My
father, remembering his wife and child
refused to confess, but my grandfather's
| confession condemned him. They were
| sentenced TO death and executed. Yet,
as until then they had been greatly
| esteemed and respected, they were fol
/ lowed to the scaffOld with some show
Of pity, and the ezecutiOner, his work be-
done, Immediately resigned his Of
fee.
ssAIy mother died of grief. My grand
uncle accepted the shame; but, relying
on his good name, held himself upright
before the world He took care Of me,
orphan that I.was, but he could not IN
still me with his courage. The pity with
which I was surrounded overwhelmed
me. was placed, under the assumed
name now bear, IN one OF the colleges
IN Paris, and when Issued from It's doors
1 was Paralyzed by the fear Of the isOla-
ton IN which 1 knew 1 would be thrown.
1 imagined that my true name could be
read in my face. What should L dOy 1
thought often Of death as a relief, aud
when gloomy. Respondent thoughts as
sailed me, even then had an inexpressi-
bic desire to feel the presence Of a owed
and loving one. felt that it was terri
bic to be held responsible for the crimes
Of my family, and hoped to meet a he
role woman who could pardon my birth
and bestow as much love on me as the
amount Of hatred expected and dreaded
to receive. 1 nistrusted providence, for
that woman l have found. 1 have her
here; she gives me more happiness than
a human being has a right to have; but
she cannot prevent two specers at times,
from appearing and casting their awful
shadows across my sight. This is my
secret"
We had listened to this recital with an
emotion that froze our blood and burned
our hearts. We thought all was over,
but to our surprise the young wife now
began, in soft, sad tones:
you have heard his story, gentle
men, but he has not told you mine. 1t
is for me to narrate it. 1, also, am an
innocent victim, more isolated from the
world than he. 1 knew the history OF
the Perpignolle family. My father often
sadly spoke of it. L pitied the orphan
/, upon whom another fatality rested,
and which weighed me down. 1 knew
he bore an assumed name, and when 1 first
met him he must have detected In my
look an appeal to that brother in mis-
fortune which he understood, and he
dared to speak to me. 1t did not take
long for love to take possession of our
hearts, And when the time came for
mutual explanations, when he told me his
true name, which already knew, I felt
more confused and ashamed than he,
while relating his life to me, for L was in
duty bound to acknowledge that L was
the daughter of the man who resigned
his Office after the execution OF the Per
pignoles father and son. The heir of the
assassin Is now married to the daughter
Of the executiOner!'
She was grand and full of sOrrow, OF
innocence, Of dignity and OF love as she
uttered these words.
1t cannot be better imagined than de-
scribed into what state of mind We were
thrown while listening to this family
history, which I certify TO be abFOlutely
true.
The oppressive silence which followed
was broken by the husband saying:
"Ihis is why we love one another with
a tenderness unknown to others; this is
why two outcasts have become united in
a love which became strengthened by
the reprObation of the world, but it is
, also why there exists something like a
religious PalPitation at the bottom Of
our love-"
? He spoke truly. I have never known
a more satisfied couple than they, who
t while having a secret sorrow, never per
l Initted it to sour the sweetness of then
? life. That sorrow seemed rather tC
stimulate their love and make it lasting
/ even beyond the grave, extending into
/ that eternity where love and happiness
Q alone abide, and where the stains Of this
D world are washed away forever.