Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-05-30
UNDER SUSPICION.

ssYou must give up all acquaintance
with the Parsons family, my daughter.
They are not fit associates for you, and
the suspicion of having killed their
father will be an everlasting stain upon
them"
Thus spoke Miles Williams, we'll
TODD farmer, to his daug ter Emma.
The Parsons family owned a farm in
the same town. They were descendants
of old settlers, and had always stood
we'll in the community until recently.
One evening in January tie father.
Richard Parsons. was missing. About
a month later, when the ice began to
break up, his body was found in the
pond in the vicinity. The condition
of the body indicated violence. There
had been some Slight difficulty betw cen
Parsons and his wife, which, but for
his death, would have passed unnotic-
ed. Two witnesses snore, at the in
quest that they had seen the deceased
on his way to, and near, his house, on
the evening that he disappeared. and
gossip was busy with the name of Mrs.
Parsons as possibly responsible for her
husbands death.
There was no tangible evidence,
however, before the coroner's jury
against any one, and verdict was re-
turned of ''Murder bya person or per-
sons unknown
Alden Parsons, the eldest son of the
deceased, was worthy young man,
and a general favorite in the commun-
ity. The death of his father, and the
rumors which he knew we're rife re-
garding that event, bore fearfully
against him, but he resolved to live
them down, and the rest of the family
were of the same resolution. In this
they were wise, for the best answer to
any false ccu,a N is to olive it
down."
Alden had been a favored admirer
of Emma Williams. He was twenty
two, and she but seventeen-too early
an age for her to form any definite
plans for the future, but not too early
to exercise Judgment and caution in
the choice of associates.
Alden was not strikingly handsome
His Saxon blood showed itself in light
hair and deep blue eyes. His features
were regular, but not classic, and his
form V as short, but of u strong, we'll
knit. and compact type. But the ex-
preston of his eyes and of his features
remove him above the commonplace.
1t was an honest, fearless. manly, re-
spectful, and self-respectlng look 1t
won him friends, and once won by
first acquaintance, he easily held them
by his subsequent conduct.
He loved Emma Williams-a black
eyed, ark-haired, graceful brunette,
who was as frank and cordial in her
affections as she was maidenly and
filial in her behavior.
Before the tragic event spoken of
above it was generally expected among
the people of the town that Emma
would one day become the wife of AL
den.
But Miles Williams was one of those
men Who, thinking themselves far
above the reach of calumny or calam-
ity, have no pity or sympathy for
the miseries of others. They forget to
ignore the Injunction: "Judge not,
and We shall not be judged"
Mr.. Williams determined that his
daughter should no longer keep COM
pany with Alden Parsons, and his de-
cision was announced in clear, cold,
and positive language.
Emma did not argue or demonstrate.
She had no mother to appeal to, and
she was too dutiful daughter not to
submit to her parents will in a matter
in which she felt that his will ought to
be her law. All she asked was the
privilege of a final interview with her
lover. This was granted.
81 knew it would come, Emma"
said Alden Parsons, sobbing as if his
heart would burst when they met
that evening at a secluded turn in tie
old road that skirted the two farms.
but" and he dashed away the tears
81 will live it down, as | have said |
would | will yet prove to your father
that Alden Parsons is worthy of his
daughter.
81 believe you, Alden" answered