The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-06-28

headl' exclaimed Owen. with warmth.
He perhaps did nothing to merit
quite such severe punishment; but he
WAS certainly then. and has been since.
indirectly. the cause of a great deal Of
misery 70 me II amused himself for
some time with casting what / sup
pose we're admiring Chances at me.
pressing his hand to his heart and
signing profoundly. Then suddenly.
20 my utter amuz ment. he threw HIM
self on his knees before me. declared.
in very bal + nglish. that he loved me
TO distraction. and, most startling If
all, tore oil his very handsome watch
and chain and flung them into my
lap"
The man was mad. Of course
Yes; we learned this for a fact aft
erwards looked at our travelling
c1mpanion-the middle-aged man al
ready mentioned-in helpless fright.
He star ed az. and. with what then
thought admirable presence Of mind.
exclaimed. angrily; How dare you
insult my wife. sir?
This strong language had the de-
sired effect. and the man seemed to
shrink into himself and become quiet
as lamb IsupTose believing me TO
BE- the wife Of somebody else shattered
his hopes"
Here again the rare. sweet smile
lent a new charm 10 Lruise's face.
Try as / might. " she continued. Il
could not prevail upon him to take
back his watch. and al the next s;a-
ton the gentleman who called me his
wife gave my admircr. with his watch.
into the hands If policeman. as mad
That is the last we ever saw OF him.
but we heard later that he was a Pole.
aud incurably insane. The cd lady in
the coupe with us looked iuquiringiy
At my 7 scuer. who laughed. and muir
INJURED something ! did not under
stand. ! thanked him rs descended
al my destination. never dreaming
that he was 10 cross my path again"
Here L. uise broke of ard the rest
Of her narrative was told less Slibly.
You perhaps know. Mr. Stanley.
that / am an orphan. dependant on
my uncle for every thing and eonse-
quently Ia his power for good or
evil"
More evil than good. fancy"
Oven wished to say. but refrained till
he should have heard the end Of the
story. II he could sit thus for ever on
the messy old log. listening 10 Louise's
sweet voice. aud watching her charnl-
ing pay Of expression. how happy he
believed he would bel
Some weeks aga one afternoon.
my uncle called me from mending
Tommy's stockings. and told me "A
friend wished To. see me in the draw
ing-ro1m /. who had no friends. was
much surprised; nor did this surprise
lessen when was presented 10 the
man who hal sileucrd the crazy Pole
that day in the train. His name was
Mitchell. aud he turned out Ia be- an
old friend Of nv uncie'S Rich rs
Crn,us aud a bachelor my uncle
said To me. with knowing wink.
when our visitor had departed
Il took great dislike TO Mr.. Mitch
ell; in manner and appearance he was
most repugnant to me. But thought
very little about him one way or an
other-whv should l interest myself
in a man older than my faihrr2 I'M
I'll. a week later. Uncle Thomas in
formed me tkai Nj Mitchell wished
TO marry me-.
'Preposicrnusr' exclaimed Owen.
Il don't often laugh in The presence
If Uucle Thomas. hut when he told
me this, ! laughed heartily. This
made my uncle very angry? Why
should / make game Of the offer Of a
man Of whom / might De- proud? ],
/ who would be in the warehouse IL il
were not for the charity oil my rela-
| tionsv'
1.-The bruirr'
If was so silly as not to know on
which side my bread was buttercd-it
was often Il iii cult To tell-he would
/ turn me oui-ot-doors. and that would
! perhaps bring me 10 my senses. But
why need tell you the particulars Of
this and many another most painful
scene? l was silent and undecided
for awhile. and at last found courage
to tell Mr. Mitchell that / could not
marry him.
lie listened with di,agreeable
smile. and replied: My young lady
will not find refusal 50 easy As she
thinks
Owing 10 rusty conduct on the
part Of your amiable uncle" inter-
polatel Owen.
Il belived this was his meaning.
until the next dav. Then my aunt
Informed mo calmly that was already
married To Mr. Mitchell"
as that good lady subject TO such
/ fits Of mental alteration"
Il stared at her in amazement when
she proceeded TO explain to me that.
according 10 Scotch law. IL n man i'm
the presence OF witness says a
woman is his wife. and she does not
deny it. it becomes a legal marriage.
There was a witness in the train that
day-the old lady ! mentioned-Mr.
Mitchell is Scotch. and was determined
TO have his rights
Il could not believe aunt was in
earnest. but il seems she was. and
what is worse. they all beset me every
hour of the day with speeches to the
effect that il is Of no use to try to es-
cape my destiny-Mr Mitchell has
the law on his side. and the sooner.
for appearances sake, / consent TO
another marriage ceremony in church.
| the better.
Il have asked you to meet me here
this evening. Mr. Stanley. to tell me
truly II there Is any ground for their
saying am Mr.. Mitchelrs wife"
II is the most preposterous. cow
arJly lie / ever heard Of ~ exclaimed
Owen. quite boiling over with indig-
nation. 'In some parts Of Scotland.
long ago. some such rubbish as they
tell you might be true; but we are not
in Scotland. To have this rich man :
money in the family. your reprobate
Of an uncle is trying TO play upon
your innocent Ignorance. knowing OF
believing you had no one TO enlighten
you He ought to be exposed and
prosecuted for his villainy."
oh. I'm so glad and thankful you
assure me that this dreadful man has
/ 4 a.