Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-08-08

for "a long walk, and had only gone into the
vessry room to leave parcel. which the
priest mad in his hand Scarcely, however.
bad they entered the room when they were
followed bya little girl who had seen them
go INTO the chapel She had been TO the
priests house TO look for him, as her mother.
who was very ILL., wished TO see him for
few minutes.
Il shall wait here for you," said Marston.
Speaking 10 Kohl in French, when he under
sto"1 what the little girls errand was u
can read until you come back There were
som,s French and Latin books in the room
Very WE'LL said Kohl. its only q few
minutes walk from here | shall not be
more than half an hour"
When the girl and priest had left the
chapel Msrston took out of the cupboard
the volume that contained the register Of the
countess marriage and turned over the pages
till lie came to the entry he was in search OF.
Yes, there. in black and white, was the rec
ord Of the marriage of Sophia Uschakon
with Michael Tokhtamish Mr. Marston
booked at the register intently for a minute
or two during which time he turned rather
pale Then he got up and looked out Of the
vesti-y room to see that there was nobody in
the chapel Having satisfied himself that he
was quite alone, he sat down again and ex-
amined the characters in which the name of
Michael Tokhtamisb was written with the
greatest cars for about a minute. Finally,
he took out Of his pocket penknife, bottle
of ink and pen, which he had always car
ried about with him in anticipation Of an
opportunity like the present With the pen
knife he carefully erased the game of Michael
Tokhtamish 1t took him ab,Sit three minutes
to do this, so anxious was he to do the work
neatly, and nCS to leave a trace Of the letters
he was removing from the register When
he had succeeded to his liking he put
the penknife in his pocket again, and having
carefully examined the pen to see that the
nib was in order he proceeded to write over
the erasure the name of -
Let me first ask if the reader has guessed
whose name it was that Mr. Marston wrote
over the name he had been at such pains to
erasei Some people of whom have asked
the question have guessed that he wrote his
own name. But why SOL On a subsequent
occasion he did write his own name in a
marriage register after Sophia Cheraski had
written hers But on the present occasion
he could not have gained anything by so
doing. And the same objection will apply to
his writing most other names over the erasure
No. Having most carefully erased the
p,me of Michael Tokbtamisb he nrocee,ed
with the very greatest care to write the mama
Of Michael Tokbtamisb as nearly as nossible
in tho sama Mace and characters that i, nod
stooj in hafora Whom ba had dona this 10
h;s s.tisfac,io, no lot IN. ;rk dry ard ,har
res.ored the hook tn its nlace Kob, cama
hooL rrosaptIv and tbsv wont for tbo;- Ion,,
walk
Ahout tbrsa vveet,s aft.rward Mr. Morsto,
found that ba had business which nacassi-
t.t.d bis leaving for ENGLAND a,d vary
,n,oh - tho roqrra+ ~ ~ ;nhah;+an.s %
Narn,aI ha danartaa Ero,, p,,ei. H., .,.,,+
..r.ioht 20 por,s ubara bo called ,ro, H.
C,r,toss Charosl,i ,,i,b wbon, ba bad hala No
connunicatiop uhatavsr dnr;pr tho uboIa
tima no xvas living AZ Naroval
won have nlaced imnIic;t confdarc. +,
me be said sand Won will And that II hos
M. bsan .busad I have ,oId Won hafors ,hat
Won ,,uet NOT ast opv questions ord ,alI
yon so again Won mnst do e,octlv os
dira,t Won vitbout ASKING WHY Commence
nroceadings at once for the restoration ~
vou, title and estates. and mari mo wben
the register ia nrodpced ipsist on HAVING
every word that relates IN vour marriago
most carefully examined 10 .Yactlv ma
tell Won. and Won will find thu. the result
will he satisfactory And now qood-by I
nus, cot hack IN lopdon IN COO If 7 cannot
oct INV nstients AGAIN.
The countess did ne he told bar IN do She
commenced an action on behalf of berself
and her children for the restoration of the
title and estates The reg;star of b.r NOR.
riaqa was nroduced hut who. II wos svam.
ina5 il was found that the name of Michos,
Tokbtamish WAS written over an erasnre
This DESTROYED the value of the register as
evidence of a marriage between Sopbia Uscba.