Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-12-27

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things You come at fine time, when
yoarswcetheart is begging her bread"
'WhatYp asked Ralph.
= said she was begging her bread. She
said you were prosperous. If fine clothes
mean aught you may be. Lord grant they
were honestly come by"
- viii now Col Embleton," said the
attorney, place my clerk in possession
and seal everything"
Where Is Mathew" asked Ralph.
"lIe is in the town. You will find him
selling their cottage-Drusilla' cottage.
BY this time your dainty girl will be in
.he road. bag and baggage"
"What?"
pride is humbIed. The girl has be-
gun to repent of her stubbornness. Of
course so fine a gentleman as you would
seorn beggar wench."
With such words did this foolish and
sPiteful woman infame tho heart of a
man whom she should have conciliated
with words Of welcome.
He left her and rode into the town with
such speed as the snow, now two feet
deep. would allow.
An hour later Mathew, pale and trem-
bling, rushed breathless into the mill.
Has he been here"
Barbara nodded.
Mathew went hastily to his room. Here
lie found the attorney with his clerk.
''These are my papers" he cried, now
IN desperation Everything is mine
The house is mine. the mill is mine, the
farm is mine.
Gently gently" said the lawyer.
.at MS hear
Mathew played his last card.
"A second will was found, he said; sit
IS In the desk
We viii wait, said the lawyer, until
tho return Of Col. Embleton."
When Ralph came back, accompanied
by Blr Carnaby he found Mathew wait
ing for him.
Now" said the lawyer, ''let us see
this second will
He opened the desk and drew forth the
/ per which Mathew pointed out. When
he had unfolded and looked at 1t for a
moment, ho looked euriously at Mathew
This, he said, lis your second will2"
at is, Mathew replied Found five
years ago, and"-
"Quite enough" said the lawyer
Friend" he had by this time compared
the signature with that of the first will,
II make no charge only inform you as a
fact that this document is valueless, as
bearing neither date nor witnesses, and if
# did, it would still be valueless, because
Che signature is forgery, plain and palp-
able 1t will hang some one if it is put
forward
Mathew dropped his hands by his side.
This was the fruit Of his labors He had
forged the will, he had made it of no use
By negecting the witnesses; he had
forged it SO clumsily that he was at once
detected
Any well wisher of yours, sir, said
The lawyer would recommend you to
pnt that paper in the fire"
Mathew did so without word
'Sir, said the lawyer, you have saved
your neck. Have you any more to say
about the will~
lie had no more to say The plots and
designs Of nine years came to this lame
and impotent conclusion
Then. Mr. Humble the attorney con
tinued, i have nothing more to say than
this Col Embleton expects an accurate
statement of accounts and payment to
MIN ofall sums due to him without delay. y
Mathew made no reply; he was defeated.
lie left the room. and presently, one of
them looking through the open door, saw
him leave the house with his sister.
Ralph spoke not one single word to him,
good OF bad By this time he had heard of
Mathews attempted abduction and all his
imquties There was no room in his
heart for pity
In the morning Sailor Nan came to draw
her pay She heard that her husband had
deserted her She lamented the fact. be
cause she had intended to be kept in pork.
rum and tobacco 50 long as he was alive.
But she was easily consoled with jorum
Of steaming punch
Thus vanished from among us one who
had wrought so much evil, for which
hope that we have long since entirely for
given him (but he was desperate vii
hdn), and we never knew what became Of
him
It was ten years later that Barbara
came back alone
We found her In the porch one summer
evening She was worn and thin, and
dressed in dreadful rags
"Oh, | cried moved TO pity by her
misery come in and eat, and let me find
some better clothes for you.
She refused but she took cup Of milk.
Il want to see the boy" she replied in
her old manner Of speech.
When Ralph came home she said what
she had to say
Mathew ought to have had the mill
If 1t had been. his, he would not have
taken to drink and evil courses. You
we're an interloper, and we both hated the
sight Of you When you went away
used to pray that you might never come
back The waiting for you and the fear
Of you made him wicked. That Is all
have to say"
Where is Mathew
Dead Ask me no more about him
He is dead.
Ralph led her. unresisting, into the
house
wife, he said to me, ''you have heard
Barbaras confession |. too. have had
hard thoughts about her. Let us forgive,
as we hope for forgiveness"
She stayed with us that night--an un.
Wiling and ungracious guest-and the
next day Ralph placed her in a cottage
and gave her an allowance Of money,
which she took without thanks Perhaps
her heart grew less bitter as years fell
upon her; but / know not, for she died
and made no sign
On that year Christmas day fell on a
Thursday Now. Ralph. who though a
grave man AID the colonel Of his regi
ment. showed more than the customary
iupatience 81 lovers. would be content
with nothing short OF being married on
the very next day after his return. It is