The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-07-05

| 2IJP6ItM W life and death; for
| SIrsAzGzhE%Y these are but a breath,
| MESl SSlalltssLS3tR and arc resolved in Il
| YEgg$ $egSE-A moment OF time. But
mans good fame,
or its reverse, is not
! created, and dies not, so swiftly. 1t lives
| long after he is laid In his grave, and sheds
honor or disgrace upon those who live after
HIN, and who were nearest and dearest to
| his heart 1t is sad 10 think that this is so,
| and that tho innocent must often suffer With
] the guilty. but the frailties Of our common
nature, no less than our lack of largo-hearted
| hGritableness, are continually pcrpetrating
! hcse acts of injustice, and l suppose they
| must be borne with and made the best Of.
| The opportunity, however, of setting wrong
things right must not be neglected. There
fore, in a small measure for my own sake,
and in a large measure for the sake of those
love, do gather together tho loose threads
of IL St Dry in which all tho passions and emo
tions of human nature play their pregnant
parts.
My name is Richard Pardon, and at the
time of the tragedy, which will be recorded
in its proper place, resided with my wife
and only chi.d Eunice, at Boscombe Lodge.
Sevenoals. A brief description of my abode
will suffice. Boscombe Lodge is an estate
| OF about twelve acres; the residence is old
fashioned and roomy, and the pleasure-
! grounds around it are charmingly laid out
| Indeed, the natural and artistic beauties Of
the dear home are perfect, and such as should
| content of mO1arnfa pOOl SnnSp
even though his tastes were fastdious. Mine
were not; was II happy, contented man,
blessed with an a1fectionate wife and daugh-
ter, and it was perhaps because had lived
life of ease that I was so ill-fltted to meet
trouble when 1t came to me; but the storm
which broke upon me was sufficiently terri
bic to unsettle the reason of any human be-
ing, howsoover wise and mentally strong he
might be.
-Four female servants, a gardener, and a
coachman did the work of the house and
grounds. In addition to these were Samuel
Fleetwood and Mdlle. Rosalie Lenormand.
1t would not be correct to describe Samuel
| Fleetwood as a servant. He was altogether
a superior man, and was attached to me in
confidential capacity. Circumstances of u
peculiar nature had made me acquainted with
| him some years previous to his entering my
house. He was then married, and had gone
| through great troubles and misiortunes,
| which had left him very poor. His wife was
| in delicate health, and at more than one crit
icaliuncture Mrs. Pardon and stepped in to
their aid. A ministering angel indeed did
my wife ever prove herself to be in such
cases US this; her presence in the sick cham
Der was balm, her smile sunshine, her gentle
voice breathcd peace. No man could more
strongly appreciate the sympathetic aid we
rendered in II time of need than Samuel
| Fleetwood; it stirred him to his innermost
depths, and he was profoundly grateful for
it. My wife and l stood by Mrs. Fleetwood's
deathbed, and almost with her last breath she
thanked us for the kindness we had shown to
her and her husband, and said that the sac
rifce OF his life would be but a slight return
81 speak for him as well as for myself" she
said. 'He feels as do"
received with humbleness, and am sure
my wife did, these eXtravagant expressions
OF gratituds, 10 which, however, made no
demur, because perceived that the utterance
OF them afforded the poor woman pleasure
| To case her last moments said that would
continue to be hor husbands friend, and a
light OF great happiness shone in her eyes.
''He will be your faithful and devoted SER
want" she said family, "to the hour Of his
| DEATH"
Faithful and devoted indeed he was, and /
trusted him as Iwould have trusted II brother.
In speaking OF the slight services it was in
our power to render Samuel Fleetwood and
his wife, 1 speak not in praise Of myself, but
it is necessary that it should be clearly un-
derstood that he was truly and earnestly de-
voted to mo and mine, and that in his heart
of hearts he worshiped my wife as an angel
of mercy and goodness. l did not know
what subsequently learned, that he had
heart disease, and that he was aware that his
years, almost his days, were counted.
It is necessary, also, for II proper UNDER
standing of my story that should say some-
thing hero OF Mdlle. Lenormand, governess.
companion, and lady's, maid to my dear
daughter Eunlce. This unusunl mingling of
duties was of Mdlle. ."Rosale's own arrang.
ing. She entered our service as governess. to
perfect Eunice In modern languages draw.
ing, and painting. l was perfectly satisfied
with my daughters accom- mplishmcnts, holding
as do the opinion that girls can be, and fire.
qucntly are, so Over-educated as to unfit
them for tho groove which the scheme of
nature intends them to oc, ,upy; but Euniee
her mother, and lady friend decided be-
tween them that something more was re-
quircd, and hence the engagement OF Mdlle,
Rosalie. l had nothing to do with the en-.
gaging of the lady, and therefore it was that
did not SEQ her until she was regularly in.
stalled In our house.
She was Il fair lady, with langushng blue
eyes, with light hair, and eyebrows almost
golden IN color. My wife, although she con-
fessed she had not inquired, said that she
was about twenty-five years of age. 1 am
not good judge of awoman's age, especially
II that woman be fair, and took my wifes
word for 1t.
"lsn't she sweet, papa?" asked Eunce.
"Too soon to pronounce" replied, pass
ing my hand fondly over Eunice's hair, which
was dark like my wife's.
Some few weeks afterwards l asked
Eunice how she was getting on with modern
languages.
Papa, said Eunico, II don't think Mdlle.
Rosal!e is very proficient in languages"
"1ndeed, my dearW | said, smiling.
Oh