Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-05-30
THE PERIL OF
RICHARD PARDON
BY B. L. FARJEON,
Author of "Great Porter Square, "G1-itf, %
"Blade-o'- Grass" The Nine of
Hearts," "DeUlin the
Barber" Etc.
CHAPTER I.

in as plain terms as | can command. the
singular and extraordinary events of the
past few months of my life. 1t is simply
that consider it right that record should
be made, and placed in the hands of those
who, after me, are most nearly concerned,
Oh matters which are at once both public
and private, having been made public not
by any wish or instigation of mine, but by
force OF circumstances and by the unwrit-
ten law which declares that crime shall
not be hidden, but shall be brought for.
ward into the full light of day. so that all
men may see and judge. What I am
about to narrate is something more than
an affair of life and DEATH for these are
but breath, and are resolved in a mo-
ment 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 up
on those who live after him, and who were
nearest and dearest to his heart. 1t is sad
to think that this is so, and that the inno-
cent must often suffer with the guilty:
but the frailties of our common nature, no
less than our lack of large-hearted charit-
ableness, are continually perpetrating
these 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,
Therefore, in a small measure for my own
sake, and in large measure for the sake
of those [ love, do 1 gather together the
loose threads of story in which all the
passions and emotions of human nature
play their pregnant parts
My name is Richard Pardon, and at the
time of the tragedy, which will be record
ed in its proper place. / resided with my
wife and only child, Eunice, at Boscombe
Lodge, SeYenoaks. A brief description of
my abode will suffice. Boscombe Lodge
is an estate Of about twelve acres, the res
dence is old-fashioned and roomy, and the
pleasure grounds surrounding it are
charmingly laid out Indeed, the natural
and artistic beauties of the dear home are
perfect, and such as should content any
man of moderate good sense, even though
his tastes were fastidious. Mine were not:
j was happy, contented man, blessed
with an affectionate wife and daughter,
and it was perhaps because l had lived
life of ease that / was so ill-fitted to meet
trouble when it came to me; but the storm
which broke upon me was sufficiently ter
rible to unsettle the reason of any human
being, howsOever wise and mentally
strong he might be.
COdI LClIeilO SCI dllJS, IL anu
q 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 Sam
uel Fleetwood as q servant. He was alto
gether a superior man, and was attached
to me in a confidential capacity Circum-
stances of peculiar nature had made me
ap0uaintpd with him Soma vaarc 1raviouc
to his entering my house. He was then
married, and had gone through great trou-
bles and misfortunes, which had left him
very poor. His wife was in delicate health
and at more than one critical juncture
Mrs. Pardon and l stepped in to their aid
A ministering angel indeed did my wife
ever prove herself to be in such cases as
this; her presence in the sick-chamber was
balm, her smile sunshine, her gentle voice
breathed peace. No man could more
strongly appreciate the sympathetic aid
we rendered in time of need than Sam
uel Fleetwood; it stirred him to his inuer-
most Depths and he was profoundly CRATE
full for it, My wife and 1 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 sacrifice of his
life would be but a slight return
Il speak for him as well as for myself"
she said HE feels as / do"
Ireceiyed with humbleness, as am sure
my wife did, these eXtravagant express
sions of gratitude, to which, however, |
made no demur, because | perceived that
the utterance of them afforded the poor
woman pleasure. To ease her last mo-
ments [ said that l would continue 30 be
haY bt1SI . nd n 1irrb of
happiness shone in her eyes.
HE will be your faithful and devoted
servant, she said, family, Ito the hour of
his DEATH
Faithful and devoted indeed he was, and !
/ trusted him as | would have trusted a
brother. In speaking of the slight SER
vices it was in our power to render Samuel |
Fleetwood and his wife / speak not in
praise of myself, but it is necessary that |
1t should be clearly understood that he
was truly and earnestly devoted to me
and mine, and that in his heart of hearts
he worshipped my wife as an angel Of
mercy and goodness. l did not know what |
/ subsequently learnt, that he had heart
disease, and that he was aware that his
years, almost his days, were counted.
1t is necessary, also, for proper under
standing of my story that l should say
something here of Mdlle. Lenormand,
goyerness, companion, and lady to
my dear daughter Eunice This unusual
mingling of duties was of Mdlle. Rosalie's
own arranging. She entered our service
as goyerness, to perfect Eunice in modern
languages, drawing, and painting. I was
perfectly satisfied with my daughters ac-
complishments holding as do the opin-
ion that girls can be, and frequently are,
SO over-educated as to unfit them for the
groove which the scheme of Nature in
tends them to occupy; but Eunice, her
mother, and lady friend decided between
them that something more was required,
and hence the engagement of Mdlle. Ros-
allie. had nothing to do with the engag-
ing of the lady, and therefore it was that
did not see her until she was regularly in
stalled in our house.
She was fair lady, with languishing
blue eyes, with light hair, and eyebrows
almost golden in color My wife, although
she confessed she had not inquired, said
that she was about twenty-five years of
age. / am not good judge of a woman's
age, especially if that woman be fair, and
/ took my wife's word for it.
isn't she sweet, papa" asked Eunice.
''Too soon to pronounce, replied, pass
ing my hand fondly over Eunices hair,
which was dark like my wife's.
Some few weeks afterwards asked Eu-
nice how she was getting on with modern
languages.
Papa" said Eunice, ST don't think
MdIle. Rosalie is very proficient in Ian
puapes -