Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1891-08-06

did become aware of 1t, would hopelessly
embitter your existence; but still it is q
secret which need never be made known,
and in being uniformed of which you will
be most happy.
AS have more than once told you,
consider that between those who are des-
tined to be united in marriage there should
be no concealment. You will, therefore,
| am sure, realize with me that, terrible
! though it is to utter these words of fare
| well, am bound to ask you to release me
from an engagement which untoward cir.
cumstances render practically impossible.
! / pray you not to ask me to be more ex-
| plicit. 1t would only be under the most
| stringent compulsion that / could be in
duced to divulge what, by such an extra
ordinary coincidence has come to my
knowledge. ] am, yours sincerely,
CHARLES CARIoUs.
LAMA promptly handed the letter
to her father and watched his face.
why what the blazes is the fellow
referring to?" roared Mr.. Smith, when
he had read il, with his cOncatena-
ton of circumstances, and his tragic
al secret, which would embitter your
existence if you ever became aware of
it, , and his not being induced to di-
vulge it but under the most stringent
compulsion?' Why, | suppose the fell
low thinks we shall bring an action
against him for breach Of promise of
marriage and force him in the witness
box TO give his reasons for jilting you.
What did | tell you, Lamia? This
Sawbones isn't the man for you, and
you're well rid of him"
The long and short of the matter was
that Mr.. Smith undertook, with
Lamia's consent to write reply to
DR.. Carious, which reply, as may be
imagined, was clothed in language
rather more strong than curteous, and
in which he told him that nothing
could exceed his regret that he had
ever been engaged to his daughter ex-
cept his JOY that he had now ceased to
be so.
A few moments later DR.. Carious
Of the marriage between Michael Care
less of Montreal, Can, and Lamia
daughter of Joseph Smith of Rabnet
manor CrampShire. He at once sat
down and dispatched small, care
fully-packed parcel to the bridegroom.
why, Michael, here's n belated
wedding present | do believe, - cried
LAMA, the morning after their return
from their honeymoon to her fathers
house. ITS addressed to you, and |
do believe the handwriting is DR..
Carious'n
Let me see it, said Careless and
forthwith he proceeded to undo the
parcel. Under the paper was wooden
box with sliding lid. As he pulled
this away Il piece of paper tluttered to
the ground. LAMA picked it up and
read aloud the following extraordinary
note:
"Sir-Inclosed send you what circum-
stances forces me TO believe are your
father-in-Iaw's toes. You will, no doubt,
do as you think fit about returning them,
after so long a separation, to their original
owner. | am yours, faithfully c. c.
While Lamia was reading this letter
aloud Michael was gazing, with a
broad smile upon his face, at small
bottle which he held in his hand, and
which contained, in spirits of wine a
very remarkable object. The object
was the toe piece of a stout boot with
Il felt sole, containing five human toes
and the fragment of a thick wooden
sock, cut as clearly off booted foot
as though it were the section of a Ger
man sausage. Pasted on the bottle
was Il fragment of newspaper, dated
just forty years ago Michael volun-
teered to read it aloud.
1t contained partial description OF
what had evidently been CHASTITY
tragedy. Among other things it
stated that the room in which murder
for the sake of plumber had been COM
mitted was in state of terrible con-
fusion, which evidenced that desper-
ate struggle had taken place, and that
the deceased had evidently at one
time during the encounter been in pos
session OF large axe which lay on
the floor since the only trace of the
murderer left behind was the toe piece
of his boot cut clean off, with the five
uOCS itLLlblulllS III IL.
These last words were underlined in
red ink. and in writing was added evil
IDENTIFY by DR.. Carious' father.
Owner of the toes still at large and now
two years since murder was committed.
JOHN CARIoUs.
And what the deuce does it mean?"
cried Mr.. Smith.
Well" said Michael rather shame
facedly, for he was uncertain what
sort of reception his story would re-
ceive, 1.-The fact is, saw this curiosity
in DR.. Curious museum the night |
dined with him, and when he came
down to shoot with me, | took the
liberty of blocking up all the toes of
your right boots, and-and-he chose
TO draw the unwarrantable inference
You mean that you chose to mako
him believe, to forward your own per-
sonal schemes, you dog roared Mr.
Smith, that THAT your uncle-that
his future father-in-law was toeless
murderer at larger aud what between
Indignation and laughter, Lamia's
father was within measurable distance
of succumbing to A,remature fit of
apoplexy. London Truth.
HORSE POWER. r
.l.I..