The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-01-12
ONLY FIVE MINUTES.

Tt seems scarcely long enough to admit OF
the occurrence Of anything very important,
and vet it made all the difference to me be-
tween lifelong JOY and misery
I was standing in the small private paTIor
belonging 10 my own suite Of apartments
the room had fitted up to please my own
fancy. until it had become beautiful to me
with its 1000 tender and pleasant assOcia-
tions. the room where l had given my first
,ove-tr8th. so cruelty betrayed-Where had
a score of times refused my cousin, Jasper
Stenbens-wheTe l had finally pledged N.Y.
self to he his Wife-a man for whom l not
onIv felt no love, but whom both hated and
feared-and vet driven to that step by the
threefalG scuuyge Of grief, despair and dire
necessity.
tude for valuable service rendered him by
my father, his eldest brother had ueedeu
him this house.
Twelve months before this, my wedding
dav. my uncle had died from sudden a.
tack Of apOpleXy, leaving his affairs IN great
disorder; and three weeks later ms only
son. Jasper had come back from the Euro
pean tour he was enjoying al the time TO
take possession of his fathers estate, under
the will that left everything to him, unTe-
seTvedly
had never seen my cousin Jasper and
he was what some people called handsome.
He made g short call, but succeeded some
how in tngraIatlug himself into my father
favor. who extended TO him a hearty lnyl-
tatiOn to call again, which could not echo.
He did come, however, many times, and
one dsv with that suddenneSs that char-
acteTiZed his movements and reminded me
of nothing so much as tiger making It's
F.f1 II 9
unQWareS offered me MS heart and hand
Kindly but firmly ! refused hun, telling
him of my engagement; but as firmly, and
ignoring altogether the pledge that bound
me. he swore that none but lie should ever
call me vile
In vain l str0ve from that time to avoid
him-as well hope 30 avoid g raging peStl-
lance: be was al my elbow ike my shadow,
gaining, meanwhile, an increased ascend
RnCy over latheT.
Charlie Vail. my lover, was away good
deal at this time on business. ana could not
tell him Of this hateful persecution; but at
last, impelled by mutual courage and desper-
alton, ! wrote him a letter, telling him all,
and begging him TO take me away-to marry
me at once. Shall | ever forget the letter
that answered that appeal?
how, after first upbraiding NE as a CO.
Quette, he TeiEquished all claim upon me,
leaving me TO tie sutton l evidently pre-
ferred 70 him, and assuring NE that should
never see or hear from him again.
AS sat in my chair, weak and faint from
the dreadful blow, ! heard fathers agOn-
izei voice calling me from the foot Of the
stairs, and Fastening down found him, with
my cousin Jasper, in his library
Annie, Annie lie eX 'lalmed, looking
up in an agony Of appeal Where is the
deed-the paper that proves cur Tigut TO
this hOme-the last refuge left u.s."
with you, 1 always supposed, l fall
tered, sick with a sudden fear. i never
saw il anywhere else
IT'S gone - gone" walled my father.
"And Jasper says he must claim the prop
erty unless / can produce il, or unless
with an eager look at me-'you Viii re-
deem it by giving him your haud."
Even 10 the face IF that dreadful Rlterna-
tive l refused him, and not only then, but
But when saw the death I was dealing
10 farbeT-Wheu every effort TO recover tile
missing paper failed l yielded 10 the sacTi-
fee.
And now is my wedding day. Jasper has
just passed my door and told me that / have
ave minutes more Of grace ere must JOIN
him downstairs.
As I pace feyerish'y up and down my
room that viii heno5fOrth be peTvaded by
his hateful presence. the sound Of e mouse
niOblng behind tie moulding 10 one corner
Of the room almost drives lie frantic
Not even for five minutes can / endure IL,
and in an instant l an down on my knees
tue % -. &c panel in the attempt TO dis
lodge II.
To nv surprise the board Yields with a
very slight-the daring maraudeT scampeTs
away. dIslOdgng roll OF papers that fall
into my hands. / run my eye mechanically
over the unpeTmOst.
What-Gad In heayen-what do I see ?
The deed, the long lost deed. a copy Of an
old letter from Charles Vail, and another
r7 ,-1~ 4
the letter that l had received, as l supposed,
from him. And yet more. A paper that Te-
veals most helish pl0t-that tells me that
on Charles last trip from home Jasper ae-
eOmpauied him, disguised, managed to make
his acquaintance, TO drug him and TO take
him from the cars at a way station, where
he has been since consigned TO the custody
of one Of his tools, to remain incaTceTated at
his pleasure.
The hour has come, and take my place
beside him.
"Wnl you take this man to be your
welded husband?" asked the clergyman.
Nor Is my answer, clear aud full.
No p echoed the minister and my
AStonished bridegroom simultaneously.
"What does this mean?"
" It MEANS" / answered, boldly, THAT
Jaspher Stephens is a false, perjured vii
lain" Then turning suddenly to the grooms-
men, who are, happily, friends Of mine"
csll upon you to aid me in securing this man.
Here producing the papers-"is my war
rant"
One bound Jasper essays to make, but II
is futile, and while they hold him as In a
wise, l read aloud, in turn, the deed, the
forged letter of which 1 exhibit the copy ]
received, and the description of the place
where Charlie is inCaTcerated.
Then two Of the guests start off in hot
haste to recover Charlie. while Jasper is
given into the custody Of the officers. who
have been summoned.
In my wedding robes I wait until the
messengers return with Charlie toward
evening; pale, emaciated, hollow eyed.
bearing marks Of tie cruel AID inhuman
Incarceration to which be has been sub
ieCted; but be revives under my loving min
istTations far enough to stand up and re-
peat with me the words that give me the
right to nurse him back to health and hap
piness
10 our happiness we would have let Jas
per 60 free despite the en0rmity Of his
crime, coming as it mad within ore step of
actual homicide; but the matter had passed
out Of cur hands. and the law took its
course.
He was sentenced to a long term in prison.
term shortened by his death-due likely
TO former eXcesses-and as he died intestate
ms fathers property came to me as the
next Of kin.
------
THE HUMAN STOMACH.
DoctorE A ffordod q Pare C1,auco - S.-.1