The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-08-25
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CHAPTER Nv.

Wo tuIh Wltu SiCdo iCluCbiuCO, 0NCu
for a few moments. from this peaceful
home, whose inmates look calmly to the
uncertain future, upheld by soon
science void of offense toward God and
man." to most painful contrast.
A more wretched person can hardly
be imagined than LIE Barron as with
bowed head and folded arms he passed
from the store and bent his steps home
ward. All, what home awaited him!
Well he knew how the tidings he must
communicate would be received by his
family.
Whichever way he turned despair and
misery stared him in the face, and his
own conscience rose from its long SUM
bers. and now a stern accuser set his
sins in order before him. 1t carried him
back to his youthful days and traced
the beginnings of the dark tempest that
now ragged so fiercely around him,
threatening utter destruction. 1t whis-
pered of the father, too early lost, whose
whole life had exemplified the true prin-
ciples of integrity he so earnestly urged
upon his son; of the tender mother,
whose latest breath babe him follow in
his fathers footsteps and trust in his
fathers God. Now it recalls the fas-
cinations Of the gay young beauty
whose heart could only be bought by
wealth and foolish splendor, not given
in generous love. Then came trooping
before his fevered vision the tempta-
lions to rash speculations, far overreach-
ing honesty, to which he had yielded,
and which, most unfortunately, proved
so successful as to place him early
among wealthy men and enabled him
to secure the long coveted bride.
All, how soon did he wake from his
enchanting dream of love to find all that
his heart had so desired turn to bitter
ashes! This sad disappointment in the
home he had so fondly pictured and the
little satisfaction found in the wealth
and high position gained by scarcely
honest means recalled his parents efforts
to inculcate true principles, which, had
they been adopted, might even then
have shielded him from the sorrows, al
ready foreshadowed, in the early period
of his middle life. When at last Mr..
Newton accepted him as a partner, how
firmly did he VOW to his conscience never
again to indulge in the dangerous expert
ment of INSCRIPTIONS speculation The
strict prohibitions against any such at
tempts, which were part of the rules
of Mr.. Newton's business, helped to con-
firm him in these wise resolutions. Once
secure of the partnership, he most anx-
iously strove to conceal from Mr.. New
ton some of the business transactions Of
his earlier life, well assured If once
known his continuance in his present
position would be of very short dura-
ton.
For years he had stood well with the
community. A few whispers Of his for
mer "haste to be rich" reached Mr..
Newton, but after strict yet quiet in
vestigation he found no cause to believe
the rumors or withdraw his CONFIDENCE,
and the reports gradually died away.
Meantime his home was not the bright
and refreshing spot his youthful fancy
had pictured. LIE Barron was not natu-
rally bad hearted man. His love for
his wife had been almost idolatrous. He
fancied her perfection, but few short
months dispelled the illusion, and for
many years he had been the slave Of her
whims and caprices.
Mrs. LIE Barron was early educated to
feel that wealth and high social position
should be her LIES ambition. Her par
ents were poor, but very proud, and
when the rising young merchant, LIE Bar
ron, wooed and won their daughter their
Joy was unbounded.
Whose house so grand? Whose car
rage, with its superb horses and Gveried
outriders, made such daily sensationi
Whose parties, that We'd with the tone OF
the old world, were SO much the style az
their daughters, Mrs. LIE Barron"
Was not this sufficient to satisfy par
ent's widest ambition? Why should
they be troubled or dissatisfied If their
child's private life was one of strife and
peevish complaining-if misrule and un-
governed passion made perpetual discord
between the inmates of that elegant
mansion?
Such were the parents Of Mrs. lie Bar
ron, and such the sentiments they had
exhibited and taught her to act upon
from her childhood. Truly they had
"sown the wind" and the terrible har-
vest was ripening fast.
Before Mrs. LIE Barron's insane ex-
travagance her husbands wealth melted
like frost before the sun. He saw the
riches for which he had forsaken his
fathers God "taking to themselves
wings" and the position among his broth
er merchants, whose foundations he had
laid in sand, was already crumbling
away and tottering to its fall. Sleepless
nights and days Of dread were silvering
his hair and bowling the tall form that
once lowered 80 erect above his fellows.
He was a nremature old man.
When Mr.. Newton went abroad, La
Barron's anxieties were almost too
weighty for him to preserve the sem.
blance of self control. TWAS said LIE Bar.
ron was combining himself too closely to
his business, and Mr.. Newton with his
usual unselfshness proposed that he
should remain at home and that the In
valid should have the advantage of the
change. All, little could Mr.. Newton inn
agine the shock this kind proposition
gave him. The miserable man knew that
to leave then would be swift destruc.
ton, revealing at once the fearful posi-
ton Of his own affairs.