The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-11-08
CHATTER NJ.
THE. DI.t EPTIpN OF DECEIT.

| When Charles Manning went out
! from the scene of death he realized
that his first bold deception. eNtraOr-
binary as 1t had been, was successful.
He a once took possession of Mrs.
/ fitteI>Cn4 farm. and as there was
nOIc 20 deny his claim as he legal
n"lr 20 the estate. ne Wa, secure in Its
occupancy. TO enable. him to MAIN
Tain his deception. he had provided
himself with every conceivable wc;l-
pom. In tn" keeping Of (; Shrewd. cum
Ming man. he could ask for nothing
more than he had al his command. He
Wa, in Possession of tllnd OF information
that would enable him to meet aud re-
pei Any suspicion that Mary Nordrum
on. ANY Of her n..iwh bors might enter
tain a. to his identity.
He started out with the know ledge
that through deception h. possessed
Mary Nor4rtm lovc-.cye as pure and
Huiltlr>s as innocence itself. While it
was really love for another. it rested
with him 20 b. able to so pcrSOnate
that other throughout the twelve
months l,1om had fixed should clapse
between a death in the family and a
marriage. as to never give cause for
tn: SEi.ioW OF Il suspicion of the dccep-
ton.
Charles Manning had made himself
.,cilcle that he W;l> not committing Il
crime in the desperate game he was
PLAYING. He did not even think it a
game. He had imbued his conscience
with such plausible arguments. in de-
Tense of his intentions that ii became
scared and callou- as far as any sus-
ccptihiIity to Il moral impression was
concerned. and he had only TO consult
with that inward monitor to find
counselor that would second any
scheme he might undertake..
His solilO!uics We're ingenious, and
to his conscience were convincing. If
Mary Nurdrum believed he Was her
lover. if Heaven had fashioned two
men a> much alike that Il maiden OF
ordinary intelligence. who had given
her heart to one. after years of init
macy and devotion. should continue
that love to he ut her and after Il long
period Of similar intimacy with that
other. fail to detect (. shadow of de-
rtptiOn. he could not see W herein any
wrong existed.
He had 50 perverted his conscience
that it concealed from him the evil
which was in his heart when
;.o:iis Patterson first told him the
story of his love, for Mary Nordrlm: that
il concealed from him the evil that was
Intensified and developed into an I'M
part!unahlc crime when he cave the
drought to his companion with the in
tentlon Of preventing him from ENJOY
ing Mary \ordrum'S love: hat it con
ceaird from him the infamy which
made up tn" desperate scheme he had
planned to secure the love of one that
believed that she was loving another.
Charles Manning may have con-
scicntiou~ly believed if Mary Ncrdrum
never learned of the deception prac-
ticcd upon her there was no wrong
done. This thing of conscience either
takes to curious fits and startling
terms. at times, or else some other
force crowds It out of place.
Charles Manning had made himself
believe that his conscience approved
OF every scheme he devised to cheat
and deceive Mary Eordrum.
Yet there must have been times in
his career. when his conscience. not
withStandlng the surroundings. told
him that he was u criminal of the
deepest dye.
He spent the most of his time in the
company of Mary Nordrum. The two
farms We're managed by hired help,
which gave the owners plenty OF time
for reading together. stroliiuy in he
woods and fields. rowing in the lake
and love making.
10 BE toNTIEUED.