Year: 1867

!
at her heart that which troubled her, for
at intervals she would lean forward and
gaze intently in the direction of the
high road. Two hours had elapsed since
she took her seat there, and often words
escaped her lips which might seem strange
for one of her years. Amy was seven
teen, tall, fragile, and light in motion as
a fawu; soft clear complexion, round
ed cheek, and tender and melancholy
blue eyes. Her rich tresses of light
wavy hair fell loosely down upon her
shoulders, and swept back over her FORE
head, confined by beautiful star clasp
which she seldom wore except on certain
occasions. Amy was allowed By her sex
to be comely girl. Everybody lauded
her as a model of gentleness and virtue,
and it need scarcely be said that Amy
had many lovers.


Amy had lost her mother at an early
age. The sad remembrance often cast a
sorrowful expression over her fair face
yet she had always been caressed tenderly
by her father, whose only comfort lay in
the indulgence of his child. But Reuben
Fisher was drunkard and bad mau.-
He was a cool, calculating man, whom
everybody feared, and whom all Stunned
with the impression that he was a stran-
ger in the society to which he belonged.
He cared little to mix in politics = sell
dom voted even for those to whose party
he avowed to be attached, and entered
his house at unusual hours. No one
knew, or even cared, when he was at
home. He received no visitors, and had
few acquaintances, so that Amy was her
own mistress, and no wonder then that
her free course Of action led her into
trouble and pain.


The clock on the mantelpiece struck
eight. Amy arose from her chair and
listened. She heard the sound of mems
voices in the hall, and her heart beat vi
olently. The voices she had never before
heard, aud she concluded that something
was amiss. She advanced cautiously to
the head of the staircase, and paused to
listen; but at that moment a gentle tap
was given at the window, and she turned
round. She heard footsteps in the gar
den, and throwing thin wooden shawl
around her, she descended the stairs
leading to the back entrance. A few
seconds more and Amy had disappeared.
Next morning the town Of Be was
in state of alarm, rumor having been
spread that Amy Fisher had been arrested
for having in her possession number Of
counterfeit bills. The tumult was gene
raj, everybody interesting themselves in
the fate of poor Amy. To her friends
the news was cruel blow, yet they all
concluded that there might be some mis-
take, and if such existed, they determined
to have redress. Her companions whis-
pered among themselves that a change
had came over her - she was not the
girl she won't to be, and some even mixed
her name with that of Harry Corwell. -
That she had of late made acquaintance
with him; but this might have been in
nocent and unaffecting had not Harry
given cause for every one to shun him.
She had been seen the previous evening
in company with Harry. At later hour
it was affirmed that several law officers
had visited and ramsacked Reuben Fish
er's house; but there was nothing found
to criminate his character or to give sus-
picion. Amy was nowhere to he found.
A general survey of the house satisfied
the officers that all was we'll. Persons
were sent into the grounds to seek Amy,
but after some time spent in fruitless
search, they retired leaving man to take
care Of the house.


The report OF Amy's arrest proved too
true. At late hour on the evening be-
fore, she, as it was stated, entered store
in the neigborhood to make few pur-
chases, in company with young gentle
man. While engaged in selecting sew
eral articles. an elderly man entered and
seated himself at little distance. She
gave the storekeeper some money which,
after careful examination, he politely
returned, stating that it was counterfeit.
The elderly man rose from his seat and
examined the money. Then making
some slight excuse, be placed the bill in.
his purse and went out. A few min-
utes afterwards and Amy was arrested.


1t was a dreary night in prison. Amy,
being left alone, fell upon her knees and
wept. A load of fear and shame lay at
her heart; and her bosom swelled with
mingled hope and despair. After a
brief prayer, she arose and felt comforted,
one thought chiefly supporting her, that
whatever offense was laid to her chagre
she knew herself to be innocent. That
evening seemed an age since she took her
seat by the window awaiting the moon
light and her lover, and now, overcharged
with sorrow, she rehearsed in her own
mind all the events of the evening. 1t
was the last meeting they were to take
till they should be united and happy. =
The morrow was to be the bridal day,
every thing was ready and all things
seemed to favor their intended marriage.
Poor Amy. She was on the broad way
of transgression. The Illicit friendship
which she had fostered in her bosom was