Bradford reporter. (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, September 10, 1857, Image 1
It OJLLAR PER ANNUM INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE. TOWANDA: ttjnrdas tf lormn S. September ID, 1837. jstltdcb Ihetrg. NIGHT. BT W. LONGFK.LOW. ■wje U done, and the darkness ' Fail* from the wm;s of ght. As 4 :#tber is wafted downward From an eagle in its flight. I see the lights or the village Gleam through the rain and the mist. And a feeling of sadness comes oe'er me, That my heart cannot rasist. A feeling of sadness and lougiag That is not akin to pain. Bet resembles sorrow only As the mist resembles rain. Come, read to me some poem. Some simple and heartfelt lay. That shall soothe this restless feekng. And banish the the thoughts of Jay. Not from the grand old masters. Not from the bards sublime. Whose distant footsteps echo Through the corridors of time. For like strains of martial music. Their m.gbty thoughts suggest Lie's endless toil and endeavor ; And to-night I long for rest. Eead from some humble p-*t, Whose sngs gush from his heart. A* >howers from the clouds of summer, Or tears from the eyelids start. Who through long days of labor, And night* devoid of ease, St.ll heard in his soul the music Of wonderful melodies. S-'h ongs have power to quiet The restle-a pulse of care And c me iike becedictioa That :.11ohs after prayer. Then read from the treasured volume The poem of my choice. And lend to the rhyme of the poet The beauty of thy voice. And the nights shall be filled with music, And cares that infest the day S'aa.l fold their tents like the Arabs. And silently steai away. ,511 f 1111) <L aI c. THE COUXTER-STUOKE. Jast after breakfast one fine spring morning in 1131, ar. advertisement in the Times for a -curate caught and fixed aay attention. The -ulsrywas suffiiently remunerative for a Wach tioc ar.J the parisli, as I person illy knew, one of the mis; pleasantly situated in all Somerset 's re 11 av mg said that, the reader will readi r u Jerstaud that it could iiave beeu a hund rci u T.iunton. I instantly wrote lacios jtestimonials, with whi.-h tbe Rev. Mr. T: i-v the rector, was so entirely vti'tied, that t.,r return-post brought me : pot ve g.iCruueiogged witu tile slightest objee to* to oae or two subsidiary ileitis 1 aud >t;p- L'.'.ed for. and accoinpani.-d by au invitation to nixie the rectory my hone tiil I could con vrent'v su t myself cS-ewberc T: - w s both g.mi and handsome : and the next day !but o:e I 'ook coach, with a lijiit heart, lor itay 3f* destination. It thus happened taai I Ci.i ae aeqaa.nted. and iu some degree mixed c? *i*h the train of events it is my present p:*p~se to relate. Tt;e reel or I found to be a stout, port Ji gs:::.saan. whose years already reached be '.'ten sixty and seveaty. So uiany waiters. * :..o.uh taey had plentifully besprinkled his U.r *ia grey, shone out with nidriy bright ness a hi- still handsome face. and kceu. kind iy bright hazel eyes: and his voice, hearty *ai r.tigiag, had not as yet one quaver of age n : I uiet him at breakfast on the morning i-'tcr my arrival, and his reception of me was sost friendly. \\ e had -pokeo together but for a few cunntes. when oue of the French r.sdows, that ied from the breakfast room ia to a si rubbery and do wen-garden, gently ojwn d *r i adm.tted a lady, just then, as i niter *£rd iearned. in her nineteenth spring. 1 tae term almost unconsciously, tor 1 can pot even uow, ia the glowing summer of her l'*, dissociate her image from that season of " •its and joyousness She was introduced to i*. *it. oid fashioned s mpltcity, as "iny grand -visiter. Agnes Town ley." it is dttiiciiit to Uoos n beauty ti rou.h other men's eyes. I* - i m the present instance 1 feel that f sbvuki !-. n serahie ia the endeavor to stamp niwxi t s ;>a- a, dead paper, any adequate idea of t'r f.-jsa ioveUnea*. tae rosebud beauty of that g g ri. 1 merely sv. that her perfectly |b"o.taa head, wrea* ed with wavy hiwje.iwa ' c fg i r . hair, undulated with eohien hght T - gly b'oujht to my torn i R ipJ;e*'s baio : '>ed wrrauures of the Virgin—with uns c -e'ewee, laai ia (.dace of tbe hoiy eaua woo of the painting, there was in Ag- I ** Toau.ey & sparkling youth a id life, that t: -5 iranist the beat and giare of a crowded 1 " •as or of a Un-atre, irresistabiy soggested •*- reca.ted the freshness and jieriutue of the Qc *"- -g—of a cloud teas, rosy morning of May. far higher charm than lent u re-beanty. . s sweetness of dispositi jo, i V* 4 f*Miea**of raimi and letups, was evi ia every iioe of her face, hi every ac v**'- of the low-fatcbed. silver voice. that thniagh hps made only to smile. Let a* era. that I was geatiy struck by 40 f'fciarkaliie a combination of rare endow , and this, 1 thins, tbe suarp-eyed rec y* oust have perceived. or he ought not per ha j- immediately communicative with rti pfr-l to the prospects of his wioi ned gratnF vy-d as ae was toe moment the young lady. *****•" pressing at tae breaafast-taoie, had •ithdraww. xv * thai! have gay do ags. Mr. Trrrel. at 7* ***** shortly.- he said Next Mowdav -r** *-A, ■• r Gil. 1-e THE BRADFORD REPORTER. Agnes Townlev's wedding-day." " Weddiug-day 1" " kes," rejoined the rector, taming towards and exainiuiug some flowers which Miss Tow u ley had brought in and placed ou the table. "Ves, it has been for souie time settled that Agues shall on that day be united iu holy wedlock to Mr. Arbothuot." t" Mr Arbuthnot of Elm Park ?" " A great match, is it not, iu a worldly poiut of view?" replied Mr. Tovvuley, with a pleas ant smile at the toue of my exclamatiou.— "Aud much belter thau that : Robert Arbuth not is a young mau of high aud noble nature, as well as devotedly attached to Agues. He will, I doubt not, prove iu every respect a husband deserving aud worthy of her; aud that from the hps of a doting old graudpapa must be esteemed high praise. You will see him presently." I did see him often, and quite agreed in the rector's estimate of his future gramtsou-in-law. I have not frequently seen a tiuer looking youug man—his age was twenty-six ; aud cer tuiuiy oue of a more buuorable and kindly spirit, of a more genial temper thau he, has never coiue within observation. He had drawn a great prize in the matrimonial lot tery, and 1 telt, deserved his high fortune. They were married at the time agreed upon, and ihe day was kept not only at Elm'a Park, and its ueighoorKuoU, but througtiout "our" parish, as a general holiday. And, strangely enough —at least 1 never met with another in stance ol tne kind — In id by our entire leiiiaic cuiuiuuu.ty. high as well as low, that the match was perfectly equai one. notwith standing the wealth and high wordly posit.on were entirely ou the bridegroom's sulc. In fact, that nobody ie.v> iu the social scale than the representative of an old territorial family ought, iu the nature of things, to have aspired to the hands of Agues Tovvuley, appeared to have beeu a foregone conclusion with every body Tliis will give the reader a truer aud more vivid impression of the bride, thau any words or colors I might u<e. The days, weeks, months of wedded life, flew over Mr. and Mrs. Arbulluiot without a cloud, -ave a few dark hut transitory ones which I saw now and then flit over the hus band's countenance a the time when lie should become a father drew near, and came to be more and more spoken of " I should not sur vive her," said Mr. Arbuthnot, one day in re ply to a chance observation of the rector's, "nor indeed desire todo so." The grey headed man seized and wanuiy pressed 'ln husband's hand, and tears of .-sympathy ;i . i 1 s eyi* ; yet d.d he, nevertheless. a.- tu duty l*>u;d, utter grave words on the siufnhnss o. despair under any circumstances, and the duty, in all trials, however heavy, of patient *ub:ui*-iou to the will ot God. But the venerable gentle man spoke in a hoarse aud broken voice, it was easy to see he felt with Mr. Ar'uthuot that the reality of an event, the are } o> o.lii v of wiiich shook them so terribly, were a cross too heavy for huti.au sireugth to mar and live. It was of cours- d'-cid.ed "hot the expecte i heir or heiress .Id 1 e eutrus d to u we - nurse and a Mr- Dauby, tire w ft of a not; living nut v iy fu: fcm the rectory, n n e. - d for hat pur|ose. limdfrequ ulv HCI t vt a.au ; und her n one, as the recto an I w.. o.e evening gcssij ing • -. -,.r •, . > some subject or other that I forgot cam u ' "A .ik-iy person, v I . ark d ; "neaiihy. very good looking, and on- n.g .t oatn a tru-heartt-d creature But tinre .> vviinai a timidity, a frightenedness in her manner a: times which if 1 may hazard a perhaps unchar itable conjecture. speaks i..fortria; smart .ij.-- band of hers." " Yon have hit the mark precisely, my dear sir. Danby is a sorry t'eliw, and a douiesl >. tyrant to boot, llts wife, who is ready a good, but metk-hcarteti person, lived witii u ouce How old do you suppose her to be " Five-and-tweuty jierhaps." "Six years more than that. She has i son of the name of II irjrer by a fdiiuer marriage, who WiiS iu his tenth year. Aune wasn't a widow long. Dauby was caught by her g.*wi look-:. and -!e by the boit of a we : l provided home. Unless, however, her husband give* up hi? corn specula rious. she will not, I think, have thai much longer ' " Com speculations! Sorely Dauby has 00 rae ns adequate to indulgence iu such a game as that r * " Not he. But about two year? ago he • vrght. on credit. I believe a considerable i quantity of wheat, and }<rioes happening to fly -widen I v up just then, he made a large profit This has quite turned his head, which, bv the 1 bv. was never, h Cockneys says - quit." right ly screwed on." The announcement of a vidtor •joyih'tig further the rector m goi have to s- v. and afterwards went Ikmo*' A <ad accident occurred atoat a m-snth ' suweiiient to the foregoing conversation Tiie rect r was cut riding ui>on a usually quiet ; fi rse. which ail at •mo' toolkit into its h-a-1 to -dy at a searecrvw. it ißast have *ea a of times, wihl tberel-y threw its rider Help was fortunately .it hand. ate - , the rev erawd gentleman was instantly conveyed home, when it was f>un i that h.s left th ; gh was br>> ken Thanks, however, to his teni|<erate hale its,it was before long authoritively pr>r.oac e*l that, altb ogh it would be a considerable t.rne b-f vre he was released from confi.iement. it was not probable that the lusty winter of hU life would be >horte.*d by what had hap pened Uufortnratcly. the accisient thre.ite-- cd to have er;! consequences iu amXher quar ter. Immediately af-ter is (vcun-ed. one Ma thews. a busy, thn k-headed lout of a butcher, rode furiousty off to Rbrs Park with the news. Mrs. Arouthuot. who dady looked to be coo • ui. was wuikdi* with her basbaud ujiou the 1 awn ID front of trie i*>ose. when toe great boriy biock oead rode up. aai binrted ooi that the rector had been thrown frvm bis horse and it was leaned hilled P Tbe shock of sacfa an announcement was of course overwhelming. A few hoars afxerwnrds Mr ArbotbrN ?*■*• I" rib to t beii'by tna'e PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY AT TOWANDA, BRADFORD COUNTY. PA., BY E. O'MEARA GOODRICH. child, but the young mother's life, assailed by fever, was for many days utterly disposed of— for weeks held to tremble so evenly in the bal ance, that the slightest adverse circumstance might turn the scale deathwards. At length the black horizon that seemed to encompass us so hopelessly, and and afforded the lover-hus band a glimpse and hope of his vanished and weli-uigh despaired of Eden. The promise was fulfiilled. I was in the library with Mr. Arbuthnot awaitiug the physician's morning report, very anxiously expected at the recovery, wbeu Dr. Lindley entered the apartment in an evidently cheerful mood. " \ou have beeu causelessly alarmed," he said "There is no fear whateveijof a relapse. Weakness only remains, and that we shall slowly, perhaps, but certainly remove." A gleam of lightening seemed to flash over Mr. Arbuthnot'* countenance. "Blessed be God 1" he exclaimed. "And how," he added, "shall we manage respecting the child? She asks for it incessantly." Mr. Arbuthnot's infant son , I should state, had been consigned immediately after its birth to the eare of Mrs. Danby, wiio had herself been confined, also with a boy, about a fort night previously. Scarlatina being prevalent in the neighborhood, Mrs Danby was hurried away with the two children to a place near Bath, almost before she was able to bear the journey. Mr. Arbuthnot had not left his wife for an hour, and consequently had only seen his child for a few minutes just after it was born. " With respect to the child,*' replied Dr. Liiidiev, "I am of opioioa that Mrs. Arbuth not may see it in a day or two. Say the third day from this, if all goes well. I think we may venture so far ; but I will be present, for any untoward agitation might be perhaps in stantly fatal." Tins point provisionally settled, we all three went our several ways ; I to cheer the still suffering rector with the good news. The next day but one, Arbuthnot was in exuberant spirit* " Dr. Lindley's report is even more favorable than we had anticipated," he said ; "and I start to-morrow morning, to bring Mrs. Dauby and the child " The postman's subdued but unmistakable knock in terrupted him '"The nurse he added is very punctual. She writes alucst every day." A servant entered with a salver heaped with let ter*. Mr Arbuthnot tossed them over eagerly, and seiz ug one after glancing at the post mark tone it eagerly open muttering a he did so : " it is not the usual hand writing; bat from her, no doubt." " Merciful God !" I impulsively exclaimed, as I suddenly lifted my eyes to hi*. " What is the matter ?" A mortal palor had sprea 1 ov-*r Mr. Ar buthnot's before an mated feature*. a . i he *a> glaring at the letter in his hat. J as i" a billa-k had suddenly confronted him. Another mo .nent, and the muscles of hi* frame appeared to g.ve away suddenly, aud i.e dropjjed into tip- eay chair from which he ha 1 arisen to to take *ae letters. I was terribly alarmed, rd iir*t loosening his nerkercheif, for he - • ed choking, I said ; " Let tue call some lie aud I turned to reach the bell, when e i ;>ta::*jy v.z- d my ariu*. a d held me w.tii a grip of iron. " No—no—no— ! lie ho-arse y gasped : water—wat. r!" Tiiere was for nat-ly some on a side table. I handed it to in, ami he drank eagerly. It appeared to ri-v . • iiau a little. lie ti.rust the crumpled .ettcr a.to his jevket, and said in a low, quick whssjKT. " There is some one coming ! Not a word, remember—not a won! !" At the vi ne t..ue he wheeled his chair half round, so that his back should be towards the servant j we heard approaching. I am *eut sir," said Mrs. Arbctbnot'* maid. " to a-k if the po>t has arrived " ( 1 Yes." replied Mr. Arbuthnot. with won derful mastery of his voice. "Ted your m.s.-- tr.ss I sliall le with her a!:uo*t immediate iy and that her—ber son is quite well. ' S " Mr Tyrrel," he combined, a* *oon a* the *ervant out of bearing. " there is 1 think, a liq teur -land ou the sideboard in t!ic diuii g room Would you have the kindes* to bring it to me, ut.ob-rved—uiiud—that—cuobserv j ed by any one T" 1 did as he requested : and the distant I 1 placed the liqueur frame before bits he sitzed ' the braa.iv caraie, aud drank with tierce ea- gerness ,r For g.>':ie*s sake," 1 exeiaii'ged, consider a liat you are about, Mr. Arbutb not, yon will make yours-Jf ifl.- •' No. no." be an-wertd. after finishing his ? draught. "It seemed scarcely stronger thau ' water. But I—l am better uow. it was a pasm of the heart ; that's ai. The iciter'" | added, after a lorg and painful paose. duri:.g I which he "eyed me, I thought, with a kind of suspicion—tbe letter, you saw rat ciien just i now.comes from a relative, an aunt, wbo is ill. vtry and wishes to see me iusUuilT. I did understand, or at least I feared that ' I did tx> we' 1 T however, bowed acqn:e?ei:ce and he presently rose from his chair, and strife J alout the dtqvartment in great agitation, until i his wife's l-edrootn bed rar.g. He t:;ea stop }n.-d suddenly short, shook himself and lo>)kt J aiis ous'y at tbe reflection of his au<i vary ing countenance iu the magmtceu: chsoiocy * Ido not, I tic.cii—or at east sha'.l not • in a darkened ro-. ra—>dder. more out of his sy—that is more agitated—than one might. I t!n one must appear, after hearing of lie dangerous illness of—of —an aunt ?" •• Von look better, sir, than VOQ did awhile since." 1 " Yes. yes mnrh better, much better lam glad to hear yon say so. That was my wife's beii. She is anxious, no doubt, to see j aae." He left the department ; was gone perhaps ten minutes ; aud when he retarnud, wis a thought less nervous than before. I rose to go " Give my respects,"" be said, " to the good rector ; ao<i as au espxial favor. 0 he added with strong emphasis. " let ae ask of you not to 3K-nt:OQ to a living soul that too saw me " so ar manned as I was jnst cow ; that I s*ai i lowed brandy. Jt m ! <J appear weak so " REGARDLESS O* DENUNCIATION FROM ANY QUARTER." I promised not to do so, and almost imme diately left the house, very paiufuFl? affected His sou was, I concluded, either dead or dy ing, aud he was thus bewikleredlv easting about for means of keeping the terrible, perhaps fa tal tidings from his wife. I afterwards heard that he left Elm Park in a postchaiae, about two hours after I came away, anatfeuJm by a single servant ! He was gone three clear days only, nt the end of which he returned with Mrs. Danby and—his son—in florid health, too, and one of the finest babies of its age—about nine weeks only—l had ever seen Thus vanished the air-drawn Doubting Castle and Giant Despair which I had so hastily conjured np . The cause assigned by Mr. Arbuthnot for the agi tatiou I had witnessed, was doubtless the true one ; and yet, and the thought haunted me for months, years afterwards, he opened only one letter that morning, and had sent a message to his wife that the child was well ! Mrs. Danby remained at the Park till the little Robert was weaned, and was then dis missed very munificently rewarded. Year af ter year rolled away without briuging Mr. and Mrs. Arbuthnot any additional little ones and no one, therefore, could feel surprised at the enthusiastic love of the delighted mother for her handsome, nobly-promising boy. But that which was did astonish me, though no one else, for it seemed that I alone noticed it, was a strauge defect of character which began to develop itself in Mr Arbuthnot. He was pos itively jealous of his wife's affection for their own child I Many and many a time hare I re marked, when he thought himself unobserved, an expression of intense pain flash from his fine, expressive eyes, at any more thau usually fer vent manifestations of the yonng mother's gushing love for her first aud only born ! It was altogether a mystery to me, acd I as rnucb as possible forbode to dwell upon '.he subject. Nine years passed awav without bringing any material change to the parties iuvolred in this narrative, except those which time brings ordinarily in his train. Young Robert Ar burthnot wa? a healthy, tall, fine lookiug lad of hi? age ; had hi? great-grandpapa, the rector though not suffering under any actual physical or mental infirmity, had reached a time of life when the announcement that the golden bow! is broken, or the sliver cord is 100-ed, may in deed be quick and sudden, but scarcely unex pected. Things had gone well. too. with the nurse, Mrs. Danby, and h%r husband : well, at lea>t, after a fashion. The speculative mil ler must have made good use of the gift of his wife for the care of little Arbuthnot, for he had built a genteel bouse near the mil!, always rode a valuable horse, kept, it was said, a cap ita! table ; and all tuis, as it seemed, by his h-ver speculations in corn and floor, for the ordinary business of the mill was almost en tirely ueglected. He had DO children of his own, but lie had apparently taken, with much cordial.ty. to his step-son. a tine lad, now about ■ ghteen years of age. This greatly grieved the boy's m ither, who dreaded above all thir.g< r h:t her son should contract the evil, dissolute ha! its of iiis father-in-law. Latterly, she had become extremely solicitous to procure the lad a permanent situation abroad, and this Mr. Arbuthnot had promised should be effect ed at tiie earliest dpportuiiUy. Thus !-lood afTa.rs on the 16th of October. l?4b. Mr. Arbuthnot temporarily abseut in Ireland, where he possessed large property and was making |M?r?oiiul inquires as to the extent of the pot at > rot, not ioug before an uouueed. Tue morning's post had brought a Setter to his wife, with the intelligence that he should reach home that very evening ; and a the rectory was on the direct road to 'Clin Park, and her has >ani would be sure to pull up there, Mrs. Arbuthnot came with her sou t pa-- the afternoon there, and in some- sbgfit de_ree anticipate her husband's arrival. A!out three o'eiock. a cbiefHcrk of one of Taunton lanks rode up in a gig to the recto ry, and a-ked to ice the Rev. Mr Townly. on piessiug aud impoitaut busines- He 'ii u-her-d into the library, where the rector and I were a*, the moment rather busily engaged. Th- elrk s-iid he had been to Elm Park, but not findii c ei'iier. Mr. Arbuthnot or h - lady there. <e Lad thought that pernarn tbe Rev Mr. Tcwnicj might be able to pronounce up ou the genuineness of a cheque for £3OO. pur porting to be drawn on the Taunton Bmk by Mr. Arbuthnot. and which Papbv the miliar had obtained cash for a* Bath. He further j added, that the hank had refused payment. and de-aiuvd the cheque, believing it to be ' a forgery. •• A forgery !" exclaimed the redve. after! merely glancing at tne document. " N> quo ti'jn that it is. ami a very ciuirAly executed one too. Besides, .Mr. Arbutbaot is not yet ' re'.ar- ed from Ireland " Ti is tvnv sufficient -. and the ' with many apologies for hi .:tru- on. withdrew and hastened back to Taunton We were suli talking over th sad aJar, some hour- had clasped -rnee the clerk's aepziture ' —iu fact, candles had been brought in. and j we were every m'-ciehf expecting Mr Arbuth r. <t—when the OUIKI of a h>r*e at a hasty ga'-' iop was beard afiproaebing. and f-reseat iy ■ the pair aad haggard face of Dauby shot bv the window at which the rector a r ..j mv-lf were standing. The gate bell was rung al-' iuo?t ireutediately afterwards. and but a brief' interval passed before " Mr. Imnby" was an- ? noonoed to be in waivag. The servant had hardiy gaiaed the passage with le-Ve to show j him :u. when the impatient vi-lcor rushed rude ly into the room in a Mate of great, and it seemed ai.gTT, excitement •• Waal, s r. is the meaning of this ill-man nered intrusion ? demanded the rector sternly. " Yoa nave prouoonced the check I paid away at Ba:L to be a forgery ; art I the' ?. .f are. lam told already at my heeK Mr Ar-i hetbnot. unfortunately. is cot at home and I come, therefore, to seek shelter with yoa." " Shelter with me. sir I" exclaimed the in dignant rector, mov.ug, as he spoke, towards the be ,; . " Out of xcj house yoa a-bal". go this instant." Tbe ft dw n'aced his bends oroo tbe raweis j 1 vo: fe-*;?rar". ergs t:r? f; Mf bloodshot eyes keenly in his face. " Don't I" said Dauby ; don't, for the sake of yourself aud tonrs ! Dou't !1 warn you ; or, if you like the phrase better, dou't for the sake of me and mine.' 1 " Yours, fellow ! Your wife, whom you have 90 long held in cruel bondage through her fears for her son, has at la3t shaken off that chain. James Harper sailed two days ago from Portsmouth for Bomboy. I sent her the news two hours since." " Ha ! Is that indeed so ?" cried Danby with an irrepressible start of alarm. " Why, then But no matter : here luckily, come Mrs. Arbuthnot and her son. All's right I She will, I know, stand baii for me, and, if need be, acknowledge the genuineness of her husband's cheque." The fellow's insolence was becoming unbear able, and I was about to sieze and thrust him forcibly from the apartment, when the sound of wheels was heard ontside. " Hold ! one moment," he cried, with fierce vehemence. " That is probably the officers ; I must be brief then, and to the purpose. Pray, madam do not leave the room for your own sake ; as for yon, young sir, I commaud you to retain !" " What ! what does he mean ?" exclaimed Mrs. Arbuthnot bewilderly, and at the atce time clasping her son—who gazed cn Danby with kindled eyes, aud au angry boyish defi auce—tightly to her side. Did the man's strange words give form aud significance to dark, shadowy, indistinct doubt that had pre viously haunted her at times ? I judged so. The rector appeared similarily confused arid shaken, and bad sunk nerveless und terrified npon a sofa. "You guess dimly, I see, at what I have to say," resumed Danby, with a malignant sneer. " We!!, hear it, then once for ail, and then, if you will, give me up to the officers. Some years ago, be continued, coldly and steadily —" some years ago, a woman, a nurse, was placed in charge cf two infant children, both boys ; one of these was her own ; the other was the son of rich, proud parents. The wo man's husbaud was a guy, jolly fellow, W!K> much preferred spending money to earning it, and just then it happened that he was more than usually bard up. One afternoon, on vis iting his wifs, who he had removed to a dis tance, he found that the rich man's child had jickeued of the sma:!-pox, and that there was no chance of it? recovery. A letter contain ing the sad news was on the table, which he, the husband, took the liberty to op-n and read. After some reflection, sugge-ted by what he had heard of the lady-mothers state of mind, he recopied the letter, for the sake of embodying iu it a certain suggestion That letter was duly posted and the next day bronght the rich man almost in a state of distraction ; but his chief and mastering ter ror was lest the mother cf the slrcttdr dead infant should bear, in her then precarious state of what had happened. The tidings, be was sure, wouli kill her Seeing this, the cunning husband of the uurse suggested that, for the present, his—the cuouing oru's—child might be taken to the lady as her own, and that the truth could be revealed wheu she was strong enough to bear it. The rich man fell into the artful trap, and that which the husband of the iiad speculated upon, caine to pass ev~i: beyond his hopes The lady grew to idolize her fancied child—sne has fortunately, bad no other—and now. I think, it would really kill her to part with him. The rich man could not find it in his heart to deceive his wife—every year it became more difficult, more impossible to do so : and very geuerou-dy, 1 must say has he pani in the purse for the forbearance of the nur-c's husbaud. Well now, then, to sum up ; the nurse was Mrs Dauby ; the rich weak husband Mr. Arbuthuot ; the substitut ed child, that hand>orae boy—sty ton ?' | A wiid scream from Mrs. Arbaiiroot broke the dread silence which had accompanied this frightful revelation, echoed by an agonized ■ cry, half tenderness, half rage, from her hu 4 - barvd, who hud entered the room unobserved, and new dapped her pass.ocateiy in his arms. 1 Tue carriage wheeb we had heard were his. ■ It was long belore I could recall with calm ness the tumult, terror, and couforiou of that •one. >r. .Arbuthnot strove to bear his wife ' from the amrUneut. but she would not be forc 'ed away, and kept imploring with frenzied vehemence that Robert—that her boy should not be taken from her. j " i have no wish to do so—far from it," said Dauby, w.th trieeful exultation. " Only • folks must be reasonable. and not threaten ■ their friends with tbe hulks " ** Gitt him ai.ytbinr. anything hr,'<e j a the unhappy lady. " O Robert ! IW.-ert !" she added with a renewal burst 'Ji hvstere.-ai 1 gnVt. " how could you deceive me so r* j " I have been imnisfod. A goes." be aaswer ■ ed. in i husky, broken v_iee, " for mv well in tended bat cr.m'.Pii weakness ; cv*?elly punish el by tbe consciousness that this discovery mast one day or other be sorely •made What do von want?"* he afte* - ewnile added, w.th recovering firmcess. addressing Datlnr, ' " The ackn-wledz mee.: of tbe little bit of ( papr ia d*pfctc, of course ; and say s ger;u --• ine one to the same •mount.*' Ye. Vrs " exct&iined Mrs Arbcthoot. tii! ■ widely soliblng. and ho 5!!:! g the terrified I boy straii'tsg in her emorace e- if he feared 1 he r;rb* b w-?n. r i,p.-| fr>m her by force. ' ** Anvtbtne —ray him anything V At th* moment. dmrrhHl rt> lock toward* thede-or of he apartment. I saw that it was partially opened, and that Danbc's wife was listening tb-re What might that mean ? Bo* what Of hopeful roeacibg iu a case | could it have ? " Be it so. tore." saH Arbuthnot soothing ly. Daaby call to-morrow n tbe Park.— • And now, begone at oece. r '• I was tfaakiag," resumed the rasc*l, with swelling audacity, " that we might as well at the same time come to seine permaceat ar raiigeaect apoa black at*d whit*. Bat never raiad ; I can always pot tbe screw an ; ucieß j indeed, yoo vret tired of the roowg gawtiensn, : ia that case. I doab: not he will nrree a dgaifsl tri sfr*'?r*e Ab it-c ' do VOL- XVIII. ISTO. 14. yon here Begone.or I'll murderer you! Begor! do yoa hear ? Ilia wife had entered, and silently confront ed him. " Your threat*, evil man" replied tha woman quietly, " hare no terrors for me now. My sou is beyond your reach. Oh, Mrs. Ar buthnot," she added, turning towards and ad dressing that lady, " believe not." Her husband sprung at her with the bound of a panther. " Silence ! Go home, or I'll strangle'' His own utterance was ar rested by the fierce grasp of Mr. Arbnthnot, who seized him by the throat, and hurled him to the farther end of the room. " Speak on, woman ; and quick ! quick ! What have you to say ?"' " That your son, dearest lady," she answer ed, throwing herself at Mrs. Arbothnot'f feet, "is as truly your own child as ever sea born of woman V The shout of half-fearful triumph sems ev a now as I write to ring in my ears ! I felt that the woman's words were words of truth, but 1 touid not see distinctly ; the room whirled around, and the lights danced before my eyee, but I could hear through all the choking ecsta ey of the mother, and the fury of the baffled felon " The letter," continued Mrs Danby," " which my husband found and opened. wou'd have informed you, sir, of the swiftly ap proaching death of my child, and that years had betn carefnlly kept beyond the reach of contagion. The letter yoa received was writ ten without my knowledge or consent. True it is that, terrified by my husband's threats, and in some measure reconciled to the wicked imposition by knowing that, after all, the right chiid would be in its right place, I afterward? lent myself to Dauby's evil purposes. But I chiefly feared for ray son, whom I folly belie v ed he would not have scrupled to make rtr venge for my exposing his profitable fruud I have sinned ; I can hardly hope to be for given, but 1 have the sacred truth." All this was uttered by the repentant wo man, but at the time it WM almost wholly en beard by those most interested in the state ment. They only comprehended that they were saved—that the chi!J was theirs ic the very truth. Great, abundant, but, for the moment, bewildering joy ! Mr. Arbuthnct —his beaarifu! young wife—her owu true boy how could she for a moment have denoted tf at was h-r own true boy— yeu might br read that thought through a!! her Tears quick ly a- they fe!i —the ag'-O and haif-stcnccd rector, whi!t y c t Mrs. Dauby r -'i" vpeakiap. were exclaiming, sobbing ii. each other'a arc* aye, ar.d praising God too, with broken voice* and incoherent words it may be, but certainly with fervent, p?ou. grateful hearts When Le had 'iine to look about as, it was found that the felon had disappeared—escap ed. It was well, perhaps, that he had ; bet ter, that he hoe cot been heard of since How Ou B:u.r WA BAPTISED. — people Lave a hard time of it in thi* little aorid of ours. Ettn in mutters of rtiigioa there is a vast d.Sftrecce between Lazara* and FEres, a-, the following anecdote, sent as by a friend, wiU illustrate • Old Biilr G. had attended a ftreat revi**.'. and, iu cocifuou with man; others, he w>o converted, and baptised. Not many weeks af terwards. one of his neigolx>r met him reeling home from the Court ground, w.th a considera ble '"brick in his h<fl." " Ilalio, Uncle Biiiy," said the friend, " 1 thought voa had ;ouei the church ?" " fco 1 did." answered Uncle Billy, nmkir? a desperate effort to stand stiii, "So i did, Jcemes, and would "a Uen a good bap"..' if thej hadn't treated >ae so tvrria-iin' mean at the water; Didn't yea near about it Jeemes ?" " Never did. u " The: I'll teii rc:; lx>ut it. Voa set when we come to the haptiZi'i' j,; a . har aid Jenks, the rich old Sriaire. wo to le dijiped the same. Well, the miu>ler tnck the "Squire in fast, bat I didn't min i that much, as 1 thought 'twould 1-e tact as eooi wbea ! cum ; so he 4*.-t 'nim in, he lifted him np keerfcl and wiped ha faca, and led him out. Ther, cuai my tar., utd instead of liftia'm*- oat l.Se he died the Scjuire. he cure me one -k-'n, ax*! left me .raw; o' about on t~.e Lvitom iike aVi /'"itu Mid tu-Ur' • Drcketr perpetrated, years arro. or* • * the beet ;ii' n rteord Mr Bragy's nephe * wa; the philosophy of a tea-ket tle snd describing the application as a nv tive. " For which." remarked the uncle. *t hr* prisc-pally to tha:;k— what we* hi# name " WATT W as hi; rare 4-." replied the !wu I * It wa* N'ai-ik-cn whv ays : ' Strange as it may appear, wi,eu I waut aoy good Lari ; work d"W- I chooee man—provided bis ed . acation hau beea soluble —With a ior.j n,iv H s breatuing is bold aai free, and his bra • : as weii a his longs and h<-srt, co i and clea ts nrr obeer radons of men. 1 hnv* airaost iz'*- riahij found a long u-n* a id n ad together. - 5 rH<*w?w-t liefntr asked of what bea: th.- bi*> wss mot danecroos. answered : " Of wili beasts, that of a slanderer : of tame that cf ; a fhtterer " W&rCi- yt "each the bee to build a eel . 'or the btri better nest ? TbeT ach n-. 'however. wi*drc* by modest and wknt eian: • p*!e* a®* One of the boys tells of a mrccro made bj U ac":e Be a It not oclj scared off every crow that it saw. but ora crow w&s to frightened that be brought back the or- . stole three days betcre. •9* Hoaeetjr iaaaer* fonjaer'y ic tra cast fa nan who putd !*r Via etec** e? an! •':* -- hS bt k