Bradford reporter. (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, March 10, 1870, Image 1

Tsai
Tea SteDlol.o. 'lltstatert to vim
T u t ees' , Wenizg 111011Z.1114:1V
ktitseoi, The Dollen par ananin.l2o Ywiw .
ADVISIrrg ag Or i IMOV II"IiNIVI"
Muted at naninempititais*
nra cases per lias for intbsesphoet •""
special MOSS • 111111114 , '
D o ti's, WM be assiltiS Union Mile Isar
each insertiso. d 9 fiii ldl etr ''al ieseelstiehs
coesionaleatioss of MA* Of illandlla
and notarise ISerrissien inkileetbs. swentiklekte
Item are &mid triosorins!nimi ,•i •
1 Mar; stick 3 atm
R ~column, ............ .St 0111' sep
to Si Si
•One Mune tf r-4-40 rid
);,.tray. Cantons. Lost 11l Irolnel. and ether Mown
hematite. Rot eontoollniTs2Mais. thaw teeshit t ,
or law ' Sec
Administrator's and tiseutors ?Wks.. $ 00
twitter'. *MOW .... •• • • • II /Me
rwoneis Cud". five Wee. woe put • . ...... 05
gen-tants sad others. adttotleills buelnees•
.W hetasted 522 per sacs ogi I, 034 00
,„ moms. maned eseheively.to-their Ondoessi
witiarh reviler" of treldedy drifter. .
mtverthang In all ere. ezetedve ofiabiiMp.
t. ,, n to the "Rpm
JOSI PROW° el crew kW& halal* Ind Tistejr.
colors. dons with nestnees and &sod . 412912114
lomat. Cards. itionShieSs. Billbeeds. Otalleneentm.liht;
el every .artery and style. prhsted at the shortest
The WOMB Mee is well supplied with
ynarr Presses. a rood salostroiSioy synr type„ and
is the Plumy' bale ass Waco:tea In
the most attune manner sell st the lowest rates.
'Matti rgvAlumsLir twat
' 1=11241 CAMIX.
Tv R A.YSN'ILLE MILLS !
J.!
the r uhserher. hating purchased the halterretne
VIPs and reetted the Pune In good order. Is new
r ivnared to do good work. and to glwe verse & NMI&
tertian. • M. 3. PRMTCHET.
Ledlarsedle. Sept. 22. 1862.-17
p RICE LIST-CASCADE MUMS.
Th.t gue'dy Winter Wheat Flour tol cwt.. 5‘ 5005 00
'fr.! rins , dl - Rye Flour V 1 cwt. 3 50
..--n V, ,t and Rye and Corn - reed 2 25
(sir mares allowed to &lakes.
~.mm grinding usually dew at once. a• the (*-
oily of the mill to angle:tent for a lure meant of
H. B. niranest
Canaptown. July 12, laki9. . •
73 \ TENT 11TVT ALTO WHITE
winf: CLOTHES TlNES—Warranted not te
w,ar. tare. corrode prialltre the time! fabrics.
IN -Tar v. up and ready for use. The smaller -Ito.*
the ivast Wert it. It will last for 20 to 50
ro.ba but three casts per font. tam now
r ,•pared to put the, wire and migrant es aatisfaction
co pay. if not Callad upon at vnu? boners. ad.
Jr.', or call at Marshall C. It-mbars. pfarAtram store.
L. DUTCHER Meet.
Towanda.
R LaICKSMITFIING !
103 3 Ifail
livonc completed my new brick shop. near my
on Malu-stroet I aninow tr ....pared to do
in all its branches. ` - Particular attnntinn paid
XGi Imn% and edoe tools. Having anent many
in thin community. In this bus.sess. I trim*
.•nil be a pnfticent imsrantre of my remising a libel ,
.'mount of the public pateonase.
HENRY ESIRMWDIE...„
14.vav1A. Nov. 3. 1803.2tf
. v f YERSBURG MILLS!
The ambserihera are now doing Litigations In their
':n, oi the BEST QUALITY at the Matwawcza
M!1.1.5.
Wheat, Rye. and Buckwheat Floor. and Feed con.
.;antic on hand for wile at market este*. •
aii.o a lann , quarddy of (MOUND PLASTER of
inmenne finality from the old Yannam nem.
Ifyireburg. Pee. 20.'09. SUER ic TROST.
XT F. NV 'DYEING ESTABLISH
... MENT.
11”. aubwriber take,. thin method of informing the
;maple at Towiri,la and iiclnity that he has- opened
. iryong Establishmtat to Col. lizals Dow build-
NO, ICA MAII STREET
,oppnoitt 1,11. Patton's'. and that be to now we
parrd to do all wart In Ma line. inches CLEANING
.nd COLORING ladies' and• gentlemen's Muments.
/C , .. In the neatest manner and en the mod
Oive me a rail and elan:due my
art.• HENRY REDDING.
Sept. 14f.t•
BIiADFORff COUNTY
REAL ESTATE AGMtI'Y
11. B. 3i , KEIN, REAL. ESTATE AGVEST
.N;0.1.. Farms. Mill Prupertlea. CAT and Town
et. t.r otrie.
Part.ek having property for sale will and it to their
.snts,e hy learnig a description ( 1 1, the same. with
at this agency, as parte* are constantly
1.. r tarsus. he. U. B. McILE.IIII,
IMEMESME
MIMES
HE UNDERSIGNED HAVE
T
er , ...ned a Rutting House in Totem:ids. under the
"see F. MASON k CO.
They ere prepared to draw Ella of Each age. and
...-ollertiona in New York. Philadelphia. and all
i-ttoria of thn Unitod Staten. as also England.
an.l France. To loin money. receive deposit+.
1t• • . to a tivni , :al Ranking brusinewa.
M.nn wan .ne.of - the late firm of Laporte.
M .ti Nen. of Towanda. Pa.. and lila knowledge of
n. bu.torn. men of Bradford and adjoining countiee
•. I Ilavlng been in the banking business for about
f.: , -en year.. make this house • desirable one through
i.“ ti to make coneetions. 0. F. MASON.
Oet. 1. rm. A. 0. MASON.
RioKs POR FARMERS AND
STOCK BREEDF2f,
1% , ,,m•1 ruhunee of the AMERICAN' STOCK JOVE
`:AI. IFA9 containing 324 large douhih column
r • ••,•, ;011i poAtate paid for
-.n.1 A omnArs of the American Stock Journal for
1+41.). containing 384 pages sent post pal., Put 150
rumrmsn'a Manual. sent) post paid for 33 is
11 ,,, ..emaria 1140011, 21
!lreeedcr•e Manual. •.
Ps I'. try Breeder'• Manual
The whole five Mannala vent poet paid to cam ad.
dere. far $1
%gents wanted, to whom liberal iadorementa will
1.. ollien•d. Adders.
N. P. BOYER Publishers,
lanc9.3na Parkeatrarit, Cheater Co.. Pa.
I\TEW FALL & WINTER GOODS
,Il
MRS. E.J. PIERCE,
)r..1 rvturued fracg.tiew York with • titst-clasa
...,k t
manut'r GOODS '
c , l4.totlug of the titre* imported styles of
H \1 A, BONNETS, RIBBONS, kr. kc
wt.. n onid respertfully 'invite the ladles of Tovran.
1.1 and vicat:ty to give her • call before purchasing
••!•• •••vitert;. - Work done In neat and fashionable style
nn short notice. airßooms over 11. E. Rosen
'oil Store. opposite Powell's, Towards. Pa.
, -I.tentitt r 3n. 1869. •
VFW FIRM!
1: ti" G OODS AND LOW PRICES!
AT mommeroN. PA
TIL & HOLLON,
m °ramie* and Protiaione. Demo
Ni,oloinot. Kerosene 00. Lamps. Chimney.,
Dyf stuffs. Plain. 0111, Yarulall. Yankee
l..ba.•cc, cigars and Snuff. Pont Wines and
:luor, the beet quillty . . far medicinal purpose"
.t sold at the very lowest prio4s. Pre
stn 'npt:"m• rarrfully compounded at all bouts of the
.11.! taght. (AV° as a call.
TRACY k ROLLON
nr.4-v.n. Pa.. JULIC 74. 180-17.
(111EAP PASSAGE FROM OR TO
IRELAND OR ENGLAND.
• LINK or , TTEAKARITII VIVM OS TO
,WELN*TOWN OS LITZEPOOL.
lillinteB Old Black Star Line" of UV.
r4 „ l....t...mtlirtit every week.
I.me of Packete trims or to London,
.ta Ll m tmlee a month.
il , m.ttalwen to England. Ireland and Ekotland pay ,
~./
‘.• , Irth-ular., apply to Williams t (*Rion,
Bra...FAay, !ie.,' York. or
0. F. MASON k CO.. Banker*,
Towanda, Pa.
=EI
C r ` S. PECK, ATTLLWRIGHT
Nlicarnst. Towanda. Pa. Milli bunt
t Engines and Donets set In We best
, U , 11 , !r I would call the attention of mill memento
NEW VORTEX WATER *HER .
s 'nth Loa all the demands of a tact-clue tootteri
of omstrurties-aeoWslality.grest streanith
rlt„,sta. dot - clop:mg the greatest amount of power for
v..t, ua j easily repaired. running under backwater
ton no &trauma, to power eseept dimbuttlimi'M
head. nolo:nog no alteration to mW frames or addl•
hut to fl•atne. will run under low bead, and made of
.I,orot opacity. These wheels will be turnimbed
than one-half the cost of any other timbal's/
sh—i is market. and Warranted to perform all that
t. r...t.me,1 for them. These wheels will be made for
44, em wth or without men, on abort notice, of the
best Iron to market.
rm. full I.l.4enists address ormiqutes of then:tam
O. 8. PECK. Towanda. Pa.
P.s.—Tbese wheels eon be seen In operation at
Horton & Wells' 11111. Towanda twp. Tba
wh,...12 are wholly composed Mims as DOW sods.
isn Dllr4
GENUINE IMPORTED
NORWAY OATS.
' , AUPLES SDiT TREE T . ) FARXEBS.
I rum 100 to 130 bushes grown to the acre.—
(nom to to 43 pounds to the bushel. nib
'se , tat tweit grown ou evei7 euiety of moth Sod fo
•t.:te of the Uuion. with the ',mod parreet woe-
gra:n le very large. plump and handsome. Das
a :”InUkable thin husk. and ripens either thin the
c.l3:unl vanities. •
Tie ..tratr 9 bright, clear, stout and lot liable to
A ree
; -)l 4 t
. scrivetly deer: of tusk sad Row* two Ito
to •
bore both Vie-White and MA Norway. both
J . , kilns piloe and egttaily productive.
W. sal send one quart of the abuse oats to
etim.e postpaid tor.sl 00
T roans post paid.' 09
p,k e ut by express or trislalit, 300
Half bush -l. 20 pounds, I OD
Out bushel. 40 pignuts. 10 00
C%rrloN.—tn, We wish it distinctly naderatolid
rut this is not a Wait oats. weights* 211 to 1g
rand in Nees England. and sold wider the vise of
N. - essay but iniported seed, every bushel resres.
1,,.1t0 wiligh 40 fb. or the money retarded.
ha:holes of both kind• sent tree for fora Wee-eclat
""zoli• Also circulars and test a:tonal& Address all
N. P. 11017.11 Jr CO..
Jault.tu, Parkelbury,Chester Co.. Pa. .
SHTON SALT PUT lIP :IN
4 A isle or anal/ fractal*. so
V .
~~i .. g
EEO
fO': JUU
:1 4
. • 111- &
?
A.L.VOECD CLAUNKAA Tl F.4ENaittaillware i t i:
. -
VOLUME XXX.
PEXIMIIMI. =X.
JAMES WOOD, ATTORNILT AI4ID
CovimunsPa._ .
a ;,1‘ • • . • •
DDWARD OVERTON, he., AT
many AS L.R. TOlrlidA. P.. MOS tamed,
occinged b 7 C. Adam 'e9.
tzEOlittE - 11 - MONTANTE, AT-
N-A TO EM A? LAW. 0800-420Z0W Or Main and
Mao Strosb. • • • • Porkies Dg Mora
AJ.:.r-EVIt; -ATTORNEY , AT
•L. Tomada. Pa. Mb* over the Ba•
lteep. south of timi Ward Haws. and moat!' the
Court Hansa. acre
L. R
ATTORNEY AT LAW. TOWANDA.
South side of Mem= Yew nuke sP seam. Dec. I. •10-4ort•- - L •` •
W K THOMPSON. ATTORNEY
• AT Law. Towanda, Pi. Of with W. C.
!WPM Bw., Wo. 5 kick WM. AU business es
trusted to his cane will be promptly attended to. -
July I. 151 A.
H. CAHNOCHAN, ATTOR
• NET of taw =et Attorney Ur 'arse.
ford Comfy). Troy. Pa. one tea& and prompt..
17 remitted. Alb 16. 419—tf.
TOHN N. CALLOF .A.TTORNEY
fp,- AT Law. Towanda, PL Pa:l2mhz attention gtv.
en to Orphans' Court btudtwow Coareparinli and
Collections. ellir Mace at the Reinder and Ream
det'a ram south ortha C.siart buss. •
Dee. 1, Mt.
IatENJ. AI. PECK: ATTORNEY
ar Law. Towanda, Pia All business entesuded
to Witmer. will receive prom, tallanidon. Oeias to
the oboe lately occupied by Norm A Morrow. *oath
of Ward House. ap stairs. • Jay 111.
xparti•cint & MORROW, ATTOR-
A.. L. NEts.xt L*w. Towanda. Pa. The undersigned
haring associstad thenweirse together to the practice
of Law. offer their professional seniors to the pablie.
ULTMFS mem P. D. MORROW.
March 11. 166 E •
JOHN W. MIX, ATTORNEY AT
Law. Towed,. Bradford Co.. Ps
• GENERAL EGIBRANCE AGENT.
Particular atication paid to Collections and Orpheus.'
Court business. Oilloe—Mercuea New Mock. north
aide Public Square: *MI. PS%
B. McKEA N, ATTORNEY
A.A. • AND CODNAYLLON AT LAW, Towanda, Pa. Par.
Ocular attention paid to business In the Orphans'
Court. July 20:138.
T. DAMES, ATTORNEY AT
• LAW. Towanda, Pa. Caw with Wm. Wat•
tins. Esq. Particular attention paid to Orphans'
Court business and settlement of &oodenta' estates.
mr B. KELLY, DENTIST. OF
• sr* over Wickham4 Black's..T6wands, P.
Particider attention is rolled to dinuosing as a base
for Artifkisl Teeth. Raving used this material for
the pant four years. Inn confidently recommend it
as being far superior to Rubber. Please call and ex
amine speclniens. sar Chkkroforin ellsuirtistenxi
when desired. may 20..61.
DR.' IL WESTON, DENTIST.-
Jur Mee in Patton 'a Block. OVer oOrd'S Dam and
Chemical nom Jan 1. 169.
B. JOHNSON, PHYSICIAN
T• asn Stitozott. Towanda. Pa. Moe with W.
B. golly: over Wickham t mask. Bealdence at the
Means ilana.. am 16. '6B.
T1R.,11. A. BARTLETT, Phrician
and Mow.. Bum Ruiz, Bradford Cautity, Pa.
OftMe at reaideuce formerly occupied by Dr. Ely.
ang.10.1a5031
DR.ST E
'YENS, over Baow-ss (late
ooszo Drug Store, Pation's Block. in offices
Lately occupied in Dr. Ma= and Dr. Weston. 1149.
. D. BEACH, M. D., PhyNiciun
AA. and Surron. Towanda. Pa. Particular anti..
boo paid to ail ( Th rottle Diseases. and Distaste of
Females. Office It his residence on Mato at.. two
doors east of Dr. Drafts. u0v.11,6!.
DOCTOR 0. LEWIS, A GRADIET
ate of theeollog4 of . .. Physician, and Burgeorii,"
New York city, Class'lB434, gives exeinsive attention
to the practice of his profession. Oftlon and residence
on the eastern slope of Orwell Hill, adjoining Henry
Hare's. An 14.'69.•
B. CAMP, INSURANCE
• Ankwr.—Cblhoe formerly occuplud by Mercur
.k Morrow. oue door wouth of Ward Mouse.
July 22, Is6i.
LEWIS RHEBEIN, Faxhionable
Tailor. Room over Aspinwall's State. TOWILIS.
Ps. oct 5. 69.
FOWLER & CO., REAL ES
• Tsrs•Dr-usnis. No. 70 Washington Street. op.
Posit. Opera HOW.. Chien . .. 111. Real qtr pur
chased and sold. investments made and nomey loan-
R. FOWLER.
April 21. 1882. 8. LIND.
$1 re
p B. HOLLETT, MONROETON,
• Pa.. agent for the Hubbard Mower. Empire
Drill. Ithaca Wheel - Rake. and Broadmat Sower for
owing Mater and all kinds of Grain. Send for dr
...laws to B. B. Hort.arr, Bonroeton. Bradford Co..
Pa. . June 14.'69—1y.
TISIR WORK OF ALL KINDS,
such aa SWITCHES, CURLS. BRAIDS. FRU,
ETTS. ke., made in the bead manner and latest style,
at the Ward Mame Barber Shop. Tenn* reasonable.
Towanda, Dec. I. 1869,
FRANCIS E. POST,
i I r ;E:TER,
Towanda. Pa.. wi th ten years e oe. la con
fident he can give the beat ea • 'faction Painting.
Graining. Stab:dug. Glazing. • . ring. k• .
IkS.. Particular attention • • to jo • • ing in the
cunnti7. aprA 9. I&
JOHN DUNFEE. BLACKSJIITH.
MONROETON. PA., paya parttetdar attention to
L - oning Buggies. Wagons, tileighe. &s. Tire set and
repairing done co abort notice. Work and charges
guaranteed satisfactory. . 12.15.69.
OH YES ! OH YES!-AUCTION
A. E. MOE, Liorns•tt Askiiunr,
All calls promptly attended to and aattsfactlon
guaranteed. Call or address. A. B. Sloe, Monrootoui
Bradford county, Pa. oct-26. 69.
WiNT SUPPLIED !
The subamiber bens leave to inform Mediu...on of
Towanda. that he is sow' prepared to PILE SAWS,
SHARPEN AND REPAIR SCISSORS, lina do other
Jobs In that line, on abort notice.
JOSEPH MARSHALL
Orders may be left at the store of Marshall Broil.
& Co. dec.! -3w
pATENTs!
J. N. DErrER, Solicitor of Patent,:
73 nactAD STREET. WAVERLY. N. Y
Prepares drawings, irpecifications and all papers
required in making and properly conducting Appli
cations for PATIO . = 10 the USITIZD trams and Fog
mole Cocirranm No miasma to miscraczaertm
CASES Ver. X 0 ATZOILZINY'R TEE TO .7AT CrClc PATZ2Ie
OBTAINED.
Sept) IL ISCA-tf
O 'W.
STEVENS, Cf UNTY 'SUR
• rims. Camptoina. Brad* ad Co.. la. Thank
ful to his many employers far p..t patronage. would
respectfully inform the citizen, of Bradford County
that be is prepared to do any work in his line of bud
ness that may be entrusted to him. Those having
disputed lines would dq well to have their property
accurately surveyed beTore allowing themselves to
reel aggrieved by their neighbors. All work warrant
ed correct, so far as the nature of the cam will per
mit. All unpatetited lands attended to as soon as
warrants are obtained. 0. W. BTEMNS.
Feb. 24. 180-11.
Hotels. •
W4RD HOUSE, TOWANDA, PA.
On )Bain Street. near the Court House.
C. T. SMITH. Proprietor.
Oet. 11. 1866. ,
ELWELL HOUSE, TOWANDA,
JOIN C. wthios
Saving leased this Souse. is now ready to &COOMUIm
date the travelling puLlic. Napalm isorerpeuse wfll
be spared to give satisfaction to these who may give
him a can. •
firltorth aide of the public square, east of Mar
ear's sew block.
141:3151:ERFIRLD CREEK Ho-
TEL
PETER LAND/LESSER,
Having purchased and thoroughly retitled this old
and well-known stud. formerly kept by Sheriff Grif
fis. at the month of Rummeetield Creek le ready to
give good solommodatlons and satisfactory treatment
to all who mill favarldra with a ell.
Dee. 23. 181111—tf.
VfEANS HOUSE, TOWANDA,
.1,91 /cranaw t Boteros. 'proprietors. 'This
popular Hotel having treenithormighly tiled and re
paired. and furnished thrwrighoullwith new and ele
gant Furniture. will be open fari the reeeption of
guests, on SATVIDAT. KAT I, 18811, liettleivense
nor pains has been awed to reader*" Howe
a model hotel in all its arrangetitruta. A superior
quality Old Burton Ale. for invalids. Mad twined..
April W. 1889.
TEMPERANCE HOTELt—Sitart
te4 ou the nortleseet edam of Matti and Ell&
beth streets. opposite Dryad's College Factory.
The tederiggifid Wise reeently Waled Ids well.
blown 'boarding-house with good iin.o&V.oris.
would respectfully Intim ibe Wade that be is
torw preperad
the med llbenll to
to motive gasses sad heathers upon
rms.
Jurymen and others, attesdlsgconzt leer/Ted
any it to limir adesstept4lo Apiteasise the Tern
pumas Hoed. II MINN. Peeps.
no. 1% 1 sliko-alsIL
e. D. PIMPS
. ..
..' . ;,i. - i'i ' ', ..r,!`.>. i" - ti , `. ,6 1 , 3'..; —!.....': ) 3:,:::. ' l =i.'.: '.'i ... e , -. ' , l:i i'•
•
~, ! ;i., --i ..." •. , 4k ... •f 1.'..k1'i , f , .'. ';', t
, tia 1,1 • '.1";
two,
•; • -
The Revert int dead la the Vinod..
• ' The mea4riwa ire diesiand lose; •
For ander the truipbri Ibis* and midst .
"There leaned a tante ekne,
~ Obi there tuider the sablitrites— •
. For the houghs are shaken bare .
The clay ia dampen her hidden eyes,
And chill on hew Tellow heir.
- Her into hands ield senate,:
Idy beautiful teeth asleep;
Inds front aortae and ale and loss, r • •
And never again to *cep.
Serene. and - forever at rest,
While the stoma above her rave; •
My heart lies broken and dead inlay breast,
As the clods that cover her grave. •
;'
LOST IN THE 'POSVOFFIOE.
The will lay upon the counter be
fore me, and my eyes were riveted
upon the large cover which. contained
it, and which bore the inscription,
"R: Grey, Esq., Mitre Buildings, The
Temple,
.London." 'Within it lay
Kate's destiny and .mine. Whether
we were - to be married or not, before
out hair was gray, -was the secret
wrapped up,in its folds.
To go back to the beginning. My
father had been the junior partner in
the old bank of Fletcher & Shindy, of
'Thornbury, which had come to grief'
after an honorable and old-fashioned
manner, paying off all its debt, ac
eordin& to the customs of forty years.
ago, at ex pense of 'the firm, who
thereupon became poor men. My
father had many friends, and in those
timed, when political influence had
its,finfter in the bestowal of all pub
lic'ofeces worth having, the members
ofjour Tory borough had little diffi
culty in procuring for the ex-banker
the 'office of Postmaster, they vacant.
The bank offices, occupying the
grOund floor of our residence, were
altered somewhat 'to snit the new
ptirposes .to which they were put.
The public business room became a
sort of outer office, and my father's
priVate apartment the stamping and
sorting place for the letters. The
upper portion of the partition wall
was thrown - down, but left at suffic
ient height to screen the inner room
from the observation of any peron
iu the outer one:' , . yet it was open
enough to make every word audible
in either part, unless intentionally
spoken in a whisper. In the course
of a few years my father appointed
me his head clerk, upon the promo
tion of the previous clerk to an office
of his own; and 'our united salaries
amounted to LlOO a year, besides the
numerous perquisites, which at that
time of day fell to the share of the
Postmaster, such as' . private letter
bags, and the postage 'upon local let
ters. We had two under-clefks, and
the 'duties were light; very different
from what tney have since become,
us I. am told. .The penny postage had
only just come in; postage stamps
were still an institution of the future,
and money orders had been a recog
nized branch of the establishment no
more than two years. Only four
years before the stamp duty on nexis
, papers had been 31d apiece, and the
wildest Whig had not yet dreamed
0. a penny paper. There were hours
in our post office when our two sub
ordinates were more than sufficient
for all the work of the place, and my
father's liost was little else than a
sinecure.
One of the borouglinien who- had
been most active in procuring. this
comfortable berth for us, was a - - -old•
cronl) 4 of my father's—both of 'hem
were Masons, and both dabblers in
chemistry—and Nlso the wealthiest
man in the whole neighborhood. Hv
was a bachelor; and continued to live'
very much in the simple and inex
pensive style he had'been used to in
poorer days. His money bad grown
by lucky speculations and careful
economy. A good number of his
kindred lived about the town, ad
moderately well off, and more or loss
successful in life, except the brother
next eldest to himself, who, having.
entered the Church, end gained no
higher promotion in it than a poor
curacy in his native town, with an in
come of 4100 a year. Old Lawrence
treated him with a kind of fretful, ir
ritable brotherliness, which was but
poorly plastered over by a yearly
gift, grudgingly given, of another
hundred., .need, scarcely say that
all the kindred were specially affec
tionate to old Lawrence.
His niece, Kate Lawrence, the cu
rate's daughter, was—well! I shall
not try to describe what she was, ex
cept by saying that I was in love
with her, and had been ever since I
had first se,ru her in Church, listen
ing with a beaming and loving face,
to her father preaching one of his
prosiest sermons. Everybody knew
I was in love with Hattie, for I made
no secret of it; nd Hattie was just
as simple and frankly in love with
me, and made no secret of it either.
Yet I am not sure I had ever asked
her in so many` word's, if she would
be my wife;! but we were tacitly,
without plOge or promise given, en
gaged to marry one another as soon
as fickle, fortune -would permit it.
When - that would be . the most pro
phetic soul could notdoretell; forma
- lavish household expenditure at home
which had notbeen materially reduc
ed upon the failure of roe bank,,swal
lowed'up the united income of my
father and myself; while my three
sisters were portionless, did notseem
in a fair way to make eligible settle-
Tents,. There was only one chance,
a distant one—when old Lawrence
died, would he leave Katie or her fa
ther any portion of his accumulated
wealth?
Six or seven years had passed with
out any brighteningof our prospects,
when quite unexpectedly, one morn
ing old Lawrence s housekeeper msh
ed in with the. news that she had
found her master dead in bed. Only
the night before he and my Anther
had been trying some chemical - ex
periments, and the shock to the lat
ter was so violent that he wasiinsen-
Bible for some time; and • cohtinited
speechless after his consciousness bad
apparently returned. Of course, my
mother and sisters were in great agi
tation. and it was ab hour or two be-
- WM!
FOLSCUO
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forel.eould leave - them, afterWaist
!Leg to get myfather.tubed and send.
ing for i doctor. As SOolliaS I could
however, I hastened to the poor mil.
tan , ' old Man's house. ' The streets,'
were alliWeommotion; and thewhole
,tower seemed , - in a fever of 'cariosity
concerning the 'sudden - event, and
what might result ',from- it. In the
house itself found 'every :one of the'
relatives who lived in the -town, .
eluding two younger-brothers and a
=Tied sister of the deceased; 'and
by the side of the -dead mane eat
Ka
tie's father. genuine tears of sorrow
blinding his eyes. - -
The excitement, once awakened,
did not seem likely to shnnher again
fill curiosity was- sitisfied. It was
'plain that the old' twin - had died from
natural causes; but aa soon as the
town was assured of that, 'the ques
tion upon every tongue was, "has he
made a - will?" or, "How has he left
his money ?"' *as myself devoured
by anxiety, of which I was.- half
ashamed. If he had died intestate
Katie's father, as heir-in-law, would
come•into possession of • the lauded
property and into a fourth part; of
his personality, which would •be no
insignificant windfall in itself. It
was & subject which might well thrust
itself upon me, in spite of my father's
serious Attack, which seemed not un
like a stroke of paralasys.
During the course of the afternoon
old Lawrence's solicitor, Mr. &ape,
was announced, and I went to speak
to him; He requested to see my fa
ther, with a very impatient tone and
expression of countenance.
"It is impossible," I answered,
"quite impossible; he can't see any
one. He has not spoken since this
morning, when he heard of the sud
den death of his old friend. Arnold
is apprehensive of paralasye. Is it
anything I can do ?"
"No, no," replied Mr. ≊ "your
father is one of the executors of Mr.
Lawrence's will, and I have brought
it here with me, to consult with him
stout it. The other'is Gray, of the
Temple. , Under these circumstances
I Suppose I must forward it to him;
and perhaps it is best; it must be
proved at Canterbury, and Ihe can
see to it at once."
"Why at Canterbmf?" t asked;
eagerly. - ,
"Because there is landed property
in three difierent dioceses,' , he atir
swered; "I'll send it to Gray by to
night's mail."
"Well, my father Can do nothing," '
I said, *ondering all the time wheth
er Mr. Snape knew what 'were the
provisions of the will, so momentous
to Katie and me. '
There was a will, however; that far
MIS certain. A kind of 'wild hope,
which had been kindled in my brew t
was quite quenched by the visit from
Mr. Snape. I felt myself sinking in
to a gisomy depression, which afi
peered exceedingly ominous to me e
For three or four hours I brooded
thspondingly over the fast that there
was a will, scarcely allowing myself
to cherish a particle of hope that Ka-
Ha was provided for in it; for how
often does a rich man leave his mon
ey to the poorest of his kindred ? I
bad nothing else to occupy my mind.
My mother and'sisters sat weeping
in my father's darkened and silent
room. All the windows in our house
had the curtains drawn. At 'last it
occurred to me that this was the last
day of September, rind that the mon
ey order account, which was made
up quarterly, ought to be balanced
and sent up to London by the night's
-mail. Glad of anything to work at,
I went down stairs to the inner office
found the necessary forms, and set
myself steadily to the task.
• I had just completed it, and folded
tip my balance-sheet, when Ileard a
footstep and voice in the outer office;
both loud, and of a kind to arrest at
tention. They belonged to one of
Snapp's clerk's, who had come in to
post his master's letter.
"Look here," he said; "I was to see
you take this one straight in to Mr.
Slaney; it's on no account to be left
here with ordinary letters. It's old
Lawrence's will, I guess. By George!
1 only wish that my name was inside
of-it.' ,
It was brought in to me immedi
ately, and placed before . me on the
ceunter. I did not touch it, but
there it lay, a long narrow packet,
not, ovet large or bulky, yet contain
ing the whole of Katie's future and
mine.
I cannot say how long I sat before
it, fascinated, perfectly spellbound;
my eyes riveted upon it as if they
could . see through the thick cover
land read the momentous lines witli
in. I never touched it with my fin
ger even. I felt as if I no more dare
do that than I would have dared to
tease and arouse some deadly ser-:
pent. • I am conscious, however, that
net the shadow of an idea of opening
it ever crossed my mind. 4t last I
Melt a warm, smooth little hand laid
uriern mine, and Katie's voice whisp- .
e‘red close to my ear: ,"What is it
yo 're staring at, Harry' r'
There was, of course, an entrance
into this inner office from the house;
pd Katie had stolen in several times
fore, when I was alone, and had al
ways spoken in the lowest of whis
pers, lest the clerks in the office be
yond should overhear her; yet I start
ed nervously at the sound of her
voice and the touch of hei band, and
she was oblige d
, to repeat her ques
tions before I seemed to comprehend.
"That is your uncle's will," I an
swered. •
Her eyes met mine, and there was
a strangelook in than, such as I had
never seen before; an uneasy, trouble,
some, almost sly expression, She
had been crying pntil they were red,
and appeared smaller than usual un
der their swolen lids. Ble dropped
h pe er re 7elids hurriedly, and then whin
"If
"if there bra been no will ?"
I answered her as if that. were a
question, but afterwards it Occurred
to me that it was but an 'involuntary
utterance of her wish.
"Your father would have been an
heir-at-law, Katie," I replied; "and
you a great heiress."
As. I was %making sn. alarmed and
hurried voice • called loudly for
me from the interior of the houee- r e
voice so uigent, and strung to such
a pitch of terror, that it drove every
thought of evezything else out of my
MET
. .
. .
•-: =', . ...;-;'..,:, I ~., • - ,:f - .•,,-; tLi -, ~.. t'. - :' :,-,- - ' - '...-ft . " . r.r.: -"" - : i .3 . • - ..
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TOWANDA '-'' ; ; ADFOMCOUNrI.; , PAii,MARCHIO . ' 187V - . 6 'r'.,-v--':'''""'''','''''''''''''
•7 . .
*am' -t w o three -bounds
'lluungUP 74r 4 / 11 4 - ragiatc , EAY
fatt,, , a's whevo: every . nue
Iv* in confusion and dismay . ,SOue
of his attack OFUe
: . faeliPeeFeu ;
Win , theeff9llie!i 0 0 0 4‘ A friend - .
ships and
son, existed between bitn - and,me;-i
"'WY Pletle:frie4dehii4 : _wkioi:"
'awn- with my:growth, from bey
hood.; To lose him him" : would _ bo to lose
my life. I did not give a thought-la
my official duties; the (IneeleU
was nothing to me; and during . the
Uhole of : that long night I never left
'my lather's side.
The next morning he wasprououn
ced to be out. of immediate danger,
thoughhe'-continued speechless; and
seemed scarcely conscious of ~our
presence. By dint of persevering en
treaty my mother -persuaded Inc to
go, and lie down, when I fell i to one
of those utter and awfid jethargiee,
deeper and. mote :death-an than
skiv e which now and then seem to
come to _obliterate any, bipression
stamped too:deeply upon the brain:
When I awoke felt calm and strong
again. Katie was in the house, and
she and my sister lavished, upon me
those, trivia feminine attentions so
inexpressibly soothing •after any
great emotion, when one is suffering
from the languor which usually fol
lows it.
When the hour for making up the
mail arrived, I went down into' .the
office, and made some, slight
ries as to how the clefts had man
aged the work the .eveuing before.
They had been late, of course; but"'
the mailcoachthixe was no railway
near • Thornbnry thei—had waited
for them to complete their evening's
dispatch, and they believed that
everything had. gone ;as well. as
usual.. -
- :". 1 i•:.1 - 4.---!..''-:',.!, 5.7 ' . ' . its' , r,'-',%l::ii A f :
. , ‘ , "4 if • •-',. a!
~,AloArozaso or: orroroumor...llllollCAST (11LUMILL;4,-
But the return mail proved that
everything had not gone off as 'well
as usual. Onr mail, leaving Thorn
bury at 8 P. M., reached the London
office about noon the nextiday; and
the return mail not quitting London
until about 8 p'clock of the following
morning, threw the arrival of the
answers to correspondence to the
fourth morning. On the fourth day
after old Lawrence's death, to the
serious inconvenience of all parties,
there appeared no reply to Mr.
Snape's communication to Mr. Grey,
which had been enclosed with the
will, and in which he desired to be
immediately aNnainted with any
instructions left by the deceased in
regard to his. funeral. The nest
London mail was waited for, hilt
there was still no letter; and then
the interment necessarily took place,
while the solicitor addressed a second
communication to the executor.
- I waited ilith the keenest anxiety,
the arrival of Mr. Grey or his reply,
.and all the town-.was on tip-toe of
'expectation. The relatives did noth
ing but meet one another and dis
euss the will in all its possibilities.
There was a wistful look about
Katie's face. It was nine days now
since old Lawrence's death, but the
wonder instead of dying out, was
growing greater every day. Why
did not the executor come to satisfy
the general curiosity,
and set the
general mind at ease? The mail-bags
.reached Thorubury about midn ight, i
and were ordinarily deposited In the
office to await the appointed • hour
for opening them at seven in the
morning, which was considered quite
early enough for the accommodation
of the public. But upon this occa
sion Mr Swipe spent the evening
with me, and when the mail arrived,
he and I went down alone into the
quiet office, whae I. picked out the
London bag , oneued it, took out the
bundles of letterm, ran my eager fin
gers and 'eyes over them until I came
to the one I was in search of, and
handed.it over to the lawyer. -;
There was a dead silence in the
hour and place; only the clockjick
ing off the seconds as evenly as if
nothing was happening,. I watched
Mr. tinape's face hungrily, as if it
would reflect and disclose what he
was reving. The letter wets brief,
but he read it over twice. It seemed
a very long pause of suspense to me,
yet I suppose three minutes had
"Hele y
scarc pad.
says be has never heard of
old Lawrence's death!", exclaimed
Mr. Swipe at length; "he knows
nothing about his will—has never
received it!"
"Never received it!" I repeated,
"not received it! But I could take
my oath it went from this office."
"Did you see it go into the bag
yourself?" asked Mr. Snaps. •
I hesitated a minute or two, for
that deep, lethargic sleep 1 spoke of
had dimmed my recollections of that
night. I relnember it was the night
I had left the two under desks to do
all the work alone, while I was
watching beside my father; but, I
recalled also the exact spot where I
had left the - will on the counter,
reared up against the folded money.
order account, which had been duly
acknowledged. If one had gone
safely, why not the other?
• "No," I answered after a long
pause; - "I took it in and left it here
on the Counter; but the clerks did
the work that evening: It would be
impossible for them to overlook it.
Besides, We should have found it the
next day if -it had been. left behind,
and I should certainly have informed
you of the irregulaiitY. No. It
must have gone from here."
So said the elder clerk when we
questioned him in the morning. He
Would not positively swear to it, be
eause they had been hurried and
flurried over their work; but he was
quite sure it must have gone, if it
had been on the 'punter as I des
cribed. other' clerk, - who had
taken it in, and knew -it to be old
Lawrence's will, had not made up
the London bag, or would have
taken special notice of it, and would i
have-been able to swear td; it. Still
bath of them were very positive that
it bad not been left behind; though
it might- have got into the wrong
bag, and then miasma:
"I'll go np to London by to-night's
until," said Mr.' Snape.
Nothini could be more significant
of 'the importers ce of the document;
for a journey to Loudon by enach:
occupying sixteen hours at the swift
est, was not undertaken for a trifle.
PEN
#:
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- 1.• i
MESE
MEM
M
The 1 41 1 004' wi ichhad beim 4 0 Togi':
ing me Was DOW ` to ii keen
er point; butteathlifrAnislaiiiiia' I
keep the -affair Attieti an
long as possible, and I said nothing
about it .
.to any, one, my tattier being
still to
-ill to have it confided to„hins,
As for the tieing runner;
rigid men; 'there
their telling tides out of selicial, after
being onto moiled -to keep. it' :49
thenuselves for the present. ,
But the anxiety. Iliad suffered
fore was security itself coinpiired with
my' consternation and 'disquietude
when returned, - accompa
niedAiy, Mr. Grey; who asserted that
he:had seen nothing-ihatever of the
packet Which, had been posted in Our
office. There wee not the'shadow of
a doubt of that last circumstance:
The clerk who received it, and, my
self, were' compelled to admit that it
had teen safely deposited with us,
but no trace "of it could be found be
yond that Both Snaps and Grey
had been to the general post-officeto
make inquiries there, but nothing
was known of it.. T he whole onus
of the disappearance rested upon our
office and the three persons within it.
It was simply impossible to keep
the mysterious loss of old Lawrence's
will
- any longer a secret. - The 'rela
tives were ready to pull air. Grey to
pieces as soon as lie showed his face
in thelown. Was it not shameful,
scandalous, that a fortnight hid al
ready dragged by, and no one knew
how a quarter of a million of money
—for rumors said the old man's
wealth was no' lef;s—had been be
queathed ? With real reluctance
Grey made known...the facts. There
had - been
,a will ; he and the poet
master were executors ; it hid been
posted for him on the night after old
Lawrence's death; and nothing more
was known about it.
The excitement in the town was
tenfold, a hundred fold greater now
than on the occasion of the testator's
sudden death. Our post-office was
beseiced, and the clerks plied with
questions, while I kept myself sly
out of sight in the inner office, brood
ing in perplexity over the singular
occurrence. I Could arrive at no
other conclusion than that the • pack=
et must have slipped into a wrong
bag, and so been missent. Of course
. .
there were worrying inquiries made
by the London authorities, to . which
I could give no other reply than this
supposition. The Affair was of such
importance that official circulars were
dispatched to most of the offices in
the kingdom, requiring any informa
tion concerning any tuissent letters ;
and in the course of a few weeks a
handsome reward was offered ,for the
discovery of the missing document.
About five weeks after old Law
rence's death I received a summons
to present myself before the surveyor
of flip district,. a Mr. Talbot, who liv
ed sixteen miles or so from Thorn
bury. He, too, was an old friend of
our family, and -had assisted in ob
taining the post-ofrce for my father.
He was one of those jovial, courteous
old g entlemen of a past' generation,
who liked to make his own and every
one's life as easy and agreeable as
possible, and - who had somewhat of
an aristocratic contempt for the ex
acting public—far less exacting then
than now. I received a cordial greet
ing from him, was set down to s good
dinner, and forbidden to speak Of
business until he began, which he did
over our wine.
" Now, Harry, just tell me all about
it, as shortlyas possible," Antd
Talbot ; and I obeyed him.
" But this is a deuce of a Mess!"
be exclaimed, when I. had finished ;
" the will must be found, Erie. The
authorities insist upon it, and I will
not answer for the consequences if
there is much longer delay. Do Yen
know what yonr townsfolk ftre say
ing, ins boy ?"
His manner had changed from con
sternation to anger, and then into
compassion, al. he spoke ; but I only
looked into his friendly face and
shook my head in reply.
" They say just this," he continued,
"neither more nor less—that the will
is in your possession. . They say you
are going to marry Parson Lawrence's ,
only daughter, and by keeping back
the'will you expect him to come in
possession of all the property."
" I should be a fool if I did," I an
swered, stammering ; for this phase
of my position had not failed to oc
cur to me.
" A confounded fool," he added,
chile ; " the estate will be thrown in
to Chaucer 7, and the lawyers will get
the best pickings out of it. Come;
Harry, we are old friends ; I knew
you when you were a baby, and your
father and mother years before. You
might tell me anything, my boy."
" Thank you," I cried, grasping his
offered hand ; " but I have nothing
more to tell. I swear I know noth
ing more about the will than you do."
" Could anybody else knoiv of its
being in your °See besides you and
your clerls?" asked Mr. Talhot.
Strange to say—so strange that I
mai-egad at it myself—until that mo
mentinhere, ther forgOtten, , or
it had been kept back`from recurring
to my memory, that 4atie hid been
with me when my mothers z}ggniaed
voice, alined to me. Like ' ROWS' vivid
revelation made by a flash of light
ning, lurid and blinding, came baek
the position iu which we stood, and
the last words I had uttered. The
events which had followed had been
so hurried and engrossing; the sleep
succeeding to Ahem so exhausting,
that the impression must have been
for the time almost obliterated. It
returned all.the keener uow, and my
pulse stood still, and my heart sank
heavily. Katie had been there ; Ha
tie bad semi - her uncle's will ; I had
left her behind, me lathe office alone.
I- answered incoherently, stammer
ed, contradicted myself, and at last,
for almost the only , time in my life,
fairly burst into team - Never did , a
poor, weak wretch appear more guil
ty than • I did. My friendl=for he
was truly my friend---nrged me, im
plored of me, in yain, to 'confess all,
and make hick the confident of my
temptaiiiiin and my fault; he gave it
no harsher a nate. - It was impossi
ble for me toted a suspiision , nrxm
little; though as I came to think
quietly over it in ,iuy bedroom+, -I
stayed all night at M. Talbot's--Ii
Could not banish from mo the dread
" . :; . '- -, : , ' 1 ,6• -1;; ,, f :'.: i..i
is .
•,,,,,i, : -:.;"--- fi...),-;ik.xii-:
} ~ +-. - ..
mingisingdiathere lir the :solution
ofillet43 l fterY.snysilf flint
it'flist would nothingbat
ffrriCinitPeitY, had , changed:
Int&-shaine atbk.teritr upon hieing
the consequences of Ur action ;• and
that eletrAsy Inuktoadejt-more im
ixosAl4o, fp! ,her , to • own .her
Thenzetarnad 'powerfully to :Me. the
fascination the mere sight of the will
hidikeircised over me, and the
.con-
des • which had rushed to -my
brain 110 sat staring at it. A tenth
part of such a temptation, -I was
to argue, would be too' strong
for the curiosity of a woman the most
deep'y. interested in its contents. Yet
/cote was so good, so simple-minded,
so religious; should I be forced to
lose my ran in her ? No ; I could
not believe her capable of a dishoa,
arable and criminal , action.. Yet
where, then, was the will ?
It will he readily . credited that I
did .not sleep that night, and that I
was haggard and miserable-looking
in the morning. The hairveyor made
a last _effort to gain my confidence,
and my agitated reserim produced
upon lum that I was guilty. The
last sentence he uttered, with unit=
anal sternness, was to the effect that,
unless the will was speedily found
there was no hope of my retaining
my office, even if my father kept his,
being shielded by his dangerous ill
ness atthe time.
• I rode homeward, wretched enough,
and found Snape awaiting my return.
Mr. Grey had gone back to London,
after. staying no more than. a few days
in Thornbur g .
•• "Nothing discovered yet?" said
Snape. • • . •
' " Nothing," I answered despond
ingly, "If there was, you'd have no
need to come to me. I should be on
ly too glad to let you know."
"It beats everything in my profes
sional experience," he continued. .
"!.That's no satisfaction to me,'".. I
said,:in a testy tone; "the question .
is, what is to be done if the will does
not-turn up at all?".
_• •
" The very question all the rela
tives are asking," replied Snape. "Mr..
Lawrence drew the will - up_;
gave imp° hint of its - contents, and
has left no copy. We are every one
of us utterly in the dark as to his in
tentions. We cannot proceed as if
he had died intestate ;' all the world
knows he..did not ; and no one has a
legal right Co toich, a penn2; of his.
lifoliertY•" -
` Will it be thrown.into chancery?"
I asked.
" There will be nothing else for' it,
if-the will is not found," he said;
" and, to let you into a secret which
concerns you, some of the relatives
are talking of a prosecution against
you. But, I ask them, -what proof
have you that Mr. Henry Slaney has.
abstracted this document? The ab
straction of any letter or packet frOM
,the post-office is felony, such letter
or packet being the property of the
Postmaster General during its tran
sit, and
,the penalty is penal servitude
or transportation. But how can the
felony be proved ? There may be
good grounds for suspicion, strong
presumptive evidence—his own ad
mission Of having received the docu
ment, and a sufficient motive ; but
there is no positive proof, unless it
'was found in'his possession, or in the
possession of some individual who
could only have received it:from him."
"It is a pleasant position to be in s 7
said I, biting my nails viciously, which
is no habit of mine, but which seem
ed to come 'naturally to me in these
circumstances.
" If the will could only be found,"
answered Ur. Snape, with a provok
ing'significant tone, "all might he
smothered over even now."
• "If it could only be found," I said,
over and. over •again to myselL As
soon as the solicitor was gone, I went
up stairs to my mother's usual sit
ting room. My father had that morn
ing been pronounced well enough' to
leave his room fora few hours, and
lie was sitting-In an• easy chair near
the, fire, with a faint smile upon his
sunken face, which grew slionger
whenhe saw me, and 4 --forced a smile
to my . own lips.
" All going ou well down stairs,
Harry ?" he said.
" Why not ?" I-answered evasively ;
" why not? The work is simple
enough?'
' He was easily satisfied about that,
but not so easily about myself. What
had I been over to Mr. Talbot about?
What made me look:so pale and anx
ious? Was there any • coldness be- ,
tween Katie and me? .
" She is a girl after my own heart,"
said my father warmly, " a perfect
treasure. Don't you let her slip
through your fingers, Harry. By the
by, now we are alone; tell me how
poor Lawrence made his will, and
what he has done for Katie—some
thing handsome, I hope? Your moth
er would not let me speak •of it, for
fear of,excitement."
I hesitated for a moment, but so
briefly that he'did not notice it.
" The will cannot be found," I said.
" Not found!" he repeated.
"Yes," I continued, hurriedly, "but
every search is being made for- it.
Snape is positiVe that there was a will
executed a few months ago, but all
he knows of its contents is that you
and Mr. Grey are the executors."
" Poor Lau-mike I" sighed my fath
er. " Do you .think.they have search
ed his , laboratory well? It is not un
likely-he would depo_sit — it there, in
his cabinet. Tell them to leave, no
corner tinsearched in the laboratol.''
I promised to do so„ and : made
haste to get itway: In the drawing
room I found. Katie, in her, mourning
dress and bonnet, come in to go a
wa king with my Sisters, who luckily
had just started off before her arri
- She advanced to meet me, with
both her hands stretched out.. and
with . her. usual frank, pleasant, calm
smile upon ber face. There was no
one there,. and I stooped down to kiss
her, feeling myself an unhappy, guil
ty wretch; as if I were the culprit,
and .nnworthy . to lay my lids upon
her Smooth, fair forehead, which grew
,
rosy with inyldis.
" Hairy I" she murmured, in a tone
of. remonstrance.
"I am so miserable, Katie," said I;
and on the instant I resolved to. lay
before - her my positiou r —to exam er
ate it, even ;.to paint it in the black
est colors ; and then to make it plain
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NUMBER 42.
to her that, could the will be found,
all: might yet be explained away, and
smoothed ovei, without any public
exppoossar I did` raj , best, and - tic.
qiiitted myself's° well that she shed
torrcnts of .tears, her head resting
upon :my - shoulder ;- but net
ble did ohe utter which in the ahght
est degree hinted or betrayed that'
she bad any knowledge of . the miss
ing ' - •
"Katie," I said, when :I bad ex
hausted ninny eloquence, "von un
derstand that no one now will come
into liossetmion of your uncle's - prop
erty?'
- No one 1" she Asied, lilting up her
head, and looking earnestly in-any
face.. " I thought if there was no will
my father would • haie everything.
Yon said' he Was heir-at-la*, - and I
should be a great heiress: It Will not
Signify if you do lose your situation,
Harry. I shall have enough for us
both' ; and if every -one in the world
thought yon guilty, I should know
you were innocent . ." ,
•" But, it will be thrown into chan
cery, instead of coining to anybody,"
I said, a cold. hard
.feefing toward
her creeping oVer.kne.
• "But chancery 'could do nothing
after all but give the landed property
to 'my father , -she persisted '
• "there
,ciai be no nearer heir , and if the will
is lost, it is the same as there being
no chincery has: any sense,"
she added, half gaily.
Very heavy indeed grew my heart.
I attempted again to impress upon
her the position iu which her father,
herself, and all the relatives stood ;
hut she either could not understand
it or would not believe it. If it came
to the worst, sh a answered, they
Would 'Oll. agree to some arrangement
for the division of the property, and
her father, being the eldest, and the
heir-at-law, would receive the largest
share. She would be air heiress, and
why should I fret myself about a pai r
try place in the post-office ?
I could not, for the very life of me, -
look her in the face and say : "Katie,
is it liossible you - were overteinpted
and took the will?" Yet I could not
'shake oft the growing conviction that
this waathe truth. • idespair of con
veying to you the hundiedth part of
the maddening conflict of my feelings
during the next few weeks. My love
for' Kate Lasirence, my disappoint
ment: my strong desire to believe her
innocent, my pity for her, my close
vigilance upon every word and glance
Which fell from her, my terror lest
the truth should become knoWn to
any one else_ There could be no sus
picion of her in any heart but mine,
which loved 'her so truly,_ and was
willing to endure mistrust, cold looks,.
and angry insinuations, for her sake,
yet which eveiv day was growing
colder towards her, and more full of
seyere judgments upon her crime:
4pectation was dying away in the
town, and hope.was almost.dead with
at me. .
It was not possible to keep the,.,se-
Cret any longer front my father, when
he became able to attend till/mine/is.
A London surveyor, accompanied by.
a detective, cane down to investigate
the matter thOroOghly ; but they
could learn no snore than was already
generally kne/wn. It was a severe
trouble to my father, and serious
consequences threatened him iu spite
Of his plea of sudden and dangerous
illness. The fact that he was one of
the executors told against him I with
the•strangeri who were appointed to
hivestigate the affaig.;- for they ap,
paired to argue that ho might have
taken possession of the will, though
it Was illegal to ,do' so after it had
once been posted, and for some rea
- sou or - other suppressed it. throwing
the onus of the loss upon the post
office.
When nothing could be discovered .
by the surveyor or detective, old
Lawrence's relatives held a family
meeting to consult upon what - was to
be done, But it waa'...not very - clear,
what the law would permit them to
do in such circumstances ; and there
WAR not one of them who would not
have agreed, to proceed as if he had
died intestate.. Every lawyer! in
Thornbury had given.. some opinion,
and received a fee for it, upon the
point ; but nothing was clear and
certain. • - •
Those were the most miserable
three mouths that ever passed over
my head. The changed faces of my
townsmen, the suspicion attaching to
me, and the near prospect , of igno
miniously losing niy post, were hard
to bear. But the deepening convic
tion of Katie'sguilt,i and my gradu
ally decreasing love for her, were in
comparably harder. She did not fail
to feel the coldness and distrust of
my manner, and, being a girl of spir
it, she did not fail to mark the change
by a corresponding change . in her
self. I pondered over so& questions
as these : "Hoc was the will miule?"
and " What had-she done with it ?"
Had she destroyed it? br was-it, still
in existence, to be discovered, per
haps, at some future day, towork .
a just judgment upon her? 'How
ever it might be, I knew that my Ka
tie was lost to me forever ; yet not
for worlds would I throw upon' her
the suspicion which weighed so heav
ily upon me.
The last day of the year came.
There had been a semi-official letter
in the morning from Mr. Talbot, in
timating that the people of Thorn
bury were dissatisfied at my retain•
ing an important and confidential
place in the post-office, and that their
complaints wore about to be noticed
from headquarters.' My father only
partially recovered, was very low, and
my mother and sisters cried a. inter
vals during the day. I found my
self, as utival;• in the Office about the
same hour in the evening - tas when
olft-Lawrence's will was brought in
and laid before me on the counter,
just as I had finished and folded up
the qttarteity. 'money-order account.
Another :quarter was ended, and I
said, with some ,bitterness= of tone,
'" that there could be no objection to
me making up the account once
again." The forms upon whicli they
were drawn o ut 'were kept iii a small
drawer in the counter, and I found
them packed , rather tightly, having
evidently been pushed in in some
haste and coo - fusion.' The drawer
'would only open with_a short jerk,
and-aa I gave it, I head a sound of
something filling behind, while the
drawer 4;1414,1)0i „A5y41444,z1
atoorittetiettirlistid
—you Will luvre-glibuted-elready—
therelli-LisivitoWit, wilWook
inerprecho7. as it, bad, dose . .
lay on the ct:ounter before me, di :
'E4. Mitre.,l*ild
in th;The Temple, London."
_ _
I gave , a great about,
_which ,made
my 'father epring -up' f rom hie ,
and fell down on my knees lotion
the 'emptY *here - ther — dintwer -
had Wei, scare* able to stretch out
my hind How - it
bad got there was pleln'inumh - to
me: , j 1 had left _it-lying/among the f.
forms,
which were not unEke it in
Idler and size, and :this -,elerka com
ing in to their hurried and untteemi
tomed work; had_clearedthe counter
after a. summary Milan, by -sweep
ing them all away togetheo, in the
drawer beneath; which was used for
-no other purpose and never opened
eseept on the last dap': of Xarch,
tkuic,.Septembtic and ft , mber. It
had been'lying there all! the, while,
under my hand ascore of, times a
day, while Thad been suffering one
of the bitterest conflicts a man can
'suffer for it. -
' ::f: ~.
When :I looked ?mind; with the will
In mytrembling hind, • there stood
my father and the . two clerk's from
the 'auto' office, who had:rushed in
on heiring my shout, while through
the door which -they had left open a
lucky unit of-the.publia surveyed the
scene. .
- " Old Lawrence's I..gasped.
and the unit immediately darted in
to the streets tb proclaim the dineov•
.
- Almost before I could recover in %-
voice, which sounded choked and un
natural in my own mrs, or had riSen
from my knees and picked up the
fallen drawer, the outer office was , iu-
Vaded . by a crowd of (melted and ani
haus inquirers, some of whom press
ed into our sanctum, and began shalt,
big hands with me in 'the frenzy of
good will and congratulation, which
now and then breaks out among the
sympathizing public. " ' ,
Old Lawrence's relatives *ere not
long behind their townspeople.; they
came in agitated - numbers, Katie and
her. lather among them, with - Mr.
Grey, who bad been spending his
- Christnias at Thoniburx„ She look
ed pale, and my heartlanote 'me for
my babe, treacherous, insane suspi
cions of her. She neither glanced*
me or spoke to me, -and when irl
father invited all the relativerand Mi.
Suape to go,into the home, she pass
ed nie, 218 I stood humbly at the door,
with averted head and a half-digni
fied carriage. . .
1 . As both Grey and Snape were pies
-1 out, it was unanimously opted -that
lllthe Will should be opened and read
upon the spot. Several, persons, with
no immediate interest in it, liad made
. eir way into our. drawing-room.
and - us nobody seemed inclined to
turn them out, alai, remained, stand
ing against- tho.firo:place, and watch
ing steadfastly far sonic glance from
liati&'s eve.• -
,
Mr. Suave ,opetied the sharply,
and started. off at reading, With none
1 -14 his .professional deliberation and
delay, but as if he .was as eager to get'
at its contents usany person present.
It was a short document, and did not
take many minutes- to TOO it. ,The
property was worth about ,t70,0(m,
..E.30,900 of which was left in legacie-:
to old Lawrence's brother and sister .
midi the residue bequeathed to thy
testator's _ beloved neice, Caliarine
Lawrence, on the sole conditibn that
she -married Henry 8/Ailey, the son
•of hip -old friend, George Slaney.
PostmaSter of Thornbury. If other
wise it was to- be - divided equally
among
his brothers and sister.
All that followed may, easily be
s ,, ue sell' I had to make a thousand
protestations of my love, and imploi.
Katie again-and again to consent to
be my wife—a thing which. We bad
both taken for granted years before
old Lawrence's Will was in - thO . -post
office. Ify situation remained nily
own, until she relented, which she
did' not do Until, by my father's ad
-
vice, I confessed to her the reason
wliich had caused my change of man
ner toward her -; the _ painful suspi
cions which had thrust _themselves
upon me, and the bitter sorrow
had produced. We were married l e..t
last,- to the concealed disappointment
and chagrin of her affectionate rela
tives ; and I ceased to be among .the
number of post-office clerks-.
THE LION is HIS OLD AGE.-- - -When
a young lion reaches the age, of two
years, he is able to pull down a horse
or an ox, and so he continues to grow
and in increase, in strength till he
reaches hig eighth year, when his tal
ons, teeth and mane are perfects and
he grows no more. For twenty years
after he arrives at maturity, his tal
ons and fangs show no signs of de
cay, but after. that he grows feeble,
his teeth fail him, and he grows cub
bish. lie is no longer a match for
the' tremenduous buffalo; he prowls
around the cattle, crawls'and snatch
es a lamb or" a kid just as he did
when he set out with his 'strength,
nearly thirty years before. A woman
or a child at, night shares the same
fate. His strength and sight now
decline more and more, till the mighty
lion grows lean and mangy, and
creole about from plebe& pkce, eat
ing any offal he can pickup, and de
spising not even so small an animal
as the field - mouse, and he starves
and dies, or is fallen on ,and slaugh
tered by a few cowardly hyenas, or
is discovered unable to pore, beneath
a . tree, and knocked in head by song.
Wandering Inffir.
Go Two. "Young rnaui-Itio you be
ileve in a future state?"
"In course I does; and What's
more, I intend to enter into it as
socn, as Betsey gets her wedding
thlgs ready.".
"You mistake me; - do you believe
in a future siateL of rewards and tam:.
ishmentsr •
.
"31_ost," asiuredlyi if I should cat
mug,* with red-headed woman,'
should expect my hat- indented by
the first broomstick she could lay her
hands on."
"Go to, young man, you arc incor
rigible.- Go to." • -
"Go to! If it wasn't -for the law
agin bigarr-blessed if I wouldn't:go
sa dozen . ut who upposed, deacon,
that a man of your years would give
such advice to a'person just starting_
in .life?"
Ai almost obsolete beverage in the
Booth—the cotton gin.
A LATTLE girl lost in London streets,
on being questioned as ,to her tareutags and
place of birth, rep lied that she isms the •• eh ild
of sin" And was born in wrath."
Josa Ihumos says : "The laiml is
a larger turd than the gum or turkey. It has
two legs to walk with and two more to_kieb
with, and it wares its wings on the aide of the
head."
A FRESCII girl asked the priest the
other day, " - Why is it, father, that we ask every
day for our daily bread instead °tasking it. for
a week, W =bath or a yearn "Why, you hula
goose, to hay° It fresh. to be wirer was the re.
Or.