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""i'J'rZ''r"' AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. f'Zl'vlLfl!'
V1. V. iVcAV 131oomfiel(1, I?i Tfiiiitiiiy lO. 1S71. IVo. 3.
Ijc IjlcomfirU. jipmcs.
In Vublishetl Weekly,
At New llloomiicld, Pciiu'a.
It V
ii x k m o ii t i ji i: n .
ernHrmi'TioN tkiims.
om: ix)LI,.h :; kaiu
Oil IIICHNTS l'KIt MONTH,
IJN ADVAAOE.
HOW SHALL WE MEET.
How (hall wo meet in our future homo?
An we parted line on earth ?
Will the npirit carry its loves and hates
Into tlio heavenly birth?
Will tlie heart lie moved, in si world of bliss,
By the tceling that stirred its depths in this?
When wt meet t lie lost, ones, face tn face,
In the lirlit of that hotter kIioiv,
Will tin' cunk'i ill),' cHifsof thisrliiinifiil lifo
And its hiirnidsin dniihls lie o'er'.'
Then. Father ahove 1 speed on the day
When tliu nii.sts of eurlh hliull be clc.ued
away !
Year after year our round wu tread,
In a spirit of sad unrest,
Striving to hold, with clinging clasp,
The phantom joy to our hreust ;
Heaping dust o'r hopen that have died,
And mulling above the graven wo hide.
Father divine ! oh leach us how
To patiently wait thy will;
To bear the buideim upon us laid
And trtiftt in thy jjouiIiii'ks etill;
Till deatli ithall the pearly ,'itea undo,
And swing them aside to let us through.
Judge 0 onion's Will.
The Mysterious Disappearance.
c-o.Nci.fi)i;i).
The shadow of uloom spread over his
face ; and his very attitude wax that of
the deepest delect ion. Thoxii who observed
it fancied thin mood was a.ssumed to hide
the expression of hit; triumphant delight.
Grentham cast upon him a look of most
malignant hatred, muttered ftomelhini.
about" blood not being near so thick as
water liow-a-dayn." and abruptly departed.
Brittou went out to uurmi his moody gloom
in solitude.
When Helen wan alone with her.aunt, for
the first time her elf control gave way.
The gathering storm of emotion overcame
her. .
"O Aunt Mary," she cried, "how could
lie be mi cruel?" And a lit of violent hys
terics ensued.
Ab wkmi an I read the Journal's version
of the (Jieyville affair, I Hung myself out o(
my linen pen-wiper into a seedy broadcloth
and went for the major. I found him at
Ida oHicc, in his favorite attitude, chair
tipped back and feet elevated to a high
desk, smoking.
He was the last person you would have
picked fiom a eiowd as the best detective
in New Knglaud, with his frank and gen
erous face, unsuspecting blue eyes, "hail
fellow" ready smile. Jut tho Major pos
nesMid two distinct nature the jovial, con
vivial socety side, which cveribody raw
lid enjoyed, and his business nature, w hich
tie kept locked up for his own use. He
greeted nu :
"How nre you, old fellow? Come in,
how d'ye do. Kit down and smoke. (Joing
down the harbor? (Jlorious day for it. I'd
go down with you."
"Too busy," I leplied. "I came on
business this time."
" (), confound business ! That contempt
ible little ISudget has swallowed you up.
You were quite a fellow before you were so
foolish as to get hold of that. You don't
really expect to make anything out of it,
do you now 1"
" Make anything out of it I The circu
lation has more than doubled already."
'.Oyes, hut it don't pay for itself, and
you work day and night. You'd better
sell nut. Here am I, with all the sins of
the whole city on my shoulders, don't begin
to work as you do. Dunce take these
ditors 1 I can't get through my cigar
without two or three of them (hopping
down on me. I'll bet my hut you ure fish
ing for an item."
"It's a shocking bad one, but youv'e lost
it, major. I then told him my story, and
my suspicions concerning my midnight vis
itor, feeling all the while that the chief win
j more interested in tho graceful spirals of
smoke ho blew gently toward the ceiling, J
that he was in my narrative. j
When I concluded he made no response, .
apparently absorbed in regretful couteni- j
platioii of the cigar he had meanwhile re
duced to its lowest terms, and which he
I now dropped liiigeringly into the spittoon.
He then carefully let himself down from
his elevation, put ou his coat, locked his
desk, donned his hat, grasped his stout
cane, and motioned me out.
When we weic in the street he merely
suggested that he thought Mr. Wilkinson
knew something about the matter he did
not choose to tell, and we must look him
up and persuade him to divulge. Then ho
went on to tell me his boyish rollicking
way, about his last i xciu ion into the wil
derness. I forgot where, laughing and
cracking his jokes as though the murder of
young Biiiton was farthest possible from
his thoughts,, as I presume it was, until wn
reached the Gordon mansion. Wo were
quickly admitted, when I sent up my
name.
Helen Gordon looked still more fragile
and pale in her home dress than when I
saw her in the morning. She looked half
frightened when I introduced Major Krone,
but his cordial fiankness and gentle cour
tesy quite reassured her.
"I am a friend of Mr. Johns, Miss
Gordon." ho said, with more suavity of
manner than I gavo him credit for; "and
when ho told me you were somewhat dis
tressed about Mr. Button's fate, I thought
I would oirer my services. We have re
sources that may expedite a solution of tho
mystery, though I presume it. would all bo
right in time. The finding of a boat adrift
is very slight evidence that a man is killed
or drowned. I will send to Oreyville to
night and find out the facts of the case as
they stand."
A gleam of hope shone in her face, then
faded, as he spoke.
"In the meanwhile," ho con' inued, "if
you will give me some information about
the missing men it. seems there nre two
w ho are lost it might help forward our in
vestigation." " () anything I can tell you anything t
can do to help to find out the truth I
willbfl too glad to do."
"Have you photographs of the two young
men ?"
"Yes, of Fiank ; but no, ho took it away
again to have it reset. I never had a pic
ture of Kd, Mr. Ill itton."
"Then you eandescriho them."
' Yes sir. Frank Is tall and slender,
w ith chestnut hair and auburn beard "
" Heavy whiskers something like mine ;"
" He is about Mr. John's height. His
eyes are brilliant, and ho is called quite a
handsome young man."
The major cast an inquiring look toward
me, and I nodded. This description an
swered well for Wilkinson.
"And Mr. Hritton ?" ho resumed.
Miss Gordon's eyes which had looked
into his before, now drooped a littlo.
" He was a little taller and stouter than
Cousin Frank, with dark brown eyes and
hair, and a mom seriouscouiitenancu."
" Not so good looking as tho other?"
Perhaps you would think not."
Miss Gordon doubtless thought she was
giv ing a pictuie easy to leeognize of the
two men, but I saw, by the good-humoied
shrug of the major's shoulders, that he was
of a ililli n id opinion.
" Gan I see a copy of your father's
will ?" he asked.
"O, can it ho that dreadful will?" she
moaned, involuntai ily.
I suggested that Mr. lilake could furnish
that.
The major then drew a little nearer Miss
Gordon. " M.iy I venture to inquire" his
manner was ext remely gentle and respect
ful " If either of these young men was a
suitor for your hand? I regret the neces
sity of auiityiug you with such ques
tions. " It is no annoyance, I assure yon," very
sweetly. " It is no secret, I presume that
Cousin Frank wished to marry me. Indeed
of late, lie has quite persecuted with his
attentions.''
"And you quarreled?"
" (Something very much liko it, I sup
pose." " How long since?"
" Perhaps littlo more than a week."
" You would not wish to give mo the de
tails?" "I have not tho least objection. I had
never encouraged his nddiesses, you see,
though he insists to tho contrary. Ho was
my cousin, and I had treated him as one,
for I am no coquette. I had once beforo
told him that I never could cherish any dif
ferent sentiments for him, and I desired
him never again to allude to the subject.
The last time I saw him ho grew somewhat
rude, and accused rni of beguiling him
with false hopes. Perhaps I retorted with
some warmth, and then he charged mo with
caring for another.
Now her voice faltered a little, and her
eyes fell.
" Mr. Button, perhaps," suggested tho
major.
"Yes sir, Mr. Hritton. Frank accused
him of being an unprincipled adventir r, .
and exerting a criminal intluencc over my
father to induce him to make a will in his
favor. Such a base cruel falsehood 1 I fear
I treated Frank with all the scorn I felt.
I told him to leave me, for be was not wor
thy to take the name of Edward Britton on
his lips. And indeed I do not think Edward
was ever guilty of an ungenerous or un
worthy thought or action."
Now, indeed, I saw how beautiful she
could be ; her delicate complexion, all
Hushed with changing bloom, and the
lovo of her life shining through her eyen in
an exalted and wistful glow.
" I do think," she added, "that Frank
really thought I cared more for Edward
than for a brother. But I know they have
met and quarreled. But O Major Keene,
do not tell mo his blood is on Frank's
hands."
She was violently agitated, and the major
was really quite tender in hit efforts to re
assure her.
Then ho asked for some speci men of
Greiilham's penmanship, which Miss Gor
don procured a weak etieminate hand,
totally unlike John Wilkinson's heavy
strokes and then wo went away.
When wo were again in tho street the
major thought fit to inform me that the land
lord of the Mountain House at Oreyville
had come to him in a state of great excite
ment about the mystery and begged him to
clear it up, not only for the honor of his
house, hut for the personal interest he had
felt for Hi itton, w hom ho had taken quite
a fancy to, notwithstanding his extremely
silent and melancholy manner.
"I thought, it. was soino unfortunate love
a Hair," said the honest countryman, "and
some young fellows take such things hard,
so I didn't bother him a quizzing of him,
hut made believe I didn't take no notice as
how he couldn't sleep and went off nights
on the lake ; but kinder let him go on just
as he liked, and he used to come home just
before daylight, and look pale and beat out
as a ghost at breakfast."
"Pretty shrewd old chap," added the
Major, lighting a cigar.
He had learned from the same source
that Grentham arrived at the Mountain
House in the Wednesday's stage, and in
quiied for Britton, who was then absent,
but returned about nino o'clock, and went
immediately to his room, Grentham soon
followed him there, when Mr. Stover the
landlord heard loud words, the angry voice
evidently Grenthant's. The landlord went
toward the room and heard him say :
"So after playing the d .with an im
becile old man, and inducing him to disin
herit his own llesh anil blood, you still
mean to carry out your infernal plot, and
marry the lichens, I suppose?"
Button replied calmly, "I shall not
marry the heiress! but I decline to hold
any further communication with you on
the subject."
"By the powers, but you shall, though,"
cried Grentham. " Do you think I will be
robbed by a contemptible villain of a cow
herd, and keep silence. I will publish your
villainy over the country. Not marry her,
indeed! Of course you won't, if you can
marry moio money elsewhere. I would
turn hangman myself and give you your
dues, before you shall marry her."
" Will you leave my iom?" said Brit
ton. ' When I get ready. Soinu folks can't
bear to hear tho truth, but I mean you shnll
hear what people think of you."
" Don't tempt mo too far, Frank Grout
ham, or by 1 will not answer for the con
sequences," Here Mr. Stover thought fit to interfere,
informing them they were disturbing the
house, and bowing Grout ham out of the
room, he threw hack tho taunt, " You will
hear from me again."
About midnight a belated traveller, who
had missed tho way, iiiquuod for Grent
ham. As the landlord lighted him up to
bed, ho met Britten coming down, looking
pale and haggard, with his boating cloak on
his arm. Ho remarked that ho would be
back to breakfast.
Soon after Grentham stol softly out.
The landlord recognized him by the moon
light as he went down tho road to tho lake.
Major Keeno briefly concluded that if
John Wilkinson travelled tho direct lino
from Greyville, lie must have taken the six
o'clock morning train from that place in
order to reach here at night ; and since the
boat with Button's cloak was not discov
ered until eight o'clock, and no man by the
name of Wilkinson had been stopping at
Greyville, suspicion began to gather closely
about the mysterious Wilkinson.
Major Keeno went to New York that
night, on his track, established himself in
that city and opened communication with
tho police force there. Ho was soon on
the trail of Wilkinson, who he was sure
was hiding in New York.
The chief of police there, however, dif
fered from him in this opinion. It ap
peared that a man' calling himself " Wal
singham," with dark eyes and auburn
beard, had embarked in Liverpool on the
same day that Wilkinson arrived at Now
York.
The Now York chief was positive that he
was the right man, but Major Keeno was
bent on hunting down another, and soon
came upon the track of a John Wilkinson,
who had engaged, lodgings at an obscuro
boarding-house. This man appeared to
shun observation, and looked warily about
him when he entered the house. His eyes
were dark and piercing, and he had a heavy
reddish brown beard.
The major walked up to his room one
day to nncst him, when to his dismay, ho
found the fugitive had escaped through the
roof, leaving behind a carpet bag which
contained nothing that gave any clue to his
identity except a somewhat faded photo
graph of Helen Gordon. This tho major
triumphantly displayed to the New York
chief, who winked a littlo doubtfully, but
immediately ordered a pursuit, which re
sulted in tho arrest of a man with bushy
auburn beard, on board a small craft just
getting under way for Halifax.
All tho information tho piisoner vouch
safed with regard to himself was the name
of " John Wilkinson."
Three days after his depart uro I received
from the major tho following despatch :
" Johns : 1 have tho bird, but lie won't
divulge. Meet mo at tho depot and identify
him."
I met them at the depot, and at once
recognized my mysterious visitor, more ca
daverous and melancholy than ever. He
atl'erteil not to remembermo ; and preserved
his unswerving reticence to the last.
At tho major's suggestion, I despatched
to Miss Gordon requesting her presence at
the otlice, not knowing any one elso who
would be likely to know Grentham.
She arrived soon after we did, looking
flushed and excited, not knowing why she
was summoned.
Her name had been mentioned before
the prisoner, who sat wrapped in his moody
silence.
Miss Gordon came forward exclaimed
impulsively :
"O Major Keene, what is it? Have they
found Edward?" She could not say tho
"body."
At tho sound of her voice the prisoner
started up and exclaimed :
" Helen !"
She looked wildly round, ga.ed at him
bewildered, then cried " Edward, O Ed
ward !" reached her arms to him, and
swooned on his breast.
Somehow in tho melee, the auburn beard
had disappeared, and a stern hut handsome
face with trim-cut dark brown whiskers,
was looking anxiously at the white face on
his arm.
For once in his life, the major was most
dreadfully compounded. He spilt water
over Miss Guidon, upi-et the table and a
stove, and looked frightened.
As soon as tho lady showed signs of re
covering, Britton, for we had no doubt it
was he, addressed the major, dryly :
"I presume sir, I am no longer to be con-
sidered under ui rest for my own murder?"
" Hang it, no!" cried the furious major.
"You need not have made all this trouble,
though."
Britton retorted something about not in
terfering with the course of the law, but I
did not quite hear, as his head was Lent
earnestly over Miss Gordon, who was now
sobbing hysterically.
As we appeared to be sonic what dt troy,
the major drew mo into an inner room.
' "Confound my luck!" ho exclaimed,
sir.king into a chair iu an attitude of de
spair. " I'd rather have given fivo thousand
dollars than this had happened, Johns !
That rascal deserves hanging for serving
, mo such a villanous trick. Tho New York
1 chief will blow all over creation. Thunder
and guns ! My reputation is ruined. Don't
you put this in tho lludget. Thought it
don't matter much, as nobody reads it.
What the deuco did tho blackguard mean
by his bang-dog skulking ? I believe b
h:ii been sheep-stealing any way."
The major was excited.
"Your'e a smart detective if you can't
sco through the fellow," I said, not sorry
to take revenge upon him for spoiling a
nice series of murder trial sensational, for
tho liudget. "It's plain as tho noso on
your face ; only it is a pity you have
blocked hislittle game."
"Out with it, I shall resign to-morrow."
"Well, then, it appears that this mag
nanimous young rascal was too generous to
rcstoro Miss Gordon's property by marry
ing her and making everybody happy soma
people enjoy being miserable and as he
could only restore it in one other way ha
chose this alternative and resolved to (lit
for her. Or what is much tho same, ap
pear to die. He set his boat adrift upon
the lako and made his way to the city, in
serted the intelligence of his deatli in the
most popular sheet of tho town and pro
ceeded to secrete himself. The schema
would have proved a complete success but
for your untimely and obnoxious inter
ference. Now this plan has failed I think
he will accept tho other alternative."
'Confound the Bcamp, of course he
will !"
" But if this is Britton, where is Grent
ham, and what is he hiding for?"
"Ah my amateur detective is now at
fault," said the major brightening up
little. "Allow me to enlighten him. Mr.
Frank Grentham sailed lor Liverpool on
the day after the Gieyvillo tragedy. Th
man who arrived at the Mountain House
late at night was the slierilf como to settle
a littlo account with this young man on be
half of his ci editors. He wisely thought
discretion the better part of valor, and
quietly absconded, took tho Greyville stag
eight miles below the Mountain House, and
discreetly left the country. There's an item
for the Budtjel."
The major had conducted his case with
so much secrecy that no one but the chief of
police could know the real enormity of hit
blunder, and as he w as a man of honor, h
never levealed it. Major Keene soon after
resigned his office, with the satisfaction of
knowing that this was the only official mis
take he ever made, which was not so bad,
since the wrong man was not hung. II
liegau to ftil leronc ltd to the situation,
when he came out of the ante-room and
looked upon the glowing faces of the happy
pair, who had been so suddenly translated
from the depths of despair to the very
pinnacle of bliss.
They were so absorbed in the unutterable
worship of each other's gaze that our en
trance was unnoticed. Britton . was saying :
" Why, Helen, don't you know I have al
ways loved you?"
And she Uaniug neater and looking
aichly into his face, replied :
"How could you expect me to know it,
when you never told mo, Edward t"
A consumptive cough from the major
brought them to their senses, and checked
a mutual impulse toward some warmer
demons! ration.
Britton received us with gentlemanly
eouitesy and expressed his gratitude for the
major's piompt interference in his behalf,
in terms of good-natured raillery.
I drew him asido to invoke his secrecy
upon the major's blunder, and he leplied
with some little haughtiness that ho "cum.
prehunded the situation."
Miss Gordon was all aflush with tremu
lous happiness and could only cling to tha
stiong aim of her friend, who was now
much nearer than a brother.
A minute description of the wedding fes
tivities would no doubt lie highly accept
nble to my female readers of tender years:
but that suit of thing does not conn
w ithin the sphere of my prosaie pen, but -glowing
account may 1 e found in the lhid
grt of that date, done l y my Iriepiessille
female reporter, who is quite uufnit in all
the unpronounceable and ineom) rchensihls,
teehiiicalil ii s of Psiisiun bridal toilet
Mr. niid Mrs. Britton are pleased to con
sider the major and me their most paitH
ular friends, and we often dine with then
in a quiet but magnificent way.
But if wo want to see tho major in ft
furious ) asMon, we ak him if he ever knew
a man by the name of Wilkinson.
IV A snuff-taker's nose, geuteely blows
Is a musical snuff box.