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'.i. AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. T
Vol. V. Now I31ooiiilioll, I'fi., Tucwday, Hoptemlxiv 13, 1871. IV o. JIT.
Js Published Weekly,
At New Bloomileld, renn'a.
FRANK MORTIMER.
SUnHCKIPTION TEKMS.
i$tzr l'KU VKAR!
7S Cents ford Months 40 Vents
for 3 Monttis,
IN ADVANCE.
""those early years.
BY M. h. MATIII1SON.
rpiIOSE early years ! those early years I
X Of childish hopes and childish tears;
How Bwcct their cherished mcm'ry seems
Of guileless hours and fairy dreams,
When crBt a child In cnrclcss glee,
I sported round my mother's knee.
Those olden lays ! those olden lays !
The joyoUB tones of other days j
How oft their mcm'ry o'er mo steals,
And youthful dreams of llfo reveal,
When o'er my eye of earnest blue
No cank'rlng care Its shadow threw.
Those burled Iotcs I those burled loves t
Time's fading treasure aptly proves j
Whato'cr my change, as life decays.
The thoughts of those far happier days,
Bhall cling, through grief and gloom,
Till I shall rest within the tomb !
A Young Man's Adventures.
CONCLUDED.
IT appeared to me that Edith was about
to qualify her dislike- with some other
term.
"Why dou't you liko him?" I asked,
rather impertinently I own, hut her very
frankness encouraged mo.
"Oil can'tsay," Hhe answered, indiffer
ently. " Who can account for a woman's
likes or dislikes? Old lawyer Butler said a
Btrantro thine to me one day. ' Ira thinks
of taking his brother Alfred in as partner,'
said ho, 'and you just put a flea in your
sister's ear, and prevent it.' Ho would not
explain, but I know ho thinks Alfred is not
over scrupulous. He thinks he ought to
have a share in the money that has bcon
mado, though he never raised a finger to
do it."
I began to think that Miss Edith Nones
was a long-hoadod young lady, and not to
lie made a fool of. It rather dampened my
hopeB when I reflected that rich as I folt
myself withjny five thousand minus about
five hundred she was worth five times as
much as I was. I began to wish that her
fortune might be spirited away in somo
mysterious manner so as not to bo a bar bo
tween us. I was young then, as I have
said generous and romantio to a degree.
I have since learned that money -oes not
seriously interfere either with love Oi' hap
piness.
In this desultory conversation tho time
paused pleasantly away, and we arrived .at
our journey's end without further accident.
I went with Edith to the residence of Sir.
Briscoe, an elegant mansion, delightfully
situated on rising ground near the Lacko-
wana River. Mrs. Briscoe received mo
very cordially, glancing with a peculiar
smile at Edith as she introduced me.
must explain the cause of this at tho risk of
being thought vain : but, hang it ! in these
days of looking-glasses a man cannot help
knowing how he looks. I was a pretty
fair specimen of manhood, with my Scottish
blood strongly marked in form and feature,
My old grandmother a McGregor always
said I looked like a portrait of Sir William
Wallace, which she had seen in her young
days in Edinboro' ; but she was rather par
tial, and I was her particular pet.
The glance that Mis. Briscoe bestowed
upon her sistor said, as plainly as a glanoe
could
"Edith, you have brought along your
beau." "...
And as her eyes again wandered to my
face, I rather thought she approved her
sister's choice. This strengthened the
good opinion that I had already formed of
her an opinion which I shall hold to the
last. A mora thoroughly good and womanly
woman than Hermiua Briscoe never breath
op upon tho earth. There was a great sim
ilarity' between' the' sistors--Mrs. Briscoe
looking more matronly, but scarcely aqy
older they had the same wealth of black
hair, pnle, regular features, and dark gray
eyes. Both were of medium height, neith
er too tall nor too short. Mr. Briscoe was
not at home. Ho had gono to Philadelphia
to cash somo heavy drafts, intending to
mako somo important alterations in tho
mine, and wishing to ;ilaco tho money in
the local bank so as to have it ready when
wanted for use. It was quito a largo sum
nearly ten thousand dollars. They spoke
of it as a mere trifle, and I began to realize
that though my fivo thousand was a largo
sum in my eyes, in other eyes it might ap
pear quite insignificant.
Wo grew very sociahlo together, and I
folt quito at homo. Edith took mo out for
a walk through tho town, which I
thought quite a thriving place. The next
day sho promised to take mo into tho mino.
Wo had a delightful evening, devoted al
most entirely to music. Both sisters wore
accomplished performers upon tho piano,
and had voices of much power, well culti
vated. When I retired to tho neat little
chamber allotted to me, which was up one
flight, and overlooked tho river and tho coal
hills, I felt no inclination to sleep, but sat a
long time by tho window thinking of Edith.
It appeared to mo that heaven, iu tho very
outset of my career, had thrown this gentle
being in my way, to savo mo from on idle
and dissoluto lifo and mako a man of me.
I went to bed at last, to toss about and
dream of her by fits and starts, until morning-
I was up by daylight, and took a long
ramble "over the hills and far away" bo
fore breakfast. I am a groat walker, and
always take a good deal of pleasure in rov
ing through sylvan scenery. Wo inspect
ed the mino, as agreed upon, descending in
to tho bowels of tho earth, whore tho grim
miners glided about, with their little lamps
fastened to their hats, looking liko firo-flios
iu tho gloom. I Bhall not attempt to do
scribo it ; I havo not tho space, and it
might not prove interesting if I did. This
used up tho forenoon, and wo returned to
tho houso with a good appotito for dinner.
As W9 drew near wo observed Mrs. Briscoe
conversing with a gentleman upon tho vor-
anda.
" I do believe there's that odious Alfred
Briscoe I" exclaimed Edith, vcxatiously.
"Why odious V" I asked covertly.
She reddened a littlo as Bhe turned away
her eyes from mine.
" I may as well tell you," she returned,
" ior you will find it out soon enough now.
Ho docs mo tho honor to pay court to mo,
and wishes to marry mo."
" Tho deuce ho doos ?" I exclaimed, un
guardedly.
Sho turned her cyos full upon mo with an
arch expression. It was my turn to color
then.
"Don't bo alarmed," sho said, demurely j
"I don't intond to have him."
I felt immeasurably roliovcd at this dec
laration, and my face showed it, and she
smilod again. I have ofton thought since
what a strange pair of lovers we wero. Wo
did all our courting with the eyes, and
Beemcd to have tacitly accepted each other
at tho first glanco. I looked curiously at
Alfred Briscoe as Wo drew near, but his
back was towards us, and I could not see
his face. Mrs. Briscoo, who saw us, evi
dently told him wo wero coming, for ho
turned quickly around. i
"Thunder 1" I exclaimed, involuntarily,
and stopping short.
" What's the matter?" cried Edith, turn.
ing to me, and very much astonished at
this singular epithet, which was about as
near as a man could come : to swearing in
a lady's presence. ,. ,
"I steppod upon a stone, and I do be
lieve I have sprained my ancle," I answer
ed, as I stooped down and protended to ex
amine the injured member. " No, it's all
right only gave it a twist." 1
1 triod my best to colloct myself and ap
pear calm, but my brain was all in a whirl,
and I was so astonished that I hardly know
what I was about. The recognition had
been mutual, and he looked very bilious
as his eyes met initio. It would have been
hard to suy which was tho most astonished
man of the two. This gentleman, conver
sing with Mrs. Briscoe watPur&t, On tharp
tr I had knocked down, il, th t upper -roomi
in New York. It was not a pleosaut meet
ing upon either sido. He certainly never
expected to meet me there, and I certain
ly never expected to meet him. And ' this
was Alfred Briscoe. ' . The initials . A. B.
upon the stone of his ring were no longer
a mystery.
I never felt more awkward in my life, but
I knew my best plan was to moot the affair
boldly, and treat him as an entire stranger,
If he chose to bring up the matter, it would
bemoro to his discredit than mine. By
tho timo wo reached the veranda I had be
come quite cool and collected. There was
not tho slightest apparent sign of recogni
tion, unless it was perhaps just a quiver of
tho eyelids, as we wero presented to each
other. No ono would havo imagined for a
moment that wo had ever met before I
could not help thinking what a consummate
pnir of hypocrites wo both wero. Thero
was ono thing, howovor, I prided myself
upon ; experienced man of tho world as ho
was, I, a stripling, a mero tryo in life's
mysteries, was his equal in coolness and
self-possession.
Treating mo with tho most marked con
sideration and respect outwardly, ho took
every occasion, covertly, to mako mo appear
in a ridiculous light before the ladies, iling-
ng littlo quiet sarcasms at mo in a way
that could not bo resented, without making
mo appear unreasonably hot-headed and
sensitive. I rather enjoyed this keen en
counter of our wits, for I gave him as
good as ho sent, as it proved ho was annoy
ed at Edith's evident liking foi my society.
The ladies had no suspicion of tho ill-feeling
existing between us. Edith looked a littlo
surprised at ono or two of his sneers, and
seemed disposed to resent them. She moro
than suspected this man's true character,
and respect for her sistor's feelings alono
mado her treat him with common politeness.
Ho could not influence her against me that
was ono comfort.
Mrs. Briscoe received a telegram from
her husband, stating that he would be homo
by tho evening train.
" Ho will bo horo by nino o'clock to
night," sho said. " Ho always walks up
from tho depot."
I remarked that I thought it a risk to
run, ho having so much money about him,
her houso being in tho outskirts of tho
town, and somo portions of the way quite
lonely. I had observed that in my walks
about tho place.
"O, thero is no danger," sho answered,
lightly.
" Is he armed ? ' J asked.
"He never carried a weapon in his life,"
she returned. " Do you ?"
"Not exactly," I mado answer. "I
have one though I do not carry it about
me an heir-loom in our family, a relict of
the olden time a Scottish dirk that be
longed to a nainesako of mine, Malcom
McVeigh, a corporal in tho celebrated High.
land Regiment, known as tho 'Black
Watch,' that was so distinguished at tho
battle of Dottiugon. I have it up stairs in
my carpct-bag now." .
The ladies expressed a desiro to see it,
and I went for tho dirk, and brought it
down for their examination. Alfred Bris
coe was present whon this conversation
took place, and he examined the dirk crit
ically. After their curiosity was satisflod,
I carried it back to my chamber.
I stopped awhilo to making somo changes
in my apparel, intending to take a long
walk after dinner. Returning down stairs,
I found Edith alono in tho parlor, looking,
I thought out of sorts, as if something had
ruffled the natural serenity of her tomper,
" What's the mator ?" I asked, taking a
placo beside her on tho sofa.
. "I've settled it," she cried, petulantly,
" I've settled it for good and all !"
" Have you ? Well, I am glad to
hear that ; but what have you settled ?"
She smiled, and her good humor camo
back again.
"Mr. Alfred Briscoe proposed to me, ten
minutes ago, and I rejected him."
"And he vows vengoanco, I presumo?"
. . " O, no ho would never daro to threaten
me. Covertly he would do me mischief if ho
could. It is a great disappointment to him,
I know, as ho is very anxious to have the
spending of my money." ' ;
" Edith, I wish you did not have any
money," I cried, suddenly.
" Why?" sho demanded, in surprise..
" Because I don't wish to be accused of
mercenary motives don't you see?"
"Butwhy should you be?" ' '
! ' Well I have been thinking for some
littlo time that I should like to marry
yoii myself." " 1 ', ' ' ' ' '''! ' " '
"Well, Malcplm?" , ,' . '' '
"But tho confounded money makes it
look as if it wasn't love that swayed me,
entirely and purely."" , , ,, , ,
" I think we can get over that difficulty,
she said,' quietly. " Aftor we are married
I will give it away."
"To whom ?" I asked.
"To you, dear,", she said, with a most
provoking srailo. , -
My only reply was to clasp her in my
arms and stoal a kiss from her smiling lips.
As I raised my head after this agreeable
operation, I saw a white faco glaring in up
on me through tho open window. Alfred
Briscoe, standing upon tho veranda, had
witnessed this littlo episodo of lovo. Tho
man's faco was livid with passion as ho
glared upon mo, and tho very domon of
murder (lashed from his sunken eyes. Tho
moment ho found himself observed ho slunk
away, liko a ballied serpent that has coiled
itself for a spring. But I did not fear tho
black looks of Alfred Briscoe. I was full
of youth and strength, and know that I
could snap him to pices liko a pipo-stcm.
I did not let Edith know that wo had been
watched ; I thought it would only need
lessly onnoy her, and perhaps alarm her
fears for my safety, and felt very confident
of being ablo to tako caro of myself."
Wo were soon summoned to dinner. Al
fred Briscoo was there, moro amiablo and
agreeable than ever, full of light sayings,
and witty to a degree. Ho appeared to be
in tho most exuberant spirits, but ever and
anon his eyes rested upon mo with an ex
pression which seemed to say :
Just you wait until I got a chanco at
you."
And I mado up my mind that if I ever
had occasion to hit him again, to put him
in tho doctor's hands for a lengthy period.
I started out for a long ramblo aftor din
ner, and walked quito a distance, lost my
way, and got back to town about half-past
eight in the evening. I had cut a small
branch of a treo to servo as a walking-
stick, and was quietly trudging along a
path through tho woods, which a country
man had told mo would lead mo out upon
tho road near Mr. Briscoe's house, whon I
heard distinctly and sharply tho cry of
'Murder 1"
I stopped appalled ; my blood chilled, and
the next moment I bounced quickly for
ward. A dozen paces brought me into the
road, where I saw a man down in tho dust,
and another bending over him, his arm
raised, and tho blado of a knife gloaming
in tho starlight. Ho sprang to his feot as
bo heard my steps, with tho knife raised in
a threatening mannor. With ono vigorous
swoop of my cudgel I struck tho knifo from
his hand, and he wheeled suddenly about,
plunged into the bushos by the roadsido,
with tho speed of light, and was out of
sight in an instant. I thought it useless to
attempt to follow him.
Stooping down to pick up tho knifo
which I saw glistening in the road, my eye
fell upon a smaller object which I secured
first. I just noticed that it was a ring, and
thrust it into my vest pocket. I next so-
cured tho knife, which to my uttor amaze
ment proved to bo my own dirk tho ono
which I had shown the ladies that very day,
Tho blado was stained with blood. I wiped
it upon an old letter I chunccd to have in
my pocket, and hastened to the assistance
of the wounded man, who now moaned
feebly, and gavo other signs of returning
consciousness.
I raised him from the ground j he was a
slight-built man, and by no means heavy,
He was not so badly hurt after all. Ho
had warded off the assassin's blow with
his right arm, which had an ugly gash up
on it, and was bleeding profusely. The
force of the blow had fcllod him to - the
ground, where his head had come in con.
tact with a stone, that had. stunned him
for the moment and loft him powerless. A
second blow would have been fatal. I had
arrived just in time to save his life
bound up his wound as well as I could with
my pocket handkerchiof to stop the flow
of blood, and asked him if he felt strong
enough to walk to tho center of the town,
whero we could get a surgeou to dross his
wound.
" My house is close by," he said, " and
I would rather try to reach that, and thon
send for a surgeon.. . ; , ;
It flashed upon mo all at once. I .,
" It is possible that you are Mr. Ira Bris
coe?" I cried, quickly. ,:
"That Is my name,'! he answered..
"Is your ten thousand dollars safe?'
was my next interrogatory. ' , i
" Yos," be replied. ' "Thot money was
the causo of this murderous ' assault, - no
doubt i but I can't imngino how it ' was
known I had so much money about me."
I explained to him how I knew ' it,1 and
who I was. The suspicion I had entertain.
ed of the perpetrator of the crime was1 fast
becoming a certainty. . X was suro4o detect
him, as I had the test of his guilt in my
pocket. , Despite Mr, Briscoo s romoiutraii
ccs, l toon nun on my Droau snouklcrs. as
you have soon one boy. carry another, and
in tills way wo soon reached the house.
The ladies were filled with consternation
at our appearance, and Alfred Briscoe was
loud in his denunciations of the cowardly
assassin, but I thought his faco grow livid
when ho found that I had defeated tho
murderer's intent. Ho hastened off after a
surgeon, and to put tho police on tho track
of the assassin. Ho had been very eager in
his inquiries as to whethor I would bo ablo
to recognize and identify tho assassin. I
told him I was afraid not, as tho night was
not clear, and as the man's faco appeared
to bo muffled in crape, I had not been ablo
to distinguish a fcaturo, but I did not say
any thing about the ring I had in my pock
et. While Alfred Briscoo was making
theso inquiries, I noticed that his right
hand was bandaged, and I asked him what
was tho matter with it. Ho seemod very
ill at caso as ho replied that he had fallen
that evening, coming down stairs, and had
sprained it.
After wo had got Mr. Briscoo comforta
bly to bed, I left him to the care of his
wife, and followed Edith into tho parlor. '
"Who could possibly havo committed
this deed?" she asked.
" Alfred Britcoe." I replied."
" His own brother I" sho exclaimed, in
credulously. " You cannot mean it ?"
"I most certainly do," I answored.
"And hero's tho proof." I took tho ring
from my pocket, a seal ring, with a blood
stone, engraven with tho letters A. B.
" This ring I struck from the assassin's
finger, whon I knocked tho knifo from his
hand ; and that knifo was my own dirk."
I produced that also. " Sco Edith, tho arch
design of tho villain. Ho stolo tho dirk
from my room, and used it as tho instru
ment of murder, iu order to fasten the
crime upon mo ; but by ono of those spe
cial interpositions of Providenco, I was the
one ordained to frustrate his murderous in
tent, and having saved Mr. Ira Briscoe's
life, I cannot very well be charged with an
attempt to tako it. The money Mr. Bris
coo had upon his porson was the main ob
ject of tho deed, no doubt ; but ho thought
it would bo a capital chanco to got mo out
of tho-way at tho same timo."
Edith was very much surprised at these
revelations, and when I asked her opinion
upon tho subject said decidedly that it was
my duty to acquaint Mr. Ira Briscoe with
the truth. When ho became convalescent
from his wound, I did so. Ho was greatly
shocked at this discovery of his brothor's
unnatural crime, but I could see that ho
was disposed to deal leniently with him.
, " You aro about to enter our family as
Edith's husband so my wife tells me," ho
said, "and our honor will be yours. Wo
must not let tho world know our family
disgrace Give mo tho ring leave my
brother to mo, and forgot all about it." '
I did so.
Edith aud I had been married two years,
and I was studying law in New York, whon
tho senior of our firm had , a mnrdor
case. Arthur Parks was charged with tho
murdor of Francis Shirley... They , were
brother gamblers, partners in iniquity, aud
had quarrelled over tho division of some
spoil obtained from a dupo, and the pistols
had been drawn, and Shirley was killed
killed suroeuough this time, for he had
survived tho glass tumbler thrown bp Wal
tor Brainord. Our senior lost his case, and
Arthur Parks (Alfred Briscoo) was sent to
Sing Sing for twenty years. '
HT Although your Dutchman may not
be so sharp and quick-witted as some , of
his neighbors, he is very likoly to appreci
ate the proprieties of life, and many a wick
ed wag who would fain make nport of his
innocent and unwary nature, has found
himself non-plussed by the blunt humor of
tho Teuton's cumbrous repartee.
'A youth in Dubuque, Iowa, who has
a turn for practical Joking, recently
tried to impose upon an honest lager
boor vendor, by leading a mulo luto a sa
loon, and taking him up to the bar as if for
a drink.'' Mynheer looked steadily at tho
pair for a few moments, as if collecting his
stray wits, and then broke out as follows :
"See here, Vynco, I know what dis is
here, your own brudder, but he can bo ono
you call a mIn'or--he ish to much young
to drink hfs glass, lager it is not the' law
in no place, nor xiot mit' my saloon. He
look like you ; you may bo. oho family, as
you call it, but if you ever bring dat young
man brudder hore again, I will shus tell
you old futher jackass of you both.. Now
you shunt go along mlt yourself. " . , . , a
The young man and tho mulo just wont
along. .... I- j j. ' ,: , , ; ' ,
r3? lhi is but half prepared for the jour
ney of lire who 'takes not 't(m tnftt
friend that will forsake him iu ' no emer
gency who. will divide ' his sorrows, In
crease his Joys, hft tho veil from fs heart,
and -throw, sunshine , amid the darkest
scenes..
! .1
I