VOL. Xlll. NEW BLOOMFIELD, IJA.., TUESDAY, JULY 22, 1871). NO. 30.
THE TIMES.
An Independent Family Newspaper,
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For The Bloiihfiri.d Timfs.
WIND OF NIGHT.
Oh, fuller benediction and delight,
How gently, while the unfathoined heavens
display
Their tires Innumerable, thou lay
Thy fingers on my forehead, wind of Night I
Through her dim empire, with angelic lllght
Thou com'st to me, and for the hurts of day
Brlng'st balm, and, "Peace! peace!" thou dost
soltly say.
And soothed am t In Memory's despite.
Murmuring, thou glld'st through odorous.blooiny
bowers;
Alike thou sway'st o'er lonely graves.
And fan'st the fevered cheek and aching brow;
Thou slng'st a lullaby to the drowsy flowers,
And on the dark stream rotisest the small
waves i
To all a welcome visitant art thou.
IF. L. Shoemaker.
TRUST BETRAYED.
"D"
k ID YOU ever see a sadder face V
That, sir,, is Mrs. Colby, and
she has a deep trouble. It happened ten
years ago, and she lias never gotten
over It, and never will ; another case of
' trust betrayed.' "
So said mine host of the Bright Star,
a neat little inn in one of our thriving
towns in Illinois.
" Well, sir, ten years ago there was
no more sociable fellow, or brighter or
neater housewife than Frank Colby and
his wife. They lived on the farm then,
but have moved to town since their
trouble. They never had but two chil
dren, Harry and Cora ; but they raised a
boy, took him a babe from his dying
mother's arms, and done just as good a
part by him as by their own son.
" They trusted and placed every con
fidence in John Williams, who was
low-browed and dark complexloned,
with eyes that always reminded one of
snakes. But Harry Colby was the hand
somest and bonniest young fellow you
ever saw, and was liked by everybody.
" Williams, although respected and
trusted, was not a general favorite like
Harry. Mr. and Mrs. Colby just idol
ized their two children, and although
John was fed and clothed as well as
their own,yet it was impossible for them
to love him as well ; it is not natural.
John seemed to resent this, and,as soon
as he reached his twenty-first year, he
left them, going no one knew where.
Mr. Colby gave him a horse, and one
hundred dollars In money, before start
ing. ' Harry was three years younger than
Williams, and was never very strong,
like him ; he appeared never to have
any taBte for farm work, so his father
never pressed him, but Indulged his
taste for reading and scribbling.
" Williams was absent six years, when
he came back on a visit. He had grown
into a fine looking man, and the girls
around tried to outdo each other in
showing him attention and getting up
picnics for his enjoyment.
'Harry was ;at home from school,
his health being so delicate that his
physician advised him to remain out of
school and travel.
" Cora had graduated the year before,
and was a beautiful girl and had a
score of admirers ; but John Williams
soon cut all the rest out ; her parents
liked and trusted hlm and it was a
plain case that there would be a wed
ding Boon.
"After about four weeks' stay Wil
liams commenced talking about return
ing to Texas, where, he said he had a
store in the little town of M and in
vited Harry to return with him. He had
given such a bright and glowing de
scription of Texas, its climate and facil
ities for making money, that Harry had
been thinking of returning with him
before Williams proposed It.
"At first Mr. and Mrs. Colby were
much opposed to Harry's going; it was
such a long way, they said, and he was
so delicate. What should be do were
he to be taken sick away out there so
far from home t
"John Williams laughed at their
fears and reminded them that Harry was
a man now, not a baby,and,as to getting
sick, he would grow stronger and stron
ger every day he traveled. That It was
the very thing for him, riding In a
wagon and "camping out;" roughing
it a while would do more toward mak
ing him a well man than all the medi
cine he could take.
" Well, they finally consented that he
should go. Williams then proposed that
Mr. Colby should put in one thousand
dollars, and he would furnish a thou
sand, and together they would stop at
St. Louis and lay in a stock of goods,
and convey them in their wngon to
Texas; that they should both double
their money.
, " Mr. Colby objected, saying he would
rather Harry would have nothing to
bother him, when AVilliams replied
that Harry ought to have something to
rouse him up; some aim in life; that
taking an Interest in his goods would
prevent his getting homesick by keep,
ing his mind employed.
"All this seemed plausible enough,and
as Harry seemed anxious to invest in
the goods, his father finally gave him
the thousand dollars. Ah, sir, If he
had but known! But I'll not antici
pate. "Although Mrs. Colby gave her con
sent to Harry's going, yet it was with
very unwilling lingers, and with a
heavy heart that she prepared his out
fit. Her mother had Bent some flue blue
jeans from Kentucky to make a suit of
clothes. He never seemed to want it
made up before, but now he told his
mother that she could make up thehlue
jeans for his traveling suit. He had a
fancy of having his blue Bult trimmed
in brass buttons a very peculiar pat
tern, a round button w ith a suake coiled
up on top.
" Mrs. Colby was a good cook, and
she prepared enough of such things as
would keep good to last them until they
reached St. Louis.
" Harry was to drive his own faithful
ponies, Mrs. Colby was so scary about
horses that she would not permit them
to have any others, well knowing those
were safe and strong.
"It was with many misgivings and
gloomy forebodings that the mother saw
her loved one drive away ; he looked so
handsome and bright In bis blue suit,
and bade her good-by with many bright
anticipations of future enjoyment. But
his gayety and cheerfulness at parting
only seemed to make her more gloomy.
She could not throw off the deep weight
that was pressing on her heart, she had
a presentiment that she would never see
her boy again.
" Cora laughed at her, and pointed
out different boys In the neighborhood
who had gone away from home, and
whose mothers felt the same way
when they started, and grieved over
them, and thought sure something
would happen to them ; but they came
back for all that, safe and sound.
" But it did no good. Then Cora
would try reason her mother out of her
gloomy forebodings, telling her there
was nothing to harm him. John had
come and gone over the route several
times and had never been molested ; she
would chide her mother for her want of
faith in the Great Father, reminding
her that He was able, if it was for the
best, to bring their loved ones home
safely, and they must put their trust in
Him who doeth all things well.
" The first letter received from Harry
was mailed at St. Louis. They made
the trip in less time than expected, and
had enjoyed the traveling ever so much.
They expected to purchase their goods
and take a good look at the city before
pursuing their journey.
" Well, Harry was faithful to write,
and letters were received from different
towns along the way.
" Finally there came one, in a cramp
ed hand, saying that they had at last
reached M . That he had met
with an accident injuring his forefinger
nothing very serious, but It was awk
ward writing. He was much pleased
with the country and hU trip thought
it had benefitted) him greatly. He was
glad he had brought thq goods along
they would keep him employed and he
would not have so much time to think
of home.
" I bare neglected to tell you that the
boys were to be gone a year, and at the
end of that time, and upon their return,
there would be a wedding. John Wil
liams was to wed' Cora. He was of
good family, and Mr. Colby had raised
him, and thought he knew him well,
and he would have trusted him with
every dollar he had, so great was his
confidence.
" So the days which dragged so slowly
and wearily to Mrs. Colby fairly flew
with Cora, who was very happily and
busily engaged on her wedding finery,
and also getting her things, sheets, pil
low cases, and such like, you know,
ready for keeping house.
" The boys left In the fail, so the win
ter passed away, spring came and went,
and summer was almost gone, when,
one evening, about sunset, the well
known ponies were seen coming up the
lane. But there was only one man in
the wogon, that they could see, and that
was John Williams. Almost breathless
with excitement Mrs. Colby ran out to
meet him, Inquiring for Harry. Wil
liams begged her not to be alarmed ;
Harry was safe had left him in Mis
souri; they had sold their goods sooner
than they expected, and had started
home.
" While coming through Missouri,
they passed through a little town,
where a herd of cattle was being sold
for a mere song ; so they, thinking it
was a good investment, bought them,
and, as one had to remain with them,
Harry had very generously offered to
stay while he came on for Cora, when
they would relieve him In the spring.
" Mrs. Colby did not appear very
well pleased over this. She thought
Williams might have stayed and let
Harry come home.
" Well, in due time, Williams and
Cora were married and took a long
bridal tour. There was no wedding
given them.
"In the meantime, Mrs. Colby had re
ceived several letters from Harry, prais
ing Missouri mightily ; the grazing,
where he was, was so much superior to
that in Illinois, and there was but little
mud; his father always hated mud bo !
Finally, he wound up by proposing that
his father should sell out and move out
in the latter part of winter or in the
early part of the next spring, saying he
did not know but what he would buy
some land and remain there perma
nently. " Whjle Williams and his fair young
bride were on their tour, there was no
letter came from Harry and Mrs. Colby
was getting very anxious Indeed, when
they returned, and, shoi tly after, John
received a letter, Baying that he, Harry,
had not heard from home for some time.
Harry always wrote in a cramped hand;
sometimes they could not make out near
all the words.
" Cora and Williams joined their en
treaties to the urgent appeals that ap
peared In every letter Harry wrote, so
that Mr. Colby finally began to talk of
going. His wife did not want to go ;
they were too old, she said, to be trans
planted; they had made themselves a
home for their old age, and there was no
use in leaving it.
" But Williams represented Missouri
as being a much older country than this
and that they could buy a nice farm al
ready improved, and they would be with
their children.
" Harry was too delicate for the
changeable climate of Illinois, and so
they kept on until the old lady gave up
to go, the main reason being the hope of
seeing Harry sooner by moving out.
Oh, sir I no mortal knows what that
poor mother suffered in the separation
from her only son.
" So, directly after Christmas the farm
was advertised for sale, with all of its
stock, household and kitchen furniture,
to come off the 10th of February. We
were sorry to have them go,and felt that
it was a very foolish trip for old people
like them.
" Mr. Colby had five thousand dol
lars In the bank, which he often talked
of as his wife's portion ; sheshould not
be bothered with farms, he said, after
he was gone, but could live on the inter
est of her money he would just leave
it in the bank ; it was as safe there as
anywhere, -
" By the way, though, Cora, who al
ways confided everything to her moth
er, told her that John acted very strange
ly in his sleep ; would start up in bed
and mutter and talk, and one night he
said :
"'Oh, Harry! if I could only bring
you back!'
" Next riiornliiB. when tolil nf It., tin
r said he was uneasy about the cattle.
But somehow this made an impression
on Mrs, Colby; she was fearful, and she
could give no reason for that feeling.
" Harry's letters came regularly, and
she would often chide herself for being
so troubled and gloomy ; but she could
not throw off the unhappy feeling. So
she hastened the preparations ; she was
anxious to be on the road, although the
weather was cold ; the sooner they
started, the quicker they would be with
their boy.
" One day, Just three days before the
sale, Mr. Colby stepped into the bank
to deposit come money, when the cash
ler said :
"'I thought you always Intended to
let that five thousand remain with
us.'
" ' Well,' replied Mr. Colby, ' and so
I shall.'
"'Why, you talk strangely; if you
are intending to replace, it why did you
take it out V
" ' Take it out ! I have never drawn
a dollar of it!'
''Why, sir, you are surely very for
getful ! The money was drawn yester
day by John Williams, according to
your written order, and here, sir, Is the
check !'
" This was a stunner to Mr. Colby.
As Boon as he could regain his speech,
he pronounced It a forgery and a very
clever one at that.
" Wei!, the old farmer was so indig
nant that he had Williams arrested on
the Bpot, and brought before the mag
istrate. Williams put on a bold face,
and declared the order was genuine ;
there were no witness, and Mr. Colby
swore solemnly it was a forgery, and
held him under arrest until futber de
velopments. " Everyone was greatly astonished, for
Williams was highly honored,and many
thought there must be some mistake.
Mr. Colby was well known and honored
also for his truth and sterling worth.
He would bring bis own son to justice
if be had done wrong, bo of course there
was great excitement about it.
" About this tlme,a young man living
in our town had gone out to the little
place in Missouri where Harry was sup
posed to be, on a visit to relatives, and
returned about the time the forgery was
committed, and upon being questioned
by Mrs. Colby concerning Harry, said
that he could hear of no one of that
name around there; there was no cattle
being fed there ; that it was as poor a
country as ever he saw.
" Here was another surprise and
mystery. Why should Harry wank to
deceive them so ? They wrote to. him
about it, but received no answer, and
again, and still no reply. Williams
being in jail during the time, was
waiting for Court to convene ; so Mr.
Colby grew bo uneasy that be hired a
detective to go out and hunt Harry up.
His wife was so troubled and anxious
that she could neither eat nor sleep :. the
sale did not go off as advertised, and the
whole family were in grief.
" Cora was almost Inconsolable at
first, but, putting many little things to
gether that had not been noticed at the
time, she was forced to believe some
thing was wrong with Harry She be
lieved he had died, and Williams, in or
der to keep the one thousand, had con
cealed his death. All this she kept to
herself, and urged her father to send
some one to hunt him up; but yet they
received letters all the time from him,
and surely he must have been at P ,
in Missouri, for there were letters direct
ly from him. So reasoned Mr. Colby.
"The detective was a very shrewd
man, and had his own views about the
matter ; he oalled for all the letters re
ceived from Harry, and, after reading
them over, took his departure, and in a
short time started for P or near
there ; it was, as bad been stated by the
other young man, a very poor country
around P ; the town'or village
was a very small place, and the people
were all, with a few exceptions, of the
common order.
" When be could fiud no trace of
Harry he went to the postofflce and the
postmaster was questioned ; he said he
remembered frequently mailing letters
addressed to Frank Colby, and letters
came to the office addressed to Harry
Colby, and they bad always been receiv
ed by a young lady ; he remembered her,
because she always hesitated when
fulling for a letter. In a small place
like that many things and people are
noticed that would be passed in a larger
place ; he did not know who mailed the
letters to Frank Colby, as they were gen
erally found in the letter-box.
" The detective then related to the
postmaster as mueh of Harry's history
as he thought necessary, and asked his
aid in helping him find the woman
who called for the letters. The post
master replied that she would likely
come In for the afternoon mall, and he
could come Inside and watch for her.
" That afternoon he was on hand,and,
sure enough, she came, and called for a
letter for Harry Colby. Itecelvlng a
negative answer she walked out, and
the officer followed to a small but very
neat-looking cottage and boldly knocked
on the door, and as she opened it walked
in, without waiting to be invited. He
found her to be a really pretty, young
looking lady, with a child about eigh
teen months old playing on the floor.
She seemed surprised, at the intrusion,
but he hastened to tell her he was try.
ing to find a young man by the name
of Colby. Could she tell him of his
whereabouts t She seemed a little startled
at first, but soon regained her composure
and replied that she knew of no such
person. '
" ' Then,' replied the officer, ' why do
you receive letters addressed to him i"
"How did you know that'i" she
asked,. quietly, forgetting herself in her
surpnisei '
" ' I know that you do and that Is suf
ficient. See here,' displaying a badge,
I am a detective, and unless you desire
to board a while in the county jail, you
had better tell all you know concerning
this matter. The young man is missing
and it Is believed that he has been foully
dealt with.'
"The woman was frightened, and
said that she had but little to tell ; her
name was Johnson ; her husband was a
carpenter, and had a friend named
WUllaoas, who lived in Illinois; that he .
bad given her ten dollars to watch the
mall and receive all letters addressed to.
Harry Colby, which she enclosed In.
other envelopes and returned to Wil
liams; that he would then send a lettes
all roady to be put In the post-office
there, to go back to Illinois. The letter
to be re-mailed was always addressed to
Frank Colby, and in a cramped hand.
"Her husband, she said, had often
speculated about these letters, and was
afraid there was something wrong ,
but she said they had every confidence
in Williams, and he told them it was a
joke they were playing on a young man.
But they were suspicious, and thought
he paid rather dear for a little fun ; they
were poor, and the money received did
them a great deal of good, so they made
so fuss about the letters.
" This was all she knew about it ; the
detective had hoped, for Mrs., i'olby'e
sake, that Harry would be found
around there somewhere; but this ex
change of letters was proof positive
that he had never been there. He re
turned to P as quickly as possible
and related all that he had discovered.
Mrs. Colby was almost frantic with
grief ; she knew he was dead had felt
all the time that something was wrong
and, attended by the detective, visited
the jail, and begged John to tell
her where her boy was, if he was livhig
or dead.
" ' Oh, John !' she said, where is my
boy? Think what a mother I have
been to you and tell ie, if you have a
spark of human feeling in your heart
tell me where my boy U.'
" But the fiend in human form only
turned up bis nose and told her she
had a detective employed to goand find
him ; be had nothing to tell ; that her
husband bad Imprisoned him on a false
charge ; now she had better go and look
for her boy till she found him.
" The detective started the next day
and traced them as far as St. Louis, and
from there on through Missouri, and
clear on into Texas about one hundred
miles. The route they had taken was
through such a very thinly settled, tim.