Newspaper Page Text
' COLUMBUS
ENQUIRER.
sTJisriD^^r.
|VOL. XY1.
COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1874.
NO. 215
The Home Amour the Hllle.
BY HABKIET M’ltWlV KIMBALL.
Midway between those towering hills,
One lonely human dwelling ;
The circling acres, culture swept,
Its little history telling!
On either hand the meadow land
.Makes fair the mountain spaces,
with golden reach of buttercups
And silver drift of daises.
Behind, the massive forest wall;
lietore, the r.ver running ;
And close about the little oot
The signs of human ouniting.
The signs so homely and so sweet
That uraw us to eaoh other.
And make the dally life of man
Familiar to his brother.
We know the band at early morn,
That cottage hearth-fire kindling ;
We watohedthe dropping of this corn ;
Wo wait Its purple spindling !
▲ part, have wo in all the tolls
Of those our mountain neighbors ;
A portion In the presclous gain
He.ivon winnows from their labors.
We taste tlolr trials, share their feasts,
And, with a passing wonder,
Wo linger even while we go,
Their choloe, their lot to ponder.
Amid the grandeur and the gloom
On every hand abiding,
A flower of human blossoming
This little home Is hiding.
What tender wind of Providence
The small seed hither drifted,
Where yet these shadows vast may fall
On village spires uplifted 1
Loss awful seem those hills august,
Less lone the valleys glooming,
Since in this wilderness the rose
Of human life is blooming !
A DARK NIGHT’S WORK.
BY MUR. UA8XXLL.
Arranged from the Engl lets.
(continued.]
C HAPTER Till.
Still youth prevailed over all. Ellinor
i well as I have said, even when she
onld fain have died. And the after*
on catne when she left her room. Miss
_|anro would gladly have made a festival
if her recovery, und havo had her con*
▼eyed into the unused drawing room.
But Ellinor begged that she might be ta-
kin into the library—into tho school*
u—anywhere (thought she) not look
ing on the side of the house on the flow-
•rgardeu, which she had felt in all her
illness as a ghastly pressure, lying with
in sight of those very windows through
Thick tho morning sun streamed right
gnoS her bed—like the aoousing angel,
Mating all hidden things to light.
And when Ellinor was better still,
when the Bath chair had been sent up
for her use by some kindly old maid out
of Hamley, she still petitioned that it
might be kept ou the lawn or town side
of the house, uway from the flower gar
den.
One day she almost screamed when, as
a s was going to the front door, she saw
xon standing reudy to draw her instead
gf Fletcher, the servant who usually
Bat she checked all demonstra-
t of feeling, although it was the first
ne she had seen him since he uod she
jid one inoro had woiked their hearts
_fc iu hard bodily labor.
He looked so stern and ill! Gross, too,
Which she had never seen him before.
As soon as they were out of immediate
£v.’j(4gbt of tho windows she asked him to
|op, forcing herself to speak to him.
“Dixon, you look very poorly,” she
g^d, trembling as she spoke.
“Ay!” said he. “We did na’ think
fetich of it at the time, did we, Mias Nel-
r far ? But it will be the death of us, I’m
lurked tho sting. He was all astouish-
rnent and indignation at Air. Duuster's
disappearance, or rather flight lo Ameri
ca. And now that she was growing
stronger, he did not scruple to express
curiosity respecting the details, never
doubtiug but that she was perfectly uo- i ^
quainted with much that he wauted to : down the river, making ripples on the
know; although he had too much delioaoy j glassy opal suifuce of the water. They
to question her on the point which wan md not talk very much, Ellinor seemed
most important of all in his eyes, namely | disinclined for the exertion; and her lov-
how far it h-id effected Mr. Wilkins’ | er was thinking over Mr. Wilkins’ beha-
worldly prospect**; for the report preva- | viour, with some surprise and distaste of
lent in Hamley had reached London, that j tbe habit so evidently growing upon him.
They cauio home looking serious and
tLinki
liking. It has aged me about a bit,
AU my fifty years afore were but aa a
forenoon of child’s play to that night,
lfeeater, too. I could bear a good deal,
but soeaster cuts through tbe stable-yard,
And past me, wi’out a word, as if 1 was
poison, or a stinking toumart. It is that
ns |> worst, Miss Ntlly, it is.”
Aad the poor man brushed some tears
fiom his eyes with tho back of his with
nred, furrowed hand. Ellinor caught the
infection, and cried outright—sobbed
like a child, even while she held out her
little white tbiu hand to his grasp; for ai
noon as he siw hor emotion he was peni
tent for what he said.
“Don’t now—don’t,” was all he could
think of to Kny.
“Dixon!” said she, at length, “you
■oat not mind it—you must try not to
Bind it. 1 toue ho does not like to be re-
minded of that, even by seeing me. He
i tries never to be alone with me. My
poor old Dixon, it has spoiled my life for
me; for I don’t think he loves me any
^She sobbed as if her heart would break
—and now it was Dixon’s turn to be com-
^“Ab, dear, my blessing! he loves you
•bove everj tbiug. It’s only he can’t bear
the sight of ur, as is but natural. And if
he duuuot fancy being alone with you,
there’s always one as does, and that is a
•omfuit at the worst of times. And
. ye fret abrout what I said a minute
Igo, I were put out because measler all
hilt pushed mo out of his w - '** 1 “
. |ng, without never a word.
an old fool for toiling ye. And I ve rcal-
- Sr forcottou why I told Fletcher I d drag
,, A git about to-day. The gardener is
hiflinninu for to wonder as you don t want
toMe the annuals und bedding out things
■•you were so particular about in May.
AM I thought I d just have a word wi’
y#f and (hen if yon r d let mo wed go to-
Btther just once round the flower gsr-
just to sny you’ve been, you know,
Sd tociva them chaps a bit of praise.
You’ll only have to luok on the beds my
pr«tty, and it must be done sometime, bo
^He began to pull resolutely iu the di
rection of the flower garden. Ellinor
hil her lips to keep in tho cry of repug
nance that rose to them. Aa Dixon stop*
pad lo unlock the door, ho said,
not hardness, nothing like it; J
have waited till I hoerd you were better;
hut it’s iu for a penny in for a pound wi
as all: and folk may talk; and blesH your
little keart, you’ll stand a deal for your
father's sake, aud so will I, though I do
• fgei it above u bit when he puts out bis
hand as if to keep me off, and I only go
ing to speak to him about Clipper’s knees;
though I’ll own I had wondered many a
day when I was to have tho good morrow
never missed sin' be were a boy
till— Well! and now you've seen the
beds, and enn say they looked mighty
pretty, and is tloue all ns you wished; aud
M*ve goi out ogam, and breathing lresh-
BT air than yon sun-baked hole, with its
■celling flowers not half so wholesome to
an off at as good stable dung.”
Bo the good man chattered on—not
without the purpose of giving Ellinor
flqM to recover herself; and partly also
drown his own cares which lay hesv-
• * i heart thau he oonld ssv. But
t himself rewarded bv ElUnor’s
1 warm pressure of his hard
i got out at the front door and
days of weary monot-
•few ooMtMfttly xeceiv-
veft few» agftip
Mr. Duoster had made way with, or car
ried off trust property to a considerable
extent, for all of which Mr. Wilkius
would, of course, be liable.
It was hard work for Ualph Corbet to
keep from seeking direct information on
this head from Mr. Ness, or indeed from
Wilkius himself. But he restrained him
self, knowing that in August he should
be able to make all these enquiries per
sonally. Before the end of Long Vaca
tion ho had hoped to marry Ellinor; that
was the time which had been planned by
them when they had met in the early
'spring before her illness and all this mis
fortune happened. But now, as "he wrote
to his father, nothing oould be definitely
arranged until he had paid bis visit to
Hamley and seeu the stato of affairs.
Accordingly, one Saturday in August
he came to Ford Bank, this time as a vis
itor to Ellinor's home, instead of to his
old quarters at Mr. Ness’s.
The house was still as if asleep in the
full heat of the afternoon sun as Mr.
Corbet drove up. The window blinds
were down; tho front door wide open,
great stands of helitrope, aud roses and
geraniums stood just within the shadow
of the hall; but through all the silence
his approach seomed to excite no commo
tion. He thought it strange that he had
not been watched for, that Ellinor did not
come running out to meet him, that she
allowed Fletcher to come and attend to
Mb luggage, and ushered him into the
library just like any common visitor, any
morniug caller. He stiffened himself up
into a moment’s indignant coldness of
manner. But it vanished iu an instant
when, on tbe door being opened, he saw
Ellinor holding by the table, looking for
his appearance with almost pauting anx
iety. He thought ol nothing then but
her evident weakness, her changed looks,
for which no accouut of her illness had
irepured him. For she was deadly white,
ips and all; aud her dark eyes seemed
unnaturally enlarged, while the oaves in
which they were set were strangely deep
and hollow. Her hair too, had been cut
off pretty closely; she did not usually
wear a cap, but with Borne faint idea of
making herself luok bettor iu his eye, she
had put oue on this day, and the effeot
was that she seemed to be forty years of
age; but one instant after he bad come in
her pale face was flooded with crimson,
and her eyes were full of tears. She had
hard work to keep herself from goiog in
to hysterics, but she iustinctively knew
how much he would hate a scene, and
she checked herself iu time.
“Oh,” she murmured, “I am so glad to
see you, it is such a comfort, such an in
finite pleasure!” And bo she went on
cooing out words over him, and strokiog
his hair with hor thin fingers. While
he rather tried to avert his eyes, he was so
much afraid of betraying how much he
thought her ulterod.
But when she came down dressed for
dinner, this sense of her change was di
minished to him. Her short brown hair
had already a little wave, and was orna
mented by some black luce; she wore a
large blaok lace shawl—it had been her
mother’s of old—over Rome delicate col
ored muslin dress; her face was slightly
flashed, with the tints of a wild rose; her
lips kept pale and trembling with invol
untary motion, it is true; and as the lov
ers stood together—hand in hand by the
window, he was aware of a little oonvnl-
sive twitching at every noise, even while
she seemed gazing in tranquil pleasure on
the long, smooth slope of the newly-
mown lawn, stretching down to the little
brook that prattled merrily over tbe
stones on its merry course to Hamley-
town.
He felt a stronger twitch than ever be
fore; even while his ear, less delicate
than hers, cold distinguish no peculiar
sound About two minutes after Mr.
Wilkins entered tho room. He came up
to Mr. Corbet with warm welcome, some
of it real, some of it assumed. lie talk
ed volubly to him, taking little or no no
tice of Ellinor, who dropped into tbe
back ground aud sat down on the sofa
by Miss Monro; for on this day they were
all to dine together. Ralph Corbet
thought that Mr. Wilkins was aged; but
no wonder, after all his anxiety of va
rious kinds. Mr. Punster’s flight and re
ported defalcations, Ellinor's illness, of
the seriousness of which her lover was
now convinced by her appearance.
Ho would fain have spoken more to
her during tbe dinner that ensued, but
Mr. Wilkins absorbed all his attention,
talking and questioning on subjects that
left tho ladies out of the conversation al
most perpetuully. Mr. Corbet recogniz
ed hi« host’s fine tact, even while his per
sistence in talking annoyed him. He was
quite sure)that*Mr. Wilkins was anxious to
spare his daughter any exertion, beyond
that to which indeed she seemed scarcely
equal, thnt of sitting at the head of the
table. And tbe more her father talked—
so fine on observer was Mr. Corbet—tbe
ruoro silent and depressed Ellinor seem
ed. But by-aud-by he accounted for this
inverse rutio of gayety, as he perceived
how quickly Mr. Wilkins had bis glass re
plenished. Aud hero again Mr. Corbet
drew his conclusions from tbe silent way
in which, without a word or a sign from
Mr. Wilkins, Fletcher gave his master
more wine continually; wine that was
drained off at once.
“dix glasses of sherry before desert, ”
thougbl Mr. Corbet to biiuself. “Bad
habit—no wonder Ellinor looks grave.”
And when the gentletnon were left alone,
Mr. Wilkins helped himself even yet
more freely; yet without tho slightest ef
fect on tbe clearness and brilliancy of his
conversation. He had always talked well
and racily, that Ralph knew, and in this
power he now recoguizud a temptation
to which he feared that his future father-
in-law hod succumbed. And yet, while
be perceived that this gift led into tempt
ation, be coveted it for himself; for he
was perfectly aware that this fluency, this
happy choice of epithets, was the one
th ug be should fail in .when he began to
enter into the moie active career of his
profession. Bnt after some time spent in
listening, aud admiring, with this little
feeliug of envy larking in the back
ground, Mr. Corbet became aware of Mr.
Wilkins’ increasing confusion of ideas,
and rather unnatural merriment; and with
a sudden revulsion from admiration to
disgust, he rose up to go into the library
whete Ellinor and Miss Monro were sit
ting. Mr. Wilkins accompanied him,
laughing and talking somewhat loudly.
Was Ellinor aware of her father's state ?
Of that Mr. Corbet oould [not be sure.
Bhe looked up with grave, sad eyes as I oould find*help in his strait,
they came into tbe room, but with no i rebuked and humbled.
stairs to put on her things t' »r a stroll herself that she had litlle idea how quick-
through tha meadowh ! y the uver side. J ly and easily some people can peueirate
They wi re Homotim-s sauntering along ! motivts aud combine disjointed seu-
iu the lovely summer twilight, now rest- I tences. She began to speak to Ralph on
iug on some grassy hedge-row bank, or | their slow, sauutering walk homeward
standing still, looking at the great barges I through the quiet meadows:
with their crimson hails, lazily floatiug | "Suppose, Ralph, that a girl was en
gaged to be married—"
“I cun very easily suppose that, with
yon by tne,” said he filling up her pause.
“Oh ! but I don’t meau myself at all,”
replied she reddening. “I am ouly think
ing of what might happen; and suppose
thnt this girl knew of some oue belonging
to her—wo will call it a brother—who had
done something wrong, that would bring
disgrace upon the whole family if it was
known—though indeed, it might not
have been so very wrong as it seemed
and as it would look to tho world—ought
she to break off her engagement for fear
of involving hor lover in the disgraoe?”
“Certainly not without telling him her
reason for doiug so.”
“Ah! but suppose she could not—she
might not he at liberty to do so?”
“I can’t auswer suppositious oases. I
must have the facts—if facts there aro—
more pluiuly before mo before I oau give
an opinion. Who are you tbiuking of,
Ellinor?” aaked he, rather abruptly.
“Oh, of uo one,” she auawered in af
fright . “Why should I be thinking of
uuy one ? I often try to plan out what I
should do, or what I ought to do, if suoh
and finch a thing happened, just as yon
recollect I used to wonder if I should
have presenco of mind in case of fire."
“Then, of ter all, you yourself are the
girl who is engaged, and who has the im
aginary brother who gets into disgrace?''
“Yes, I suppose so,” said she a little
annoyed ut buying betrayed auy personal
interest iu the affdr.
He was silent, meditating.
“There is nothing wrong in it, said
she, timidly, “is there?”
“I think you had better tell me fully out
what is in your mind,” be replied kindly.
“Bouiotliing has happened which has sug
gested these questions. Are you put
ting yourself in the pUce of anv one
about whom you have been hearing lately?
I know you used to do so formerly, when
you were a little girl.”
'No ; it was a very foolish question of
tired; yet they could not account for their
fatigue by the leugth of their walk; and
Miss Monro, forgetting Autolycua’s song,
kept figetiug about Ellinor, and wonder
ing how it wus she looked so pule, if she
had only been as far as Ash-meadow. To
escape from this wonder Ellinor went
early to bod. Mr. Wilkins was gone, no
oue know where, and Ralph and Miss
Monro were left to a half hour’s tete-a-
tete. He thought he could easily account
for EUinor’s languor, if indeed she had
perceived as much us he bad done of her
father's state when they had come into
the library after dinner. But there were
many details which ho was anxious to
bear of from a comparatively indifferent
person, and as soon os he could passed
on from the conversation about Ellinor’s
health to inquiries as to the whole affair
of Mr. Dunster's disappearance.
Next to hor auxiety about Ellinor, Miss
Munro liked to dilate on the mystery con
nected with Mr.iDnnster'K flight—for that
was the word she employed without hesi
tation as she gave him the acaouut of the
event universally received and believed
by tbe people of Hamley. How Mr.
Dunstcr had never been liked by any one;
how everybody remembered that he
could never look them straight iu the
fuec; how be hud always seemed to be
hiding something thnt ho did not want to
have kaown; how he had drawn a large
sum (exaot quantity unkuown) out of the
oounty bank ouly the day before he left
Hamley, doubtless iu preparation for bis
escape; how some one had told Mr. Wil
kins he had seen a man just like Duoster
lurking abont the docks nt Liverpool,
about two days after he had left his lodg
ings, but that this some one, being iu a I mine, aud I ought not to have said any
hurry, had not cared to stop and speak to
the uma; how that the affairs in the of
fice were discovered to bo in such a sad
state that it was no wonder that Mr. Dun-
ster had absconded—that ho hud been so
trusted by poor dear Mr. Wilkins. Money
gone no uno know how or whore.
“But has he no friends who can explain
his pioceedingR, aud account for the
mhsing money iu some way ?” asked Mr.
Corbet.
“No, none. Mr. Wilkins has written
everywhere, right and left, I believe. I
know he bad a letter from Mr. Dunster’s
nearest relation—a tradesman in the city
—a cousin, I think—and he could give
no information in any way. He knew
that about ten years ago Mr. Dunster had
had a great fancy for going to America,
and had read a great many travels—all
just what a man would do before going
off to a country.”
“Tea years is a long time beforehand,”
said Mr. Corbet, half smiling; “shows
malice prepeuse with a vengeance!” But
then, furniog grave, he suid, “Did he
loave Hamley iu debt.”
‘No I ntver heard of that,” said Miss
Monro, rather unwillingly, for she con
sidered it as a pioco of loyalty to the
Wilkinses, whom Mr. Dunster had injur
ed (as she thought,) to blacken bis char
acter as much as wus consistent with any
degree of truth.
“It is a strange story,” said Mr. Corbet
musing.
“Not at all, she replied, quickly; “I
am sure if you had seou the man, with
one or two side-locks of hair combed over
his baldness, as if ho were ashamed of
it, and his eyes that never looked nt you,
aud his way of eating with his knife when
he thought he was not observed—oh, and
numbers of things!—you would not
think it strange.”
Mr. Corbet smiled:
“I ouly meant that he seems to Lave
had no extravagant or vicious habits
which would account for bis embezzle
ment of the money that iH missing—but
to bo sure, money in itself ia a tempta
tion—ouly he being a partner, was iu a
fair way of making it without risk to him
self. Has Mr. Wilkius taken any’steps to
have him arrested in America. He might
easily do that.”
“Ob, my dear Mr. Ralph, you don’t
know our good Mr. Wilkins! He would
rather bc-ar the loss, 1 am sure, and all
this trouble and care whioh it has brought
upon him, than be revenged upon Mr.
Dunster.”
“Revenged! What non-tense! It is
simple justice—justice to himself aud to
others—to see that villainy is so suffi
ciently punished ns to deter others from
eutcr<ng upon such courses. But I buve
little doubt Mr. Wilkins has tukcu the
right stept-: bo is not tbo man to sit
down quietly under such a loss.”
“No, indeed! He bud biui advertised
iu tbe Time» und in the county papers,
and offered a reward of twenty pounds
for information concerning him.”
“Twenty pounds was loo little.’’
“Bo I said. 1 told Ellinor that I would
give twenty pounds myself to have him
apprehended, und she, poor darling.
tbiug about it. See! here is Mr. Ness
overtaking ns.”
The olergymau joined thorn on tho
broad walk that ran by the river-side, and
the tnlk became general. It was a relief
to Ellinor, who had not attained her end,
but who had gono far toward betraying
something of her own individual interest
in tbe question she had asked. Ralph had
been more struck even by her manner
than her words. He was sure that some
thing lurked behiud, aud had an idea of
his own that it was connected with Dim
eter's disappearance. But ho was glad
that Mr. Ness’s joining them gave him
leisnre to consider a little. The end of
bia (reflections was that the next day,
Monday, be went into the town, aud art
fully learned all that he could hear about
Mr. Dunster’s character and mode of go
ing on; and with still more skill he ex
tracted tho popular opinion as to the em-
barravHed nature of Mr. Wilkins’ affairs
—embarrassment which was generully at
tributed to Duustor’s disappearance with
a good large sum belonging to the firm
in bis possession. But Mr. Corbet thought
otherwise; he had accustomed himself to
seek out the baser motives of men’s con
duct, and to call tbo result of those re
searches wisdom. He imagined that
Dunster hod been well paid by Mr. Wil
kins for his disappearance, which was an
easy way of accounting for the derange
ment of accounts and loss of money that
arose, in fact, train Mr. Wilkins’ ex
travagance of habits and growing intem
perance.
Ou the Monday afternoon he said to
Ellinor: “Mr. Ness interrupted us yester
day in a very interesting conversation.
Do you remember, love V
Eiliuor reddened, nnd.kopt her head still
more intently bent ovor a sketch she was
making.
“Yes; I recollect.”
“I have Inen thinking abont it. I still
think she ought to toll her lover that such
disgraco hung over hitu—I mean over tbe
family with whom be was going to con
nect himself. Of course tho only effect
would be to make him Htand by her still
more for her frankness.”
“Oh! but, Ralph, it might perhaps be
something who ought not to tell, whatever
came of her silence.”
“Of course, there might be all sorts of
cases. Uuless 1 knew more 1 could not
preteud to judge.”
This was said rather more coolly. It
had tbe desired effect. Ellinor laid down
her brush and covered her face with her
hands. After a pause she turned toward
him and said:
“I will not tell yon this; and more you
must not ask of me. 1 know jou areas
safe ns can be. I om the girl,you are the
lover, and possible shame hangs over my
father, if something—oh, so dreadful!”—
here rho blenched—“but not so very
much his fault—is ever found out.”
Though this was nothing more than he
expected—though Ralph thought that he
was aware what the dreadful something
might be—yet when it was acknowledged
iu words, his heart contracted, and for a
moment ho forgot the intent, wistful,
beautiful face creeping close to his to
fell a tromb-ing, aud said *1 would J read his expression aright. But after that
bis presence of mind came in aid. He
took ber in bis arms and kissed her, mur-
mnriug fond words of sympathy, and
promises of faith, nay, even of greater
love than before, since greater need she
might have of that love. But aomehow
he was glad when tbe dressing bell rang,
and in tbe solitude of biH own room be
could reflect on what he bad hoard; for
the intelligence had been a great ahock
to him, although ho bad fancied that his
inorniug’H enquiries had piepared him for
give all I have—I would give
life.’ And then she was in such
distress, and sobbed ho, I promised her I
would never name it to her again.”
“Boor child—poor child ! she wants
change of scene. Hor nerves bove beeu
sadly shaken by ber illness.”
Tbe next day was (Sunday: Ellinor was
togotoohurih for tho first time since
ber illness. Her father bad decided it
for her, or else she would fain have staid
away—she would hardly acknowledge
why, even to herself, but it seemed to
her as if the very woids and presence of
God must there search her und find ber
out.
She went early, leaning on tbe arm of
ber lover, and trying to forget tbe past in
the present. They walked slowly along
between the rows of waving golden corn
ripe for the havest. Mr. G’orbot gathered
blue aud scarlet flowers, and made up a
little rustic nosegay for her. She took it
and stuck it in her girdle, smiling faintly
as she did so.
Hamley Church had in former days
been collegiate, and was in consequence
much larger and grander thau the ma
jority of county town churches. The
Ford Bank pew was a square one, down
stairs; tbe Ford Bank servants sat
in a front pen iu the gallery,
right before their master. Elli
nor was “hardening her heart” not to lis
ten, not to hearken to wbat might dis
turb the wound which was just being
skinned over, when she cuught Dixon’s
face up above. lie looked wtrn, sad,
it.
Ho found it a very difficult thing to
keep down bis curiosity, as to all that El
linor knew, during the next few days. It
was a miserable tbiug to have this unspo
ken secret severing them like a pbnntom.
liiu be had giveu her his word that be
would make no further enquiries from
ber. Indeed, bo thought be conld well
enough make out tho outline of post
events; still there was too much left to
conjecture for bis mind not to be always
busy on the subject. He felt inclined to
probe Mr. Wilkins, in their after dinner
conversation, in which his host was frank
and lox enough on many subjects. But
once touch on the naino of Dunster, and
Mr. Wilkins sank into’a kind of suspicious
depression of spirits—talking a little, and
with evident caution, aud from time to
time shooting furtive glances at his inter
locutor’s face. E'.liuor was resolutely
impervious to any attempts of his to bring
bis conversations with her back to tbe
subject which more and more engrossed
Ralph Coi bot’s mind, hhe bad douo her
soured*, and anxious to a miser able degree; ' duty as Bhe nuderstoodit, and bad receiv-
but he was straining eyes and ears, heart 1 ed assurances wbich she wan only too glad
and sonl, to bear the solemn woids read | to behove fondly with all tbe tender faith
from the pulpit, as if iu them alone bo , of her heart. Whatever came to pass,
Ellinor felt Ralph's love would still be hers; nor was
; be nnwarned of what might come to pass
apparent sensation of surprise, annoy- Bhe was in a tumultuous state of mind in some dread future day. Bo she shut
ance or shame. When ber glanoe met j when they left church; she wished to do | her eyes to what might be in store for her
deep feeling either ou bin own or auy oue
cIso’h part—that few peep's weto aware
of his changed tuood. Ellinor fait them,
though she would uot acknowledge them;
it was bringing her too much face to face
with the great terror of her life.
One oioruiug he anuouuoed the fact of
his brother's approaching murriage; the
woddiug was hastened ou aooount of
soiuo impending event in the duke’s fam
ily; aud the home letter he had received
that day was to bid his presenoe at Btoke-
ly Castle, and also to desire him to be at
home by a certain time, uot very distant,
in order to look over the requisite legal
papers, and to give his assent to some of
them. He gave mauy reasons wby this
unlocked for departure of his was abso
lutely neoessary; but no ono doubted it.
He ueed not have alleged suoh reiterated
excuses. The truth was, he was rostruiu-
ed and uncomfortable st Ford Bauk ever
sinoe Ellinor's confidence. He oould not
rightly calculate ou the most desirable
oourse for his own interests, while his
love for her was constantly being renew
ed by her sweet presenoe. Away from
her he could judge more wisely. Ndrdid
be allege any false reasons for his de
parture, but the sense of relief to him
self was so great at his recall home
just at this time, that he was afraid of
having it perceived by others; aud so
took the very way whioh, if his compan
ions had been as penetrating as himself,
would have betrayed him.
Mr. Wilkius, too, had began to feel
the restraint of Ralph’s grave, watchful
presence. Ellinor was not strong enough
to be married; nor was the promised
money forth-coming if she bad been.
And to have a fellow dawdling abont the
house all day, sauntering into the flower
g ardeu, peering about everywhere, and
aving a kind of right to put all manner
of unexpected auestions, was anything
but agreeable. It was ouly Ellinor that
clung to his presenoe—dung as though
some shadow of what might happen be
fore they met again bad fallen ou her
spirit. As soon as he had left tbe house
she flew up a spare to bedroom window, to
watch for the last glimpse of the fly
whioh was taking him into the town. And
then she kissed the part of the pane on
whioh bis figure, waving an arm out of
tho carriage window, bad last appeared,
•ud went down slowly to gather all the
things he had last touched—tbe pen he
had mended, the flower he hod played
with, and to lock them up in the little
quaint cabinet that had bald her treasures
sinoe she was a tiny ohild.
Miss Monro was perhaps vory wise in
proposing the translation of a difficult
part of Dante for a distraction to Ellinor.
The girl went meekly, if reluctantly, to
the task sot for her by her good govern
ess, and by-and-by her mind became
braoed by the exertion.
Ralph’s people were not very slow in
discovering that something had not gone
on quite smoothly with him et Ford
Bank. They knew his ways and looks
with family intuition, and oould easily be
certain thus far. But not even his moth
er’s skillfuleet wiles nor his favorite sis
ter's coaxing could obtain a word or a
bint; and when his father, tbe squire,
who had heard tbe opinions of the fe
male part of the family on this head, be
gan, in bis honest, bins'ering way, in
their tete-a-tetes after dinner, to hope
that Ralph was thinking better then to
run his head into that oonfouuded Ham
ley attorney's noose, Ralph gravely re
quired Mr. Corbet to explain his meaning
which he professed not to understand so
worded. And when the squire had with
much perplexity put it into the plain
terms of hopiug that his son was think
ing off breaking of his engagement to
Miss Wilkins, Rulpb coolly asked him if
he wus aware that iu that ease he should
lose ull title to being a man of bonor,and
might have an aotion brought against
him for breach of promise of mArriage ?
Yet not the less for all this was the idea
in his mind as a future possibility.
Before very long the Corbet family
moved en masse to Btokely Castle for the
wedding. Of course Ralph associated
on equal terms with the magnates of the
county who were the employers of Elli-
nor’s father, and spoke of him always a*
“Wilkin«,” just as they spoke of tbe but
ler as “Bimmon8,” without the prefix of
bis Christian name or title. Here, too,
among a class of men high above local
gossip, and thus unaware of his engage
ment, he learned tbe popular opinion re
specting his future fatber-in-luw—an
opiuion not entirely respect ful, though
intermingled with a good deal of person
al liking. “Poor Wilkins,” us they call
ed him, “was sadly extravagant for a man
in his position; had no right to speud
money, and act as if he were u man of
independent fortune;” aud then his hab
its of life were criticised, and pity, not
fro A from blame, was bestowed upon hiiu
from the lossos ho had sustsined from his
late clerk’s disappearance and defalcation.
But what different oould be expected if a
man did uot choose to attend to bis
business, and so on.
[Tu be continued.]
From the Burlington Hawkey*.
After tbe Confeealon — A Btary
Tea Bay*.
Th*re is a man living ou Pifthstreet who
is a good man, endeavoring to train up bis
children iu the way they should go, aud
as his flock is numerous aud two of them
are boys, he has anything bur a sinecure
iu this training busiueas. Only d.y or
two ago, tbe elder of the*, male olive
branches, who lias lived sb nit : nuieeu
wicked years, out iced his younger brother,
who has only had teu ye .iV * xocrieuceiu
boyish deviltry, to go ou. on the river
a boat, a species of pastime whioh their
father had many h time forbidden. But
the boys went this timo, trustir.g to luck
to conceal their depravity from the knowl
edge of their pa, aud in duo time they re
turned and walked around the house, the
two most inuoceut looking boys in Bur
lington. They separated for u few mo
ments, and ut the expiration of that time
the elder was suddenly confronted by the
father, who requested a private interview
“Well, that’s all right; but ooine down
behiud the oow-ahed and look at my
hack."
Aud when they got thoie* * * * *
SCIENTIFIC NOTES.
Biz* or Waoon Whkklh. — Experi
ments recently made iu Knglaud indioate
that wagons are most easily drawn, ou all
kiuds of roads, when the fore aud bind
wheels are of the same size, aud wheu
the pole lies lower thau the axle.
Mixtubk or Plabtkr or Pams with
Mauhu-M allow Root.—Addition of two
to four per cent, of powdered marsh
mallow root to plaster of paiis affords a
mass that seta in about an hour and be
comes so hard when dry that it mav be
Hawed and turned, aud which is used for
the manufacture of dominoes, dice, An.
With eight per cent, of tho root a still
harder mass is obtained. U msy be roll
ed iuto thin leaves, and be painted, varn
ished or polished.
Dxstbuotion or Niohi-Flyino In
sects.—Millious of iuReots injurious to
trees may be destroyed by keeping up
numbers of small fires from twilight to
midnight aud surrounding them with cir
cles of 20 to 80 tarred stukos, not more
thau six inches apart. Although few in
sects will be found burned to death, sinoe
they soon seem to acquire a dread of the
fire, many will be caught in the Ur while
moving about in the wurmud strutum of
air or to and from the lire.
Tbe Use or the Divining Rod.—
Messrs. Pass A Towney of Bristol, Eng
land, ooinmuuioatod to the Naturalist’s
Booiety the results of an investigation
made by them into the curious supersti
tion attending the use of the divining
rod. As the use of this instrument ia
by no means obsolete in our own coun
try, it may be worth while to state that
Messrs. Pass A Towney were successful
in obtaining tho attendance of two repu
ted operators, and both expressed them
selves willing aud able to fiud the money
whioh the authors were to conceal. Tho
conjurors maintained that the iustrmuont
was available not only in the fluid Imt in
the mine, aud that they could by it detect
metal wherever placed. Au English shil
ling being placed under some oue of a
series of objects, such aH hats aud hand
kerchiefs, lying ou the floor tbe master
of the divining rod or “dowsing fork,”
guaranteed to fiud it if there were uo dis
turbing causes. When asked what the
latter might be, ho stated springs of wa
ter or minerals under the house. IIo
was, therefore, first to explore the room
as a preliminary matter, and ascertain
that there were no indications of water
or minorals under the house. Tbe first
attempt to diaoover,the location of the
hidden ooin was suooesafnl, but under
such oircumstanoew as to show that it was
a matter of acoident, and the operator
refused to repeat the experiment a sec
ond time, even for a sovereign. The
other diviner, a less expert person, seems
to have failed in three suooeasive cases,
and when he flually succeeded the condi
tions were suoh as to show the whole of
bis audience, most of whom were igno
rant men and professed converts to the
belief iu the divining rod, that the oper
ator waa guided by no oocult iufluenoss,
but was merely guessing his way along.
It was evident, in fact, that there was no
mystery in the whole matter, and that
there is as mnoh deoeptiou in tbe use of
the divining rod as was ever practiced by
the medicine men of savage tribes. The
use of the forked rod for tbs purpose of
finding minorals, springs, and iu fact ev
ery possible variety of desiderata, seems
to have been handed down to us from the
middle ages.
French E**a
An impression prevails in some quar
ters, says the Pail Mall (Jueetta, that by
dipping a hen in a pail of water and then
cuusing her round tbo poultry yard with a
stick, she will be induced to lay two eggs
a day. Consul Rothum, on the other
hand, in his commercial report ou Calais
for last year, lately printed, expresses his
opiniou that the whole secret of liberality
of egg-laying displayed by French hens
lies iu tho quality ol tho soil of those dis
tricts in which hens are renowned for
their laying qualities. Attempts huve, he
says, been uot uufrequently uisde to in
troduce French poultry into England,
under the impression that with prompt
care aud management those fowls may
become a fair source of profit, so far at
least, an eggs are concerned. The Freuch
hen, however removed from her native
land, does not, ss a rule, bebAve herself
with that productive alacrity which dis
tinguishes ber in mauy, though not in all
parts of France. This ia accounted for
by tho fact that in tho neighborhood of
Oaltiis, as well as near Boulogne, there
exists a marked quantity of silex iu the
soil, highly favorable for egg-laying pur
poses, and wheu the fowls ure removod
from this particular soil there is a marked
diminution in thoir egg-jayiug propensi
ties. At Amiens again, this same quali
ty of soil is found, aud the poultry of
that district are remarkable for thoir lay-
ing qualities; they are, indeed, perhaps
the most celebrated layers in France.
If, therefore, the same brood lay bettor
in oue part of France than anoth
er—as for iustance, the fowls iu the
neighborhood of Culais—it is uot unrea
sonable to suppose that the change pf
soil is ihe principal cause of the attempts
having hitherto failed to transplant
French poultry into Eugland for commer
cial purposes. Otherwise, as Consul Ho-
tham points out, it surely would be worth
our while iu this eouutry to turn our
attention seriously to the subject, instead
of importing hundreds of millions of
eggs yearly from France. The reason
sometimes given of our climate not be
ing suitable for poultry is more fuuoiful
than real, for there are districts iu the
south of England, which, without
Lawyers.
JOSEPH F. POU, -
At tor any at Law*
and Judge of Oouaty Court.
I'racilCM in *11 other Courts.
Ottioe over store of W. U. kobsrts k 0o., drool 81
K-*
SAMUEL U. HATCH Kit.
Attorney at Law.
JtOO Oflle* ovor WltticliJI Kiuaol's
J. M. MflMULL»
Attoraey aad Oouaeellor at Law.
Practices ta courts of Georgia and Alabama.
Po»tat laasAH.
Mabvim J. Caawroaa.
dfc CRAWFOBM,
Attorneys at LAW,
Will preotleo In tho Stats and Patera! Courts of
Georgia.
>w over Prear. ttljss ft Co.’s store, northwest
corner llroad and 8t. Clair Sts. Jett
A. A. BOB1IH,
Attoraay and Caw altar at Law,
Practices in Stats aad federal Courts la Georgia
and llabaat.
Ofloe 1M Broad fc t., Oolnabn*, Qe. jaS
Mask U. Bunroaa. Leon P. GaiOAia.
HLANHFMH dfc GAKBABO,
Attorneys aad Coaaaetlara ai Law.
Office Mo. ST Broad street, aver Wlttlch A Kin
tal's Jsw.lrj Store.
Will preotleo in ths Stats and Federal Courts.
Jea. M. ftussBU.. Cues. J. Swift.
BOIIBLL * SWIFT,
Attorneys and Oouneellove at Law. VtU practice
iu tbe Court* of Georgia ((•* — • *
aud Alabama. Offioe over 0
broad street, Columbus, Ga.
L T. BOWNIBG,
Attaraoy aad dallafltar.
U. 8. tWr aud Register Iu Baakvuptot. Office
uoviM I over brooks’ Drug ritore, Columbus,
PEABODY d MAMMON,
*ric« ovaa J. Kaaia A Co.’* Stoas, Baoe* 8t.,
nor IS] Was* Siaa.
B. J. MOM MM,
Attorney aad CaisaHer at Law,
Georgia llama lusuranoe Company building, sec
ct7 ly|ond story.
Doctor*.
n*. J. A. VeeUHAKT,
Office removed to tit* Drug Biota of E. U.
the comer ol Randolph end McIntosh street*,
opposite the reildvnoe of Mr. Wn. Beeeh.
sept
DB. COLBBY.
Residence aad Office ooraer of St. Clair and Ogle<
thorp* sts. Office hours—7 to S a. M., IS to S r.
Plano Tuning, So.
DA. S. e. LAW.
Office corner Broad and Randolph streets, Burras'
bulldlag.
Residence on Forsyth, three doors below St. Clair.
Ja8
DB. I. €. HOOK,
I Commission House,
Druggists.
J. I. OBIFFIN,
Imported Drage aad Chemicals,
Prescriptions carefully prepared.
JalM No. 10* Broad strsst.
JOHN L. JOBDAM,
Draggles,
Two doors below Oeo. W. Brown’s,
broad Street, Columbus, Ga.
If Night Bell right of south door. sepft
A. H. B BAN NON,
West Bibb, Bmad Btbirt, Colombo*, Ga.,
Drwge aad Madlataaa,
Tolled Artleleu aad Pcrfamary.
Cotton Factories.
doubt, might compare favorably with the
uorth const of France, and, as to tho ex-
to . wood.h P .d. .here, J,„ bri.f but |
highly-spirited perform mces, in which
her father’s, Mr. Corbet noticed that it
seemed to sober the Utter immediately.
He aat down nohr the open window, and
did not apeak, but sighed heavily from
time to time. Mise Monro took up a
book, in order to leave the young people
to themselves: end after e little low mar*
Mured conversation, Ellinor wsnt up
her duty, yet could not usoertain what it (and after ail the ohanoea were iuimess-
waa. Who was to help her with wisdom urably iu her fAVor) and she bent herself
and advice ? Assuredly bo to whom her I with her whole strength iuto enjoving tbe
future life waa to be trusted. But the | present. Day by day Mr. CorbetM* spirits
case must be stated iu an impersonal ' flagged. He was, however, so generally
form. No one, not even her husband, I uniform in the tenor of bis talk—never
most ever know sovthing against her very merry, and always avoiding on prin-
fatber from her. Ellinor was so artless | oiple, any subject that might call out
tbe boy appeared most succeasfiilly am
“heavy villain,” aud his father took ia
favorite role of “first old uiau,” tbe oor-
taiu went down and the boy, considerably
mystified, Bought bis brother.
“John,” he said, “who do you suppose
told dad ? have yon been licked ?”
John’s face will not look more peaceful
and resigned when it ia in his coffin, than
it did aa be replied :
“No, have you ?”
“Have I ? Come down to the cowshed
and look at my hack. ”
John deolined, bnt said :
“Well, Bill, I’ll t«U you how father
found us out. I am tired of acting in thin
way, and I ain’t going to run away and j
come homo and lie about it any more. I’m
going to do better after this, and ao wheu
I saw father I couldn’t belp it, and went
right to him end confessed.”
Bill was touched at this manly action on
the part of his brother. It found a ten
der place in the aad boy's heart, and be
was visibly affected by it. But be aaked:
“How did it happen the old man didn’t
lick yon ?”
“Well,” said the penitent yonng re
former, “you see I didn’t confess on my
self, I ouly contested on you; that was
the way of it.”
A strange, cold light glittered in Bill’s
^“Only oonfeaaad on me,” ha a
the fowls run about und pick up
they please in the fields and hedgerows
The difference in the quality of tbe soil
might possibly, Consul Hothaui suggests,
be made up to the Frenob fowls iu Eng
land by artificial moana.
HIDES.
Important to Merchants.
IUY your WRAPPING PAPER AND PAPJtt
I BAii8 »t Lomu, *t Now York rstu*, Croat
M. M. HIRSCH,
Corner Bridge and Oglethorpo «tro«te.
Important to the Public.
S BLL 1HDE8, KUKF, BEESWAX, RAO*, etc,
at highest ca»h price*, to
M.M. HIRSCH.
Bheetlufa, Shirtings, mad flowing aad
KmltUmg Thread.
Curd. Wool *u<t Grlud* Wheat aud Coro-
Offlce in rear of WlUich A Kiuaul'e, Randolph *1.
JhI* H. II. CJI1ILT0M, President.
NUNCOBIR MANUFACTUBINU €0.
Manufacturer* of
81IKETING8, SHIRTINGS,
YARN, ROPB, Ac.
OOLUMBUB, GA.
G. P. SWIFT, Precidfut.
W^jnVirT^ecrjtar^AYnm*ur#r^^2aiJl|r.
Watchmakers.
U. MCllOMMUJMi,
Practical Watchmaker and Jeweler,
buccuMor to L. Gutownky,
C. tf. LKfJUIN,
Watchmaker,
134 llroad afreet, CuluoiLu*, <Ja.
I Clocks repaired iu the brat man-
r and warranted.
Jail
Tobacco, Cigars, lie.
MAIEB DOBN.
If you want to eujojr a go ol amoks, gu t» hi*
iigar Manufactory,
Butvreen Geotgla Ibnuo aud Muscogee llomo.
€. LOPEZ,
Dealer la* and Maaswraetarer «f Fine
Ulgara,
Je0 Near Brood Street Depot.
Barber Shops.
LOUIS WELLS' BHAVINO SALOON,
(8uccee*»r to II. Ilem *,)
Undt-r Georgia Hume laaurance building.
Prompt and polit* tarter* lo atl.miauca.
Jak6
ALEX A NAM,
BAsauta, Hr. Claib Pram.
ED. TEBBY, Barker,
Crawford 8t., under Rankin IIoum, Columbus, fla.
Dress-Making.
MIMA m. A. USLUXatWaHTII,
Dress-Making, Cutting aud Pitting. Trruiscbsap
Residence audshop lo Brouruevtll*.
E. W. BLAU,
Repairer auil Timer of Pianooi.
AccordeniiM. HIku l'uiiitlug i)U<> di
Orders may be bo left nt .1. W. P
Organ* a
done.
A Norma
Hotels.
PLANTERS' HOTEL,
Next to Golumbua Baak Building.
Porter* at all tho train*.
laia MRq. W F. PNirtElt. ProprVr
Builders and Architects.
J. U. CHALMEBM,
House Carpenter and Builder.
Jobbing done nt Miori wUw,
Plaus and specifications furnlfthed for all styl*.
•f building* «
Broad Street, uoxt to U. W. Drown'*,
faff Ootnmt.ii* Ga.
Dentists.
Feed atom.
JOB* riTMIMOM,
Wholesale aud Retail Dealer Iu U»y, Oat*, Corn
Bacon, Ac., OgUthorp* it., opposite
MILLIWtWY.
8PRINC MILLINERY.
ilNO AMD BLKAGHINO ton. I. lb.
latest styles, at th* shortest notice.
Neat uoor below th* N*w York Btor*.
MRS. OOLVIN aad
oalMf and
NIBS DONNBLLT.
Confectioners.
I. G. MTKUPPKR.
Candy Manufacturer
AND OfALta m
All klada mt Coafbetlouory auil Fruit*,
Stick Caadj IS eeuta.
Full weight guarautssd la each box.
JaX4
Boots end Bhoos.
WUU * CUKTII.
No. IS Brrad Drat,
If... .lw»jra . full Itoek or
Boot. Had ahoM. Vpptt, S*l> nd H.r-
M. Lwktlur ud Hatjlaa.
of .11 klada.
kallatil. food. I
N. I.-IHM .lu.Ua. U Mdam k, *■*•■,
o. o. p. • jf«
W. F. T1GNGK,
Dentist,
Opposite Strapper'* building, Randolph ftt.
flpoctal attention given to ti»e Insertion of A.UU
Ocial Teeth, as woll as to Oporatlvo Deutlstry.
ftbaa daw
T. W. HKNTZ,
Dnntlat.
Ovsr Joseph A Jlrother's ntoro. jjglt
W. T. POOL,
Dentist,
noYtS] 101 Brotid HI., Columbus, Ga^
W. J. FOULE,
Dentist,
**p&] Georgia Home Building, Ooiumbu*. Qe.
Livery and Sale Stables.
SOBEKT TlIO.1lPHON,
Llverjr, Bale and Evebange Stable*,
OaunrHoar*, North or Ranuolph 8ts.,
ocQO Columbus, Oq. _
A. OAMMEL,
Llverjr and Male Viable*,
OoLimoar* St , Colombo*, Ga.
Particular attoutlou given to Feeding and Hsln
by ths
oot 20
Restaurants.
HASaiN COUNTY KENT A CHANT.
No. til Broad ffitrcel.
The best of Foreign and Domentlc L!i|iior.i uud
Fresh Meats.
J. W. PATRICK,
Stalls No. 9 and 18, Market House.
Froah Meats of every kind nnd best quality,
J. T. COOK,
■•ate or All Binds,
HUM* Now, ir, nnd 17.
Gun and Locksmiths.
PHILIP E1FLEB,
Gun aud Idockswith, Crawford street, uox
Johnson'* corner, Columbus. <<*. J
WILLIAM 8CHOUUR,
Qun aud Locksmith and dealer In Gunning Ma
terials. Opposite Enquirer Oillco.
Grocers.
DAN'L B. BIBE,
Dealer in Family Groceries, on Bryan street, be
tween Oglethorpe A Jackson streets.
•B- No charge for drayugo. doc7
J. H. HAMILTON,
Wholesale and Betnll Grocer,
Tailors.
O. A. KCKHNK,
Merchant Tailor and Gutter.
A full stock of French und English Broadcloths,
HENRY BELLMAN.
Gutting, Cleaning aud Repairing
Done iu the best ntyle.
aprB4] Corner Oruwford and Front Hts.
Boot and Shoemakers
WM. MEYJCK,
Boot and Nhoomaker.
Dottier In Leather ami Flndlnge. Next to 0. A.
Dodd A Co.’s. Prompt uud strict attention glvou
to order*. jail
Tin and Coppersmiths.
WM. FEE,
Worker In Tin, Sheet Iron, Copper.
Orders from abroad promptly Attended to.
Ja7 No. 174. Broad Street.
Painters.
WM. SNOW, JR., A CO.,
House nnd 8tgn Painters,
Old Oglethorpe corner, (Just north of postoffice)
Columbus, Oeorgla.
Will contract for Uonno und Sign I’aluttng ut
reasonable prices, and Kuuruiiteo sHtinfaction.
Refer to Wu. Know, Hr.
faprft
LAWYERS. _
CU\*. U. WtLLUUH.
W. F. WlUttHH.
WILLIAMS' & WILLIAMS,
Attorneys at Law,
VOLIiaUIW, UA.
09“ Office ever Abell’s store. Jy 17 8m
W. A. Farley,
Ittornejr-nt
(JU88ETA, UHATTAMOWIIMl Uo., Oa.
A^Sp.ol.1 .tteotloo given to r-nll.rtlopl
HINES DOZIER,
Attorney at Law,
HAMILTON, GA.,
W ILL practice In tho Chattahoochee Circuit
or any whore eh “’ ’-‘~ J
poshed. ”P*y tne «>r r
Cotton Factory.
A. CLEGG A CO.,
Columbus, Ca., •
A RB prepared to supply merchants grceiptly
A and Iu a satisfactory manner wjth the best
quality or
Cotton Chocks,
Ginghams and
•tripes*
til of wklob An hi fMt oolor*. ..<* °fWWit
aad neaft affected patlorn*.
Factory oorner of Bt Oklr and Jo*AMU
■treat. Offie* on Jaeksoe street.
JMMBn
