True American. [volume], June 04, 1856, Image 1

About True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861

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$1,50 PER ANNUM
IF PAID IN ADVANCE,
Z. IIAGAN, Editor and Proprietor.
i o efrjj.
From the Dollar Newspaper.
John Hancock, the Boston Merchant.
IT RET. IDWARD 0. JONES
First of the signers of the Declaration of
Independence was the noble John Hancock,
his fine, bold signature constituting the best
index of his fearlessness and set'.led purpose.
The Boston merchant ! On the scroll
Which Freedom holdswith sparkling eyes,
The foremost of the Spartan roll,
Which has no truce with monarchies,
How cheering yet to trace the sign
Which makes that bold subscription thine I
Those very chrracters have fire,
Heroic outline in their sweep j
As flashes from tht electric wire,
Did from the pen these letters leap,
While swinging o'er thee in the breeze,
Shown more than sword of Damocles,
Like skeleton at Coptic feast,
Loomed up the rebel's halter grim,
, But golden streaking)) in 'he East
Made every fear-horn image dim,
And in that name, with spirit warm,
Thy purpose clothed itself with from.
As when, his leathern girdle braced,
The baptist stem his message broke,
The cincture which his loins encased
Was index of the words he spoke,
So the rough granite of thy hand
Betokened an unyielding stand.
Hancock 1 wilh venture-, of the mart.
The ship-store's hazard on the main,
Thou wen familiar; but thy heart
Jere nerves itself for risk again ;
Fame, fortune, life investment broad
For freedom and for freedom's Qod
Blockade the port of Boston ! Close.
Wilh iron hand, the ocean trade I
The bark of Truth from harbor goes,
Her sails all set, her anchor weighed,
And rich the freight exported then
For all the waiting sons of men.
Of Freedom's apostolic band,
To Pter's spirit thou wert wed ;
The bold inscription of thy hand
King George, without his glasses, read,
And while but dust Jiy honored brow,
With beating hearts we trace it now.
'Hancock is said to have observed, with
much facet iousness, immediately after affixing
Ins name to the Magna Unarta ol our rights,
" There, now, the King can read that without
Ins spectacles.
Select dale.
ELSIE RAYMOND.
BY VIRGINIA F. TOWNSKND.
Wait a moment, grandma, I just want
to run out, and say good bye In Daisy ;'
and the sweet face, set in a frame work
of bridal-hat flowers, looked a moment
througli the open door, and then vanish
ed, before the lady, in her qtiaker satin
and white muslin cap, could reply.
What, isn't Elsie here ?' The ques
(ioner was a young, and noble looking
man, and there was something peculiarly
attractive in the smiling of his dark ex
pressive eyes, as they swept the room
with a single glance, and then lighted on
the old lady.
'She's just run out, Alden, to bid Dai
ay good bye. You know it wouldn't do
to go off without seeing her old nurse,
anyhow. . Everything's packed, isn't it?'
Yes, and the carriage is wailing ; and
aa the young , man spoke, a tide of
gleeful laugher rolled up to their ear?
from the company below stairs. The
old lady did not mind it. She come close
to the newly made husband, and laid her
hand on his shoulder. 'Alden,' she said,
very earnestly,, 'now the hour has come
for our parting, I can think of many things
I want to say to you, and I ought to have
done this before. But it's too late now.
Oh, Alden, you will be very tender of
my darling, won't you T You will never
forget how she has been watched, and
cared for, (it may be too much,) and how
she has never known a harsh word in the
home whence you are taking her!'
The old lady'g voice was pleading, nl
most to sadness, and her eyes were full
of tears ; but dimmed as they were, she
saw the look of beautiful tenderness that
flashed into the young man's expressive
features.
'Do not fear to trust me, Mrs. Will,
iams,' he said, solemnly taking both her
hands in his. 'Her happiness shall be
the one great aim of my life. The love
that has watched over, the tenderness that
has guarded her girlhood from the very
shadow of evil, shall be increased a hun
died fold in the home to which I take
her;' and had you heard those eloquent
tones, and seen the look which accompani--ed
them, you would have predicted a joy
. out wedded life for Elsie Raymond.
Ionium1,
&
I do believe you, Alden, my boy,' an
swered the old lady, fervently. 'But
sometimes vou niav find Elsie a little im
patient, or self willed. I don't like to say
it, for her heart's always in the right
place, only you know how quick and im
pulsive she is, and she don't bear contra-
diciion, fori s'pose she's a spoiled child.'
'Who's a spoild child?' asked a voice
so sweet it would have thrilled your heart
like a sudden outbreak of harp-music, and
the graceful figure of the girl-bride sprang
into the room.
Rubens ought to have seen her at that
moment. With her blue, sparkling eyes,
the half blush gathering into her soft
cheeks, and the arch smile breaking over
her lips, as morning sunshine breaks into
the heart of mountain roses, she was just
the vision of outward, joyous earlli-love-
lincss that his soul would have delighted
in. tier white nat with us looping ol
lace and ribbon, and her rich travelling
dress, harmonized with the rare, English
creaminess of her complexion, and alto
gether she looked to the loving eyes that
now rested on her, so bright, and spark
ling and happy, that they forgot every
thing but her beauty.
'Grandma's been saying had things
about me,' said the bride, with a pretty
pout, that any young husban dwould have
thought worth a dozen kisses. 'Now,
Alden, don't you let her frighten you one
bit, for I'm going to be just the mostlov
ing, obedient little wife in the world, and
never do a thing you say I nuisn't, a?
long as I live.'
I shan't sny muMi'i' very often, dar
ling,' answered the young husband, stro
king the curls th it fell out of the little
hat. 'But come, Elsie, we shan't be in
lime for the cars. Say good bye to youi
grandmother, quick.'
'I'll be a good girl, indeed I will,' wliis
pored the trembling lips, as they drew up
to the grandmother's ; and the smiling
face was dim with tears.
'God bless you, Elsie, my child ?
And her husband hurried her away.
Elsie Raymond's future must tell the
story of her past. Both her parents lay
under the spring grass before she learned
to know them, and so she went to her
grandmother's heart and home. There,
only sunshine lay over hei life.
The lender, indulgent grandmother forgot
there must come an hour when the clouds
would rise, and the great life storms de
scend upon the (lower that grew up in
such beauty at her hearthstone.
Elsie had one of those fine, rich impul
sive natures, thai especially require judi
cious training. This she had never re
ceived from her grandmother, and ihe under-current
of self-will and pride in her
nature had gained depth and force, which,
in her early girlhood, only revealed them
selves in her impatience of mild reproof,
or contradiction.
But usually she was so loving, so gen
tle, so transparent and as I said, her fu
ture must tell her past.
Two years had gone swiftly, happily
by. Mr. and Mis. Raymond sat at their
breakfast table that morning. The room
with its appliances of taste and luxury,
was one of those rare home-gems, that
only an artist can appreciate.
But the little wife, behind the silver
coffee urn, in her fawn colored morning
gown, with its tassels of blue silk, was,
after all, the crowning beauty of the sweet
home-scene.
'Alden,' said Mrs. Raymond, as she
passed his second cup of coffee, 'won't
yon just put down that paper, and listen
to me a moment. You know that party
you promised me, almost a year ago.-
Well I've decided to have it next week.
It's just the season for it now, and we'll
make a grand effort to have it pass off
well.'
If Mrs. Raymond had at that moment
looked narrowly at her husband's face,
she would have seen it grow pain at the
mention of the party.
I'm sorry, Elsie, he commenced, mov
ing restlessly on his chair.
Now don't, interrupted the little wile
quickly, 'don't, Alden, say one word
against the party, for I've quite set my
heart on having it. I told the Campbells,
and the Wildmans about it, more than
two weeks ago, so I should die with
shame to postpone it.'
IcMei)
STEUBENVILLE,
You shouldn't have mentioned it to
them, without consulting me fust.' Mr.
Raymond's tones were cold and severe
for the first time, but his wife would have
forgotten them, had she guessed the an
guish that lay at his heart.
As it was her face flushed with anger.
Really,' she answered, ! was not, until
this morning, aware I was responsible to
you, Mr. Raymond, for the subjects I
might choose to select for conversation
with my acquaintances. Once for all,
what is the reason you refuse me this
party V
'I do not refuse it, Elsie, I only ask
you to delay it.'
'And I must and will have it next week,
or never. 1 cannot see why you wish
ine to postpone it, unless it be because
you know the delay will greatly annoy
me.'
The young mail's pale face (lushed with
the pain her words had occasioned him.
'Elsie,' and his voice was quieter, and
sterner than before, 'you cannot move
me by these accusations, because yon
know as well as do I, there is no truth
in them. I have some heavy payments
to meet this week, and that alone was
the reason of my requesting you to defer
this matter. All I have to say is, you
will be quite as likely to accomplish your
wishes by presenting them in a less dic
tatorial manner.'
It was very unfortunate for Mr. Ray
mond that he added to his explanation
that last remark ; for now that he had as
signed a motive for the delay, his wife's
heart hud begun to soften toward him,
but that last speech hardened it again.
'I don't believe a word of what you're
saying, Alden Raymond,' she answered,
pushing back her chair, and bursting into
a flood of passionate tears. 'If the mon
ey had made any difference, .you'd have
tofd me bpfore this late day ; and it's
only because you want to mortify me
now before the worid, that you're so stin
gy this morning. I wish I was back
again in my old home, with grandma, and
dear old Daisy, who would never have
spoken to me the harsh, cruel words that
you have just done. I wish I was back
there again, and that I had never left it
for, and that I had never seen you, Al
den Raymond!'
And springing from her seat, the lady
hurst out of (he room, and her husband
made no effort to detain her. He only
leaned his head on his hand, and groaned
deeply. It was the last drop in his cup
of bitterness.
An hour later the young merchant was
walking up and down his counting room,
with restless step, and haggard face.
There had come a sudden revolution in
the mercantile world, and his house was
one of the first to feel it. 'There is no
chance to sail clear of this, that I see,'
murmured the young man, as he struck
his forehead. A few weeks, and we
must all sink. I shall be a ruined man,
and Elsie ' his face worked fearfully a
moment, and then he resumed, .There is
no way to raise the money, unless ' he
stared anxiously all about him, as though
he feared the terrible secret which lay be
hind that 'unless' might have revealed its
elf, though it had never crossed his lips;
and for the first time in his life, his face
wore a look of cowardice and guilt.
'Yes ; I could get it so,' he said, lean
ing his head on his hands; 'and if our
affairs should happen to take a favorable
turn, I could repay the note before any
body was the wiser J if not,' and his voice
grew hoarse, 'the river or a pistol shot
could settle it all.'
Elsie's little property's all swallowed
up, too. God knows I meant to secure
it to her, but there was no help for it, and
were she to know this she'd hate ute
worse than ever, and maybe I can win
back one of the old love-smiles to her lips
if ' he did not finish the sentence.
'Elsie, you can give out the invitations
lor your party next week. There is the
money which will defray the expenses,'
and Mr. Raymond placed a note for a
thousand dollars in the lap of his wife.
It was dinner time, and Elsie had had
all the morning to reflect on her conduct
at breakfast, and bitterly had the young
wife reproached herself for the unkind
words she had spoken. But her will was
unsubdued still, and when the footsteps
to American Interests, fiferainre, eicnee, anir
OHIO, WEDNESDAY,
of her husband rang through the hall, the
old pride came back to her heart, the
morning curl to her rosy lip, and she
thought to herself, 'Alden shall speak
first.' .
And he did : and that generous deed of
his overcame at once, all the pride and
self-will of the really loving wife.
She sprang up quickly, and wound her
white arms around her husband's neck,
while tears of remorse and tenderness
swept down her face. 'Oh, Alden,' she
said, 'forgive me, forgive me for the cru
el words I said this morning. I have
been so sorry for them. I do love you
better than all the world beside, and I
would not leave yon for a thousand grand
mothers. Say just once to me 'Elsie, I
forive you,' and I shall be so happy.'
Ho drew her blight head to his bosom,
and he rained down kisses on her sweet
brow, as he said, 'Elsie once, and forev
er I forgive you, but 1 have been very
weak, and I have suffered much this morn
ing. Let me lie my head in your lap,
and sec if I shall not feel better, while
you talk to me.'
And Elsio sat there a long time, run
ning her little dimpled fingers through
the thick brown curls of her husband, and
laying her cool lips every few moments
to his fevered forehead, chatting to him
in her sweet humming-bird style, of her
parly, and what a delightful affair it
would be ; dreaming lilllo of the dark
ness, and sin, and shame, that was draw
ing closer and closer to their threshold !
It was late morning after the party,
It had been as the young wife had pre
dieted, 'a brilliant affair.'
And now she walked through the ele
gant confusion of her parlors, and thought
what glances of admiration lmd followed
her during the evening, and how proud
Alden would be when she recounted to
him the compliments which the guests
had bestowed upon their 'beautiful host
ess j' and how she had inadvertently
heard Mayor Hamlin, who was pronoun
ced the most artistic judge in the city,
call her 'the rare blossom of the festival.'
But these pleasant dreamings experienced
a rude interruption.
Two rough-looking men entered the
parlor, and inquired if Mr. Raymond was
in.
'No,' answered his wife, surprised and
startled. He went to the store this morn
ing.'
One of them replied, with a significant
look around the rooms, that he was not
there, they had just come from his store,
I have not seen him since,' was Mrs
Raymond's laconic rejoinder ; and after
conferring together a moment, the two
men lefi the room
The lady sank down upon a sofa, and
covered her face with her hands. They
were policemen, she could not disguise
from herself this fact, and a vague, terri
ble fear took possession of her soul.
A few moments later, and her husband
stood before her, wild, pale, haggard.
'Elsie,' he asked hurriedly, 'have there
been two policemen here after mo !'
'Yes, and I told them you were at the
store. Oh, Alden" she could not finish
the sentence, for he rushed from her, out
out into the hall, and up the stairs like a
madman.
Elsie's heart died within her, and it
was only by grasping the cushions of the
sofa, she prcvenied herself from sinking
to the floor. She feared she knew not
what, but the next moment the woman's
heart of Elsie Raymond awoke within
her. Alden, her husband, was suffering,
it might be he was in disgrace and shame,
and who should stand by him, and where
should he find comfort aDd strength, but
in her !
She sprang up, and though her limbs
shook like a reed beneath her, and her
face would not be whiter when it lay un
der the coffin plaits, she went straight out
into the hall, and up tho long stairs to his
room.
The door was not locked, and she open
ed it without knocking. What a scene
for the blue eyes of Elsie Raymond !
Her husband stood in the centre of the
room, with a pistol pointed at his heart
One minute more, and she had been too
late.
With one ' loud shriek she rushed to
his side, with one blow of her small,
JUNE 4, 1856.
white hand, she struck the heavy pistol
o the floor, and with a wild, sad cry
springing from her pale lips, 'Saved, sa
ved, Alden, she wound her arms about
him.
The desperate man put her away.
Saved,' he cried, hoarsely, 'saved to mint
degradation, to wcrsc than death. Leave
me, Elsie, and let me do the deed now.'
But she came back to him, for she would
not be put away. 'No, no,' she answer
ed, and her pule face shone almost like an
angel's, with its beautiful wife-tenderness,
'did you think, Alden, your Elsie
would leave you now, when your arms
have sheltered tier so long! Did you
think she would not follow you through
suffering and shame, true and loving to
the end ?'
'But not to prison, Elsie, not to pris
on ?' His head dropping as he said it.
Yes,' she answered, drawing cleser,
and the light of her soul was shining in
her eyes, 'to prison, to the gallows, to
death, Alden !'
And then, he took her in his arms, and
while his heart was wrui g wilh deeper
agony foi her than for himself, he told
her all.
And Elsie learned, for the first time,
of the threatened collapse in her husband's
business, and of the utter impossibility
of his meeting the expenses of their late
party without he whispered the words
ie had forged a note for two thousand
dollars !' He hoped to pay it, and so
elude discovery, but matters grew worse,
and he could not raise the money.
'And it was for me you did it, Alden
because I spoke those cruel words ! Oh
God help me ! I am to blame not you !'
cried the heart-broken wife.
But before her husband could answei
her, she had sprung from her seat, and a
gi eat hope dawned into her face. 'Al
den,' she cried, it was I that ruined, it is
I that will save you. I am going to that
man whose name you forged, and I will
beg, pray, anything, till he promises to
spare you.'
Elsie,' and her husband shook his head
moumfullv ; 'his heart is a hard one.'
'No matter, I will find my way to it.
I will not let him go till he has promised
to save you. Piay God, Alden, while I
am gone, pray Him without ceasing, to
be wilh mo !' She pressed one long, lov
ing kiss upon his bowed forehead, and
lefi him.
Mr. Holburn the millionaire, was slow
ly pacing up and down his long, narrow
office, with his hands behind him, as was
his custom.
He was a dark, slern-looking man,
with deep wrinkles set in his forehead
and thin face, and altogether, it was not
one that a little child, or a heart yearning
for comfort and sympathy, would have
been drawn toward.
'Strange, strange,' muttered the mil
lionaire to himself, ".hat a young man of
such family, occupying such a position
on 'change, and in the host social circles,
should have done this thing. What a
sensation 'twill create ! Gave that splen
did party last night, too '
Mr. Holburn's monologue was sudden
ly interrupted by the entrance of a lady.
She made her ingress unannounced, and
putting her long veil aside, revealed a face
haidly yet ripened into full womanhood,
yet very touching in its pale, mournful
loveliness.
'I am Mrs. Raymond,' she said eager
ly, 'and you now know for what I have
come. Oh, sir ! ft' ill you not spare my
husband ?'
Madame,' said Mr. Holburn, partially
recovering himself, 'it is a very painful
duty to refuse you, but Justice must have
her course. The offence is so palpable.'
But Elsie had sunk down at the man's
feet, unable to stand. '0, sir,' she cried,
clasping her hands, while the tears rolled
down her sweet face, 'do not say that!
If you ever had a mother who sang you
to slumber in her arms, or a sister by
whose side you knelt in prayer, or a
wife whose head slumbered on your heart,
by all that you have ever loved and cher
ished, have pity upon me, I pray you
have pity upon my husband, and spare us
both from a life that will be worse than
death 1'
: 'There will come a day and an hour
when you will be glad that you listened
SI N
'General $ntcllipre.
to my prayer, and oh, as -you hopo. for
mercy at the judgment, show it to me
now!' .
And the man looked at her, as she knelt
there in her mournful beauty at his feet,
with her shining curls lying about her
tearful face, and his heart was touched.
'I am sorry for you,' he said, 'but Mad
ame, your husband has been greatly to
blame.'
'It was I. It was ail my fault,' eager,
ly interrupted Elsie. 'I instigated him
to the act by my extravagance. Do not
accuse him, let the shame, as was the
sin, be mine, but oh ! vou will not kill
us, will you ?'
The stern heart melted. Mr. Holburn
raised the young wife gently, and whis
pered : 'Mrs. Raymond, I will prose-J
cute the tiling no further. Your husband
is safe.'
A half hour later, Elsie burst into the
room where sat her husband. 'Look up,
Alden,' she cried,' exultingly ; 'I have
saved you ! I have saved you !'
But this sudden joy, after those hours
of exquisite suffering, was too much even
for the man's strong physical endurancet
and as ihe glad words died on Elsie's lips,
her husband dropped senseless to the
floor. ' '
A week had passed. It was a soft star
bright April evening, the closing of one
of those dajs that come up, golden wan
derers from the Tropics, and shake hands
with the month's gloom, and chill and
mist.
Alden Raymond sat in his large easy
chair, in the pleasant room where we met
him at breakfast, and Elsie sat on the
chair arm. She looked very charming
and very happy too, albeit there was a
deeper, more subdued beauty in her whole
face, but you would have loved it better
than all the sparkle of the old times.
'And so Alden,' said the little wife,
running her fingers through her husband's
hair, 'grandma writes she will be with
us next month, as soon us may brings
the clover wind to her bed-room window.
I am so glad, and now your business has
turned out so favoiably, we shall be very
happy. I cannot thank God enough
when I think of it !'
Alden drew his arms around the slen
der waist.
'Yes, darling, the worst is over now,'
he answered. Our business is on a pros
perous footing again ; lhank God, as you
say ! I have this afternoon paid Mr. Hol
burn all that debt. We should be very
happy, if it were not for that one terrible
memory, Elsie;' his head dropped on
her shoulder.
The wife put down her rosy lips to his
ear, and whispered softly, 'don't think
about it, dear Alden. It was all my fault,
not yours, you know, and what a lesson
has it been to us both. We will never
quarrel again.1
And Elsie kept her word, and when
her grandmother returned home from her
happy visit she said to Daisy, with tears
in her eyes :
I have no fears for Elsie now ; she is
the best wife in the world, and she has
the best husband too.'
So Elsie Raymond's first quarrel with
her husband was her last one. Arthur's
Magazint.
The Green Eyed Monster. A
newly married couple arrived in Boston
recently, and took lodgings at one of the
fashionable hotels, to pass away the pro
pitious season ! alas too brief ! konwn
as the honey-moon. Their . happiness
was the cause of envy among many, for
not a cloud appeared to overshadow the
passing hours, until a doctor was sent for
in great haste, to relieve the lady of a dose
of laudanum, which threatened to termi
nate her life. The skill of the doc tor
saved the wife : and, after the bride re
turned to consciousness she was asked
what motive could have induced her to
commit such a wicked act. She replied,
'I saw' a lady wink at my husband at the
table, and I didn't want to live." Boston
Gaietle. '
C7 The FrehchDoctors have discov
ered that ice is safer and hotter to use in
surgical opperations than chloroform. By
the application of pounded ice and salt to
the deseased parts, thus causing numb
ness and insensibility, a Surgeon lately
succeeded in removing a large tumor
without giving the patient any pain, and
occasioning very little loss of blood. The
only inconvenience was that the doctor
froze his fingers.
G L E C 0 P I E S
FIVE CENTS.
VOLUME 2. NUMBER 22.
..AIToble Woman. -- -
'There's a noble creature,' whispered
afiiend to us, pointing out a handsome
woman, in the prime of life who stood
conversing with an aged man.
"There is something majestic ubout
her,,, was our reply.
'The majesty cf goodness !' exclaimed
our friend. 'How low anil soft her voice,
and what a world of love in those dark
eyes. And her lips!, mark their fine but
firm outline! I tell you she sUnJs there
a true woman ; and though now splendor
surrounds her, and wealth pours in upon
her, she once renounced fashion, fame
and riches, for a man who was glorious
in his attributes, but poor in pocket. He
had no splendor to offer her nothing
but a priceless heart. She was lively,
winy, and very much accomplishad.
Her parents had bestowed upon her all
they had, to give her a liberal education ;
yet she was never, beciuse of their old
fashioned, simple ways, and unpolish
ed conversation, ashamed of the in for in
all that makes nature noble they excelled,
and in spite of their bad grammer, she
loved and was fond of them. I hava
seen girls charming girls intellectually
and physically who never cared to know
what made the eyes of the poor old moth
er dim, or what kept her so silent in their
company, aud I knew she was thus
brought by the laziness, conceit, and con
tempt of these charming daughters alas!
But her old mother was no slave to her
darling and beautiful child ; for she sat
down smiling in the cheerful sitting room,
while the sweet voice of her daughter
caroled from the neat, homely kitchen.
She married, and very soon came press
ing bitter want. Sickness blighted the
strength of her husband ; but she loved
him, and loving what will not a true
woman do? With her own hands
she toiled, with her hopeful words en
couraged, until the clouds parted, and the
sun shone again.
Slander now joined hands with envy
to aid in trampling on the brave heart,
but inthe end they made it much strong
er, Like the little flower that sends
forth rarest perfume when crushed, so
that gentle heart loved and trusted more
exceedingly. And when the malignant
sisterhood hedged up the pa'h of her
husband, she had only to smile and the
thorns bowed themselves, turning out
ward the down, that shrouded their stalk.
And they saw that wilh such a wife,
that man could not be conquered or even
for a moment cast down. So they ceas
ed their machinations, and fortune smiled,
and friends came with better times , and
the true woman stood before the world a
model wife and mother'
I gazed towards the subject of M.'a
eulogy, and as I gazed I venerated.
IIow many such thought I, 'can our laud
boast of in this day and generation.'
How to get Unmarried.
To help those uneasy men and women
who wish to escape the noose of matri
mony we copy the following from an En
glish record of many years back; , , ,
'A certain lewd fellow of the baser sort
came from a long way off out in the
shires, and married a woman who had
been whipped round our town more than
once. The parish officers were her bride
maids, and her husband was not afraid
of receiving curtain-lectures, for their
sole bed was of dirty straw on the dirty
ground ; nevertheless he wearied soon
of his life, and went to the parish clerk,
seeking to be rid of his crooked rib. Sol
omon was sly and replying to his inqui-
ry if the parson could unmarry them,'
said : Why need ye trouble his reverance?
Have not I, man and boy been his clerk
forty years come all-hollo w-lidet I can
doit as well as e're a parson of them all,
and as sure as there is now a good tap
of ale at the "Bell." Let us go there -you
stand two pots, and I will do all right -for
you." So after drinking out his fee, .
Solomon took the fellow into the church
' Now," said he, ', ye were marri
ed here; so put off your jacket and .
kneel at confession, for lis a solemn bus
iness. Then they went into the belfry, and '
bidding him take off his shoes, and stand .
on a stool, he gave him the longest belV
rope. 'Tie that tightly, my lad, lounj
your throat,' said Solomon, 'and as soon
as I am gone, kiok away tho stool. I
will return in about an hour, when you
will be unmarried, and out. of your trou
bles 1" -. ' ." '
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