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The Victim of a Plot.■ i. ■ «BY X D1LTECT1VK. 1Not many years ago, a lady, whom ,1 had known long and well, fell a victim tn selfishness. Young, beautiful, accomplished, she had many friends. Slic was married to a guullcmun whom she loved devotedly. Previous to her marriage, in order to support n widowed mother, she connected herself with a fashionable millinery establishment, nqd by her cultivated 1 taste and exquisite skill, soon rendered herself indispennblc. Although retired fiom society, there were many jn it who »• still remembered her us the accomplished 1 daughter of a wealthy merchant, honoring her independence of alia meter and applauding her filial piety. In time she won the affection of the gentleman whom she subsequently married, and; much to the surprise and dissatisfaction of her employ or, announced hci intention of speedily withdrawing from the establishment. Every inducement was of lined her to 1 change hir resolution. It was frankly admitted that her place- could be sup- 1 plied ; the lady said that custom would dc.se11 her, and ruin would follow on Iho heels of the separation. These considerations induced her lo remain until her ■ place could be supplied ; but it did not 1 inter fere wdh the marriage—that took place ns announced. Finding that the ’ lady was determined to go, the proprietress conceived the most bitter dislike for her, while yet maintaining an appearance : of friendship. The innate selfishness of her nature was aroused, and she thought biltrily of the Indy who prclerud her own happiness to tlie interest of her employer. She imagined herself greatly injured, and brooded lung and ardently over surnc plan . of revenge. fthn cared not if it wrecked the character of her victim and destroyed in their bloom all the (lowers of her life. Trer.chcious, vindictive and passionate, her evil mind planned a cruel wrong and carried it out umclontingiy.The proprietress hud in her possession sotuc costly laces, which she prized above nil things in her house. They were very beautiful, and many a fair votary of fashion had offered fabulous prices for them. One morning these laces were reported to hate been stolen, and incredible as it appeared to her friends, the young wife nn jib accused of the larceny. I shill never forget the look of indignant surprise, the immeasurable scorn with which she ’received the accusation. She stood before the officers like some youug Pvthuuess, her great eyes Jilihing and the tall slender form diawn to its fullest hoiglit I had seen criminals in many disguises, the young, and beautiful, the rich ; but none over so counterfeited virtue, or masked themselves in innocence so effectually. J wbnld have staked my life upon the lady’s innocence.Ijut onr convictions could not aid her in this straight, or prove to those who were already prejudiced the convictions in which we were already certain.Her trunks were searched, and thalaces found in them. Until then she had treated the charge vritli scorn, but now her feeling* underwent a chapgc. The indignant blood that had stained neck and face , iceedod, and the poor creature, with a cry like despair, sunk sobbing, on the ffoor.To the careless and unthinking, the, proof sec mod so clear that there was no room for | do ij bt. lTur husband stood , by uncertain how to act. I hated rliim 1‘rom that moment for his vacillation and uncertainty.I lie should have seen us I had seen llmt she j was innocent. Still, he procured her bail, land tried manfully to procure her ncqnit-| tal. I worked clay and night upon the ! cuse, and on the very duy of trial, obtained a clue which led to her acquittal.Eroiu the first I believed that the proprietress was the guilty party. Tfiuio was an uneasy glitter in her eye, a restless un-• coitain glance wich showed the meditated wrong. On the morning of the trial, when*every other means had failed, I determined to search her premises, in the hope nf finding- something. It wua a happy thought, for in her uscriroir I discovered duplicate keys of the lady’s trunk, and a w AST impression of the lock. With these I soon ascertained the woikmnn who had made them, and by whose order they bad hc.cn prepared. Willi these evidences the proprietress was confronted when she testified on the trial. Mover shall 1 forget her expression of baffled rage and hate when I produced my evidence. She looked more like a demon than a woman, and in look and gesture displayed the intensity [ of her malice. On the lady the scene had j an effect as sad as unexpected. Fler reason that bud borne such shocks of ^riefgave way.beneath the joy of hei acquittal.She rose to her foot, looked wilh beaming| face ul her'diusband, and then before an arm could, outstretched to save her, fell fainting lo the flooi. From that momentshe was hopelessly insane. Months went} by, and as her reason clouded her body faded away. Not long the restless spirit fretted in the poor fra me, and one night she died—fiiecl of a broken heart, a victimof a woman’s lmtc.
Newspaper Details
Grand Traverse Herald
Traverse City, Michigan, US
Thu, Jan 27, 1870
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Mary B.
USA 16 May 2018
Other Publications Near Traverse City, Michigan
Grand Traverse Press
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Traverse Bay Eagle
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