oy himself. Satisfied that he
was more 'sinned against, than sinning,' I yet endeavoured to
deal justly with the unprincipled authors of the stain upon my
family, and employed a discreet agent to negotiate with them, and
to try to effect some compromise. The old woman went out to
California; the young one refused all overtures, and for a time
disappeared, but, as I am reliably informed, is now living in New
York, supported no one knows exactly by whom. Recently she has
made an imperious demand for the recognition of a child, who she
declares shall one day inherit the Laurance estate; but I have
certain facts in my possession which invalidate this claim, and
if necessary can produce a certificate to prove that the birth of
the child occurred only seven months after the date of the
ceremony, which she contends made her Cuthbert's wife. She
rejects the abundant pecuniary provision which has been
repeatedly offered, and in her last impertinent and insanely
abusive communication, threatens a suit to force the
acknowledgment of the marriage, and of the child, stating that
you, sir, hold the certificate or rather the license warranting
the marriage, and that you will espouse and aid in prosecuting
her iniquitous claims. My son is now a reformed and comparatively
happy man, but should this degrading and bitterly repented
episode of his collage life be thrust before the public, and
allowed to blacken the fair escutcheon we are so jealously
anxious to protect, I dread the consequences. Only horror of a
notorious scandal prevented me long ago from applying for a
divorce, which could very easily have been obtained, but we
shrink from the publicity, and moreover the case does not seem to
demand compliance with even the ordinary forms of law. Believing
that you, my dear sir, would not avow yourself _particeps
criminis_ in so unjust and vile a crusade against the peace and
honour of my family were you acquainted with the facts, I have
taken the liberty of writing you this brief and incomplete
_resume_ of the outrages perpetrated upon me and mine, and must
refer you for disgraceful details to my agent, Mr. Peleg Peterson
of Whitefield, ---- Co., ----. Hoping that you will not add to
the injury you have already inflicted, by further complicity in
this audacious scheme of fraud and blackmail,