m
I'; tw!;;: (
VOL. XI.
NEAVBLOOMFIELD, TUESDAY, JANUAKY 1(5,1877.
NO. 3.
I N
THE TIMES.
An Independent Family Newspaper,
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A WOMAN'S SECRET.
A Story of the Revolution.
CONTINUED.
IT was all over. The Irreparable step
was taken. The Kubleon of life was
passed. The hour that was just expired
would tinge with 1(8 hues every future
moment of his life. He felt that it was
no light tiling that he had just done,and
though he was conscious of a deep hap
piness, it was no boisterous joy ; and it
was not only with ease, but with satis
faction, restrained within the limits of
his own breast, until the due time of
disclosure. It was a pleasure to feel that
he had a secret hoard of happines,
known only to himself, which he might
count over with a miser's joy, but none
of a miser's guilt or folly.
One tiling however, was remarkable.
The idea of the orderly-book, or of the
ghost, had never once crossed his mind,
after he had found himself hurried on
to the catastrophe of the interview. He
was sorry that he had not made Helen
the confidante of his troubles, and re
solved to repair the omission at the first
opportunity. Confidence should not be
kept back first on his side. He rather
rejoiced that he had a misfortune, which
she might share with him. Perhaps his
philosophy would not have stood him
in such good stead, had his misfortune
been a little greater than It was. But
every thing helps to feed a healthy love.
It is your feeble, rickety brats, that ex
pire of the first unsavory mess of earthly
pottage.
The mess dinner was over. There had
been some quizzing on the subject of
Miss Clairmont and of the ghost ; but it
was all evidently at random, and they
had no idea how very near the wind
they were going, ou either track. In
gram and his friends kept their own
counsel, and after dinner met by ap
pointment at Dr. Halcombe's quarters,
to finish the plan of their campaign
against the midnight forager of orderly
books. They had, as they had agreed
upon, selected a number of picked men,
on whose secrecy and fidelity they could
rely, who were to keep watch and ward,
duly lelieved by night and day, without
making any noise about it. Bo that if
the ghost should return, clothed In his
"vesture of decay," to the scene of his
former operations, he would be pretty
ure to be laid by the heels. The officers
themselves also agreed to mount guard,
by turns, in the captain's chamber, so
that it should never be without a sleep
less eye on the look-out. Arrangements
were made that the sentinels and their
officers should rendezvous quietly In the
neighborhood, at a small inn, as if by
accident, and the men be shown their
posts of observation without any bustle
to attract notice, John and Orderly Wil
Jiams being left In garrison of the haunt
ed building until it was properly invest
d. Everything happened at the time
and in the order that it should, and the
arrangements were carried Into effect
with military precision. One man walk
ed up and down the street, with injunc
tions never to lose sight of the front of
the house. The three other sides were
in charge of three other trusty men, so
placed that no approach could be made
to the house on either side without in
stant detection. A guard was also plac
ed ou each floor of the house, on the In
side ; although It had been most thor
oughly seached, in advance, In every
corner. It seemed as If the Prince of
the Power of the Air alone, approaching
through his own peculiar principality,
could obtain entrance unobserved. And
so they rested on their arms.
In the mean time, the winter's sun
made haste to put an end to the short
day, and the time arrived for the great
sleighing party to rendezvous In the
North Square. Captain Ingram's grace
ful little sleigh, contrasting curiously
with his stout cob, was at tho door, and
he was speedily drawn up in front of
Mr. Clalrmont's mansion, awaiting the
pleasure of Its fair mistress. She soon
appeared, breathing a fresh summer up
on the cheek of winter, and yet looking
like his youngest daughter, so be-furred,
and be-tippeted and be-cloaked was she.
Still, through all, you could see the
graceful outline of her shape, while her
happy face glowed through her world of
habilamcntB, like the sun through eve
ning clouds. The moon would, perhaps
be a more appropriate, but the sun is a
more splendid simile so let It stand.
Site was soon by the side of Ingram,and
they were rapidly careering away to
ward the North Square. A very few
minutes brought them to tho rendezvonn
where they found a large company of the
elite of the garrison and the town's peo
ple, preparing for a nerry scamper
round the town. There were largo
sleighs drawn by two, tind some by four
horses, containing parties, which, like
the family party of the Vicar of Wake
field, If they did not have a great deal of
wit, they had a great deal of laughing,
which answered the purpose Just as well.
There were not wanting modest single
sleighs, like that conveying our hero
and heroine, which, if not as well adapt
ed for frolic as their larger companions,
were better calculated for sentiment and
for flirtation. After the usual time hud
been wasted In waiting for loiterers, and
adjusting where every one should go,
the procession set forward in due order,
the large sleighs taking the lead, and the
more unpretending vehicles following hi
due succession.
Aha I what a merry jingling of bells
and ringing of laughter resounded
through the streets of Boston, as the
horses dashed through theni,maklng the
earth resound with their tread. It was
a sound of merriment that jarred grat
ingly upon the cars of many an unwil
ling listener, separated by the siege from
beloved hearts, and suffering, perhaps,
from cold lu the depth of that dreadful
winter, or with hunger, within the
sound of the revelry of their oppressors.
To many an ear the sweet bells seemed
"jangled, out of tune, and harsh." But
what was that to the revellers V What
cared they for the pining of rebel heurts?
Away ! away ! up Hanover street, down
Queen street, through the succession of
streets now all amalgamated into Wash
ington street, up to the lines on the
Neck 1 How the crackling snow glit
ters In the light of the full moon I What
a volcanic cll'ect do the rebel watch-fires
give to the lonely hills in the distance I
You can hear the very hum of the camp
so i;ear are you to it. And you have
the pleasing uncertainty as to how soon
a battery of cannon may open upon
you, or a shell be sent to convey to you
the compliments of those who are knock
ing at your gates. But what of that V
Away I away I Back again to the Com
mon round it and then dash dow n to
the line of wharves that enclose the
harbor, look out over the frozen sea, and
then round again across the desolate
fields, which are now all populous streets,
or crowded marts. Oh ! it was a merry
drive ! What though the hardships of a
seven years' wars, ghastly wounds and
grisly death, awaited pome of the revel
lers, and the bitterness of disappointed
hope, and of interminable exile, was the
appointed lot of others Y They knew it
not I That glittering night was theirs I
And who has more Y
There are worse places for a flirtation
or a tctc-a-tcte, let me tell you, than a
sleighing party. Especially where you
have a sleigh to yourseves. The noise
and bustle isolates you so completely,
And then the bear-skins roll you up to
gether so comically, that positively you
sometimes mistake your neighbor's hand
for your own I It's very odd hut so it is,
Poets may talk as much as they please
about summer moons, but I have known
quite as much mischief done under win
ter moons. And If I bad a daughter, I
would quite as soon trust her with a
" detrimental" in a summer grove, be
side a murmuring stream, with the very
best moon that was ever manufactured
hanging over their heads, as I would in
a snug sleigh, behind a good horse, mak
ing goou line over a ringing road, in a
cold, clear, sparkling night.
" Now ponder well, ye parent dear,"
And lay these, my words of wisdom, to
heart.
Helen and Ingram, you may be Dure,
did not fail to improve their opportuni
ties, and the evening's drive furnished a
very satisfactory epilogue to the morn
ing's drama. After a brief Interval of
silence, as they rushed up King Btreet,
Helen turned to her companion and said
laughingly to him
' But, Charles, you have not told me
yet what Captain Wood had to say to
you. For, of course, he must have been
to cull on his tenunt by this time."
' Ah 1 my dear Helen I I am satisfied
that he was a piratical dog! I have but
too good reason to think ill of him. '
" Indeed 1 and how so, pray Y Has
ho laid you under contribution already Y
Perhaps ho intends collecting his rent in
advance."
,;.Tf that were all," answered Churles,
" I should care little about it. But I urn
afraid that the old villain is more of a
rebel than a pirate. I fear lie bears more
of a grudge ngninst the king than nguinst
me."
" That is natural enough, you know,"
replied Helen, " for it was his majesty's
predecessor who put him to the incon
venience for his little mistakes in the
matter of ownership. But you nieun
something, Charles now tell me all
about it."
" The all is soon told," said lie. " The
crafty old sea-dog has helped himself to
the very thing that it is most Important
for the sake of the service, and for my
own sake, should have been kept out of
his hands and I suppose I niuy huve to
pay for his villiany."
"Good God I Charles!" exclaimed
Hclen,turning pale with affright, " what
do you meau Y What has happened 5"'
" Nothing, my love," he responded,
" excepting that he has carried off the
orderly book of the regiment, which
may convey intelligence to the , rebels
that will bring them buzzing about our
ears, if they have the sense to make use
of it."
" But you how will it affect you 5"'
inquired Helen, evidently thinking
more of her lover than of her liege lord.
" You said that It was bad for your own
sake that this book had fallen into his
hands."
" Indeed, I hardly know myself, ex
actly," he answered, " but I am quite
certain that it can do me no good. And
what a court-mnrtial may think of it
they only can tell."
" A court-martial !" exclaimed Helen,
in consternation," dear Charles I what
have you done for which you can he
court-martialed Y Pray tell me that you
are only In jest."
" I wish I were in jest, my dearest
Helen," said he, In reply, " but It is no
joke, I assure you. The orderly book
was In my custody, as the adjutant of
the regiment. I left it on my table
when I went to the assembly last night,
and when I came back it was gone."
" Gone!" repeated Helen, echoing his
words.
" Gone, my dear," he repeated ; " and
how or whither, the thief, and the devil
that helped him, only knows. And
when the loss is reported at head-quar
ters, I have reason to fear that I shall be
held responsible for it, and it may prove
a serious business."
" But what can they do to you, dearest
Charles V" almost gasped poor Helen.
" It certainly was not your fault that it
was taken."
" I cannot think it was," he answer
ed, "after all the precautions I had
taken. But one cannot tell what views
these old fellows may take. If it come
to a court-martial, a reprimand would
be the least punishment the loss of the
adjutancy, I think, would be the great
est. But the worst is, the effect it will
be likely to have upon my promotion."
" That Is dreadful dreadful !" sobbed
poor Helen, bursting Into tears, " oh,
Charles Charles ! what is to be
done!"
"Dear, dear Helen!" answered In-
gram, brushing away her tears in a
manner for which I can only accounton
the supposition that she could not get at
her pocket-handkerchief, and from the
fact that they had dropped Into the rear
of the'procession " do not be distressed
about it, my love. I and my friends are
resolved to find out what this business
means, and if we can get to the bottom
of it by Saturday all will be well and,
if not, the worst can be borne."
" By Saturday !" said Helen, clearing
up a little" that is a good while to
come, and much may happen before
then. I wish that I could do something
to help you. Can I not"
" Nothing, my love, but your good
wishes and sympathy, I believe, hut
stay, there Is a thing that you can do.
You can ask your father to let our poor
fellows have the shelter of his summer
house, w hich commands the rear of the
Vaugliau house. It will be a serious
service to them these bitter nights."
"Certainly," answered Helen, cheer
fully, "you can have the key to the lit
tle gate that opens upon your grounds,
that was made for the accomodation of
Miss Vaughan and myself ; and as tho
fence is an open one, they can keep
watch as well lu the Bummer-house us in
the yard."
" Thank you," he replied, " that will
be doing us good service. I hope," he
continued, after a nhort pause, "that
you will pardon me for not telling you
ull this, this morning. But, in truth, I
never thought of it once. It was hardly
fair, as you did not have all the facts of
my cuse before you. But It is not too
lute, you know, now to change your
mind."
" You do not think that this, or any
thing else that you could do, would
make any difference In my love for you,
Charles, suid Helen, looking up in his
fuce. "I know you do not."
" Indeed, I do not, dearest," ho re
plied, and us he spoke he leaned his lips
so near her check, thaf I should have
thought thut they must have touched,
had I not known thut it would have
been Improper.
" But here we are at the Iloyal Tav
ern," he exclaimed, as they drove Into
Dock Square, and drew up at the inn
where it was proposed to close their ex
pedition. " Now clear your brow, and
repuir your eyes, lest the gossips put
things, and people too, together."
There is a time of life when three
days seem to be an all-sufficient eternity
and my Helen wus happily not past
that blessed period. So she soon dis
missed the unpleasant tiding she had
just heard fiom her mind, and endeav
ored to mingle in. the gaieties of the
Royal Tavern. The scene was not a
very magnificent one, to be sure, but the
company was as gay as if it had been a
royal palace. The mulled wine was
beyond praise. The floor of the large
parlor was swept, and a noble fire dif
fused light and heat through the room.
They had not a regimental band, as they
had the night before, but the fiddle of a
musical negro, belonging to the house,
was sufficient to set them all dancing
and flirting. And what could his maj
esty's own band itself do more r At a
proper time an excellent supper was
served in the dining-room none of your
perpendicular abominations but a good
regular, sit-down supper, all hot from
the spit, and served, if not with metro
politan magnificence, yet at least with
provincial plenty. Ample justice, was
done to the viands and the port wine
and the everlasting punch were not neg
lected. After the sacred rage of hunger
was appeased, the company returned to
the great parlor, and resumed their
gaieties, which were protracted until
late hour. Such were some of the
schemes to which the beleagured inhab
itants of the town resorted to speed
away some of their weary hours. And
very good schemes they were, iu my
opinion. '
I do not know how ' it was, but the
garrison gossips, of whom Ingram hod
warned Helen, remarked that he was
not as devoted to her as usual. From
this the they augured, with the sagacity
of their tribe, that he was inclined to be
off from the flirtation. Now I formed a
directly opposite opinion from the cir
cumstance. I. am too old a bird to be
chaffed In this way. I know, however,
that the young lovers compared notes of
what they heard and overheard on the
subject, us the' drove home, and that
they were entirely satisfied with the suc
cess of the enemy. What could have
made them dissatisfied with it Y
On arriving at his quarters, Ingram
found every thing ready, but no ghost
as yet. Dr. Holcombe, who much pre
ferred a comfortable arm-chair, a pipe
and a tankard of punch, over against a
rousing Are, to all the sleighing parties
that ever manufactured pleasure out of
cold and discomfort, had volunteered to
mount guard for the first evening In the
room. He protested, however, that all
had been quiet, and not bo much of a
ghost stirring as would make the candles
burn blue. He and Ingram sat up till
near morning, and then lay down alter
nately for an hour or two hut all was
still. " Not a mouse stirring." They had
their labor for their pains that night.
Still they were not discouraged in their
campaign against thepowersof darkness
by this withdrawal of the enemy. They
still believed that they would have a
brush with him yet. In this faith they '
renewed their arrangements for the next
duy, carefully managing them so cau
tiously that there should be no ground
of suspicion given to tho world around
thut there was anything extraordinary
going on.
The allies met after breakfast to talk 1
over the matter, and decide whose turn
should bo the next to face the enemy.
Major Ferguson, in a right of seniority
of rank, received the privilege. The
men who were on guard during the
night were exumined, but they main
tained that there wus nothing that could
be constructed into a suspicious circum
stance that had fallen under their obser
vation. Itenewed churges of secrecy
were given and exchanged, not only for
fcur of the ghost's getting wind of the
conspiracy against him, but lest the
luugh at the mess-table might be turned
against them. Lord Percy was curious
to hear the result of the night's cam
paign, when the adjutant waited upon
him for orders, and gave his approval of
the steps taken, and encouraged them to
proceed. Concluded next week.
A Bride's Outfit in Germany.
THE bridal outfit furnished by the
bride's parents, consists chiefly of
linen, both household and body linen
generally sufficient to last a lifetime, and
adapted to the rank and means of the
bride. Thus the rich mother buys what
is best and finest in the shops; the less
rich one buys up gradually years before
the occasion, good, strong household
linen, carefully kept in lavender, and
cut up and sewed by the girl herself
when her marriage Is settled. Tho poor
er classes do the same, beginning almost
at the birth of the girl ; and the peasant
woman grows or buys her flax, spins It
herself, and lays by a provision of strong
linen (durable as sail-cloth) for her
daughter, as her mother and grand
mother did before her. The pride of a
German woman, no matter what rank,
is in her linen-press; and it is exhibited
to friends and discussed with gossips as
one of the chief subjects of a female con
versation. It hapjens rarely that any
well-fltted-out woman has to add any .
material store to her treasure. The
jewelry is Invariably the present of the
bridegroom. The wedding-dress is like
wise graduated. From the serviceable
black silk of the artizan's wife it ascends
through all shades of usefulness brown,
dark blue, light gray.to the simple white
taffetas, and the costly white moire an
tique. Besides this, the prudent " middle-class"
mother carefully puts into a
little purse the pieces of gold provided
by the " governor" for another pretty
gown, and gives it to the bride for by-and-bye,
when it is wanted, when the
wedding clothes are soiled, and the
young matron does not wish to wear the
old-fashioned things of her bridal day.
The wedding gifts, we are assured, give
rise occasionally to some little grumbling
but even these are managed in the same
methodical styles. The first principle is
that the gifts are for the " young house
hold," and not for the young lady. Ac
bordingly they are invariably adapted to
the rank, station, and means of the'
young couple, and arranged on a precon
certed plan, so that duplicates are impos
sible ; yet every giver's means and indi
vidual tastes are duly regarded. The
result is, that as all is well-considered
and well-fitted together, the young peo
ple start iu life with a well-fitted hoiwe ,
prettier and more valuable than would
le the case if provided by themselves
alone.
Industry at Home.
Nature is Industrious in adorning her
dominions; and man, to whom this
beauty is addressed, should feel and obey
the lesson. Let him, too, be industrious
in adorning his domain, In making his
home not only convenient and comfort
Able, but pleasant. Let him be indus
trious in surrounding it with pleasant
objects in decorating it within and
without, with things that tend to make
It agreeable and attractive. Let Indus- ,
try make home the abode of neatness ,
and order. Ye parents who would have
your children happy, be iudustrious to ,
bring them up in the midst of a pleas
ant, cheerful and happy home.