41m BlMMlttilf'ii
Sift JA HflJill " J3I i
V CHI M iL I-' '
.11 . .
jP.B XK M O It T I ME It ,
Editor and 1'ropricior.
Vol. IV.
12 imamnmiu
u Hi?
Is I'nblishcd Wcchly,
At- New MoojitHeM, Penn'a.
11Y
FRANK MO It TIMER.
snilHCUIPTION TKUMS.
OXE DOLL All VEll YE All !
lis atvinci:.
The India Shawl.
IJY JI. T. CAI.DOi:,
I HAD liccn entrusted with a lady's shop
piii'' errand, the execution of which led
mo through the fashionable promenade
street of ono of our Atlantic cities into
quarters I rarely visit ono of the dry-
roods palaces, whoro glowing velvets, glis
tening silks, or gossamer laces displayed on
very side, dazzle and intoxicate the eye,
until onco beneath the spell, I no lonirer
narvclled that the dainty pearl porte-mon-laics
of our lady friends need such frc
pieut and generous replenishing.
Fooling awkward and frightened amid
the crowd of sweeping flounces and wav-
. . . J - J1I . A II 1 II
ling leauiers, u suy noining oi uio urigiit
yes and curious glances of the fair pur-
hasers about me, I sought out tho senior
artner of tho iirm, an old acquaintance of
lino, and put into his hand the tiny bit of
ilk my careful Aunt Cynthia had so many
hues charged mo to match, in just such a
hade, and exactly that thickness, and pre-
isely so many yards, begging him to extri
;ite nio from my dilemma.
lie laughed a little at my woful face, but
ot heartily, and I saw some very import-
lit conversation was going on amid tho
oup of partners and clerks in the ollice,
id begged him not to let mo hinder him,
ho was othervviso engaged.
"0, it is of no consoquonoc, only a littlo
lk wo were having," ho began, politely,
id then suddenly pausing, ho threw oil'
e distant second-nature manner of the
ntlomanly merchant, and slipped amu-
lgly into his natural self. "I say, C,
u aro somewhat famous for your dctect-
o skill. I remember it now. Hero's a
se for you. Wo were keeping it private,
it I should like to seo what you can make
it."
He paused to call a clerk and despatch
in with tho shred of silk on my Aunt
nthia's errand, and then drawing aside a
uplo of chairs, motioned mo to tako a
1
it. I did so, and ho proceeded.
' We havo been treated' to quite a littlo
no this morning. About cloven o'clock
ery handsome coach drove up to tho cn-
nco of tho store, and tho footman assist
out a lady so elegantly dressed that half
! clerks in the front of tho store left
ir counters to get a peep at her. When
came in, sho threw up a thread lace vail,
rlh tho price of an ordinary lady's whole
tume, and revealed a face,D., the junior
tncr,deolares lovely enough for an liouri,
asked for our cashmere India shawls.
course she was waited upon in the most
to manner leave D. alono for that 1
en a lady's pretty, ho is extremely oblig-
but wealth and beauty united can
mand any amount of obsoquiesness.
selected an $800 camel's hair shawl,
out splendidly-chased porte-monnaie
d up with rolls of bills, D. judged from
furtive glance, and tendered him a one
isand dollar note. D. received it with
prettiest bow, and came, according to
positive rule, to the office to ascertain
was genuine. Wo were quite busy
then, and it was some time before its
Kb. was decidedly established ; but it
good, and D. carried back the two
Ired dollars change. lie found tho la-
AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY
Ncw 331ooiiiHoia, 3?a., September- G. 1S7().
dy angrily snapping tho gold-clasped porto
monnaie, her splendid black eyes flashing
as one might imagine of tho daughters of
Nox and Acheron.
"'You have detained mo unwarranta
bly," sho said sharply to poor D. " Why
have you kept mo waiting ?"
"'I beg your pardon, madam, it took
some time to examine tho detective list and
ascertain if the uoto was correct."
" You should have seen her eyes blaze
then. D. said he dared not trust a second
look, lest his own should bo annihilated.
"'Noto correct!" gasped sho. 'How
daro you insiuato.so vilo a slander 1 Do
you think nio a person capablo of passing a
spurious bill? Because my true position
is unknown, am I to bo thus insufferably
treated ? I lark you, sirah your shop shall
sufl'or for this. Not a purchase, the value
of a sou, will I make again. Bring back
my money and tako your shawl. I'll havo
nothing to do with it !"
"PoorD. was in an agony of distress,
believing her, at tho very least, some great
ladyship, whose violent anger and haught
iness arose from her ignorance of republi
can customs, and terrified at losing so grand
and magnificent a customer, he apologized,
and pleaded, and almost went down on his
knees, but her ladyship was inflexible, and
with a sigh, D eaino back for the note, and
haughtily tho queenly woman swept out
from tho store, D. still following and ex
explaining. Ho was served rightly for his
obsequiousness.
' I am extremely sorry, not for tho
world would I havo injured your feelings,
madam. I was only following a rule of tho
store," he pleaded, for the fortieth time.
"Suddenly ho turned around, and said,
moro mildly, ' Perhaps I should make al
lowance for tho customs of this strange
country. At all events, I wont punish my
self for your fault. The shawl is tho only
ono I havo found that pleased me. There,
bring it out to me ?" and sho threw to
wards him tho bank note, and sank lan
guidly upon tho velvet cushions of the car
riage. "D. hurried in for tho chango and the
shawl, determined sho should have no fault
to find with his nimblencss this time, and
placing them on tho carriage sect, closed
tho door, and bowed humbly, with a be
coming senso of her great importance.
" ' There,' said he, coming into tho oflieo
with tho noto and laying it on tho desk, ' I
Hatter myself not many men could have
managed that afi'air so nicely. I appeased
her anger, and sho took the shawl, so we
have secured an excellent customer.'
"Samson had taken up tho note, Zounds
and Blixcn, I)., it's a forgery !'
" It was true. She had exchanged notes.
The genuine was still lying in her gold
porte-monnaie, and D. had recived a coun
terfeit. It was almost worth tho money
for tho rest of us to seo D.'s face. Ho is a
littlo important, and conceited about his
business tact, but I don't think we shall
hear much about it after this aft'air. Ho
was so used up ho had to go homo, and I
don't think wo shall seo him again to-day."
I laughed moro heartily than ho. Clev
erly done," said I, when tho merchant had
finished bis narrative. " Depend upon it,
her ladyship lias servea an apprenticeship
at tho trade, and como off mistress of the
art."
"But can you help lis? Do you think
there is a chance for recovering tho shawl
or the thief?"
" isovor try never win. on should try
anil trace tho coach. Can D. identify it?"
"That's tho worst of it. Every ono was
so taken up with the beatiful face and the
glittering port-monnaie, that not a soul can
tell anything about the coach."
" Well, if you obtain any clue, lot
know it, and I'll see what can be discoveiCfalia a rN f genuine bills for change. She
ed through it. Here comes my package.
Good-morning 1"
When I leached my ofllce, I found my
cousin Richard Ellis, one of our most fash
ionable jewellers, waiting there.
"Hang me if you havii't been out sbop-
ping, you sly old bachelor 1" said he, half
laughing half scolding, in renlv t.n mv
greeting, and glancing at the bundle in my
hand. I've been waiting 1
bio long while, staring at the cobwebs and
yawning over tho directories. I havo a
job for you, and must taik fast now to mako
up for lost time. Wo have met with ouite
a littlo loss, but the most aggra vating part is
the way wo were fooled out of it. Yesterday
morning a richly dressed lady, of the most
charming manners and extraordinary beau
ty, drove to tho store, and descending from
her coach, came in, inquiring for a set of
diamonds. I went forward myself to at
tend nor, and displayed our choicest set
which sho examined carefully, chatting
tho meantime in a way that, Without
in
os-
tentation or pretence, convinced mo that
sho was a person of great wealth and im
portance. Sho alluded to one set, remark
ing that it looked like the work of an old
employee of hers in Paris, and actually
named the very man from whose shop I had
imported them.
" 'I was not an exile, then', sho mur
mured, softly, apparently forgetful of my
presence, a shade of grief stealing over her
fino eyes.
" My respectful sympathy was at onco
aroused, and I even produced a choice set I
had laid by for. an cspocial customer, a
splendid pattern in diamonds and sapphires.
It struck her fancy immediately, and sho
purchased it for five hundred dollars, in
pay for which sho gavo mo a ono thousand
dollar note. i(What are you laughing at?)
I glanced at the bank noto list, saw it was
all right, and went to my safe for tho five
hundred dollars duo her. Just then a foot
man came in and said something to her,
which I did not hear. With a sweet binilo
of apology, sho camo toward me.
" 'I beg your pardon,' said sho 'I am
summoned to an appointment, and it is
possible I may need that money. Bring
tho jewels to tha House,' naming tho
first hotel in the city, and I will pay you
then for them. Ask for Madame Chevial,
at 3 o'clock this afternoon.'
" Of course I was ready to acccdo to tho
proposition. I returned her the note, and
escorted her to tho coach door. At three
o'clock, married man that I am, I was dolt
enough to tako tho jowelf myself, to tho
hotel, instead of sending a clerk. I want
ed another peep at Madame Chovial's
charming face. I was shown into a splen
did private parlor of tho hotel, and found
there tho lady, even more elegantly attired
than before. She received tho case with a
smile, remarking carelessly, 'I might have
paid you then, as I did not use tin money,'
and handed mo tho note.
"I returned her five hundred dollars, and
remained a few moments, talking about
Parisian bijouterie, with which sho seemed
unusually familiar, and then made my adieu
with the most profound respoct and admi
ration. C, tho witch, tho minx cheated
mo ! Madamo Chevial was a humbug, and
this morning I found out my noto was a
counterfeit ! I hurriod to the hotel, but
nothing could they tell me, except that such
a lady had hired a privato parlor for threo
hours, paid for it witk a bill since pronoun
ced counterfeit and left for parts unknown.
Now, was there ever another such "stupid
fellow cheated in tho way I havo been?"
"Yes," answered I, laughing till my
chair shook beneath me, "go and seo poor
D. I think you'll each enjoy a social con
fab to night. Well done, Madamo Chevial
I shall really enjoy hunting up such a
talented artiste 1"
Tho city was flooded with counterfeits that
week. The "beautiful richly dressed la
dy nau neen in an directions, carrying
away invariably the hearts of the shopmon
liad done a nourishing business during the
throe days we traced hor about the city,
but for all that, our investigations went no
furthor. Not another sign or traco could
we obtain, although half a dozon expert
detectives were put upon tho watch. So
NEWSPAPER.
wo were obliged to wait quietly, expecting
to hear of startling frauds of tho same na
ture from other cities, and thus once more
bo on the track ; tho bird had flown. But
weeks came and went, and no light broko
upon us, till at length Ave had given up all
hopes of success.
Juno was fast speeding away to mako
way for ardent July, when I received a let
ter from my niece, Alice Shaw, urging mo
to join a choice party on a three week's
visit to Newport.
I was rather blue and worn out just then.
A brief snatch back at youthful pleasures
amid a group of youthful buoyant hearts
would bo delightful and invigorating. I
decided at ono to mako once of tho party;
Accordingly, I was on board the Newport
boat punctually, when it swung ofT from
the wharf at New York, and descended
to tho ladies' cabin to find Allie, according
to agreement. Two cav blue eves wem
dancing a shower of welcoming glances
towards me, at the moment I swung open
the door, and a pair of tiny hands, dain
tily enclosed in lavender-colored gloves,
caught mine enthusiastically. .
"O, you dearest of old bachelors, I knew
you would como ! Now you shall bo pet
ted and caressed till you forget all about
thosp musty folios and intricate law cases.
But not a word must you brcatho about
returning until I am ready. Remember
if you get unruly, I shall havo tho printed
playcard, ' For Sale,' fastened to your back
and bid you off, for some ronianUo philan- J
thropic maiden lady to convert from heath
enism !"
"I will try tho petting first, if youpleaso
Allie. Where aro your friends?"
"Out on tho promenade dock. Come
and see them."
And in a moment more I was in the
midst of a general introduction. They
wero all, with tho exception of Gerald
Wayno, strangers to me. Every faco was
smiling, and youthful, and happy.
It was reviving for mo, fresh from the
cankerous, perplexing cares of life, to gazo
at them, although some wero neithor grace
ful nor beautiful. Every faco smiling?
No ; there was one I started 'When I be
hold it, and hardly returned tho salutation
collectedly, when tho magic name was pro
nounced, and tho regal head bowod care
lessly in greeting mo, Lady Waldegrave's
face was turned towards the water, with a
wistful touching sadness, that a thousand
fold enchanecd its loveliness. Alice was a
sweet pretty girl, tho darling of her homo
now, and sometime to bo the angel of
another ; Boll Richardson, as her namo de
clared, a coquettish bello ; Mary and Lizzie
Voso passable, commonplaco girls, owing
a great deal of their attraction to their
stylish dress and sprightly manners, while
Nellie Barrett was unmistakably, unpreten
dingly plain. From out these, this Lady
Waldegrave shono liko tho shono like tho
evening-star amid tho fainter orbs of night
a peerless magnificent woman. Descrip
tions aio tedious, nevertheless I must give
a few hints, that one may dimly picture
this cynosure of all eyes on deck.
A tall slender figure swaying to and fro
with willowy grace, clad in robes of ex
ceeding richness, yet of tho most subdued
hue, a small headset rather haughtily upon
gracefully sloping shoulders, thick wavy
braids of jetty silkiuess, parting away from
a forehead smooth and fair, as if never a
grief had rippled over tho heart within, eyes
largo, lustrous, soft, tonder and sad. Every
thing bewitching, molting, grieving, was
expressed in those magnificent eyes. Never
before or since havo I seen orb's whose
witching light could so enthrall and daz
zle. A small mouth of vivid crimson, sweet
and childliko in roposo, arch and playful
when parted to disclose tho pearly line with
in, and features artistically small and deli
cate. Such is a poor glimpso of Lady
Wnldograve. No wonder scarcely a gentle
man on the deck could turn his eyes from
the enchanting picture. Yet sho sat ben
ding her gaze wistfully upon the sparkling
IX ADVANCE.
I One Doll
Dollar per Year.
TVo. 36.
water, as if entirely unconscious of tho ad
miration she excited. I wondered if my
littlo f Allie had a misgiving when sho saw
how Gerald Wayno lingered by tho stran
ger's side, and congratulated myself that
I was a dry, musty old bachelor, supposed
to be without a heart to lose.
Wo remained on deck untillato into tho
moonlight night, and then separated re
luctantly. Beforo morning wo wero safely
landed on the shore, and onco in Newport
found lodgings already secured for our
wholo party, through Gerald's thoughtful
ness. Then followed raro days, that
almost reminded me of my youthful Utopi
an dreams of happiness. Pleasant strolls
in the dewy morning, rare frolics in the
tumbling surf, romantic drives in tho still
twilight dew upon tho shell-strewn beach
and silent walks under tho solemn starlight
with the eternal anthem of tho sea sound
in our ears. I enjoyed it with a keen rel
ish I had never thought to know again,
and so I thought did all, until I detected
an increasing pallor on Allio's cheek, and .
an occasional quiver of her unusually silent
lip.
So I looked around nio for the cause, and
onco aroused, I wondered at my previous
blindness. It was tacitly admitted by all
our party to bo nothing uuusual to seo ev
ery stranger, tho moment ho received an
introduction, offer to Lady Waldcrgrave's
rare loveliness tho homage of undisguised
admiration ; but Gerald Wayno was be
stowing something more. Heart, life, and
soul wero poured out in tho passionate glan
ces that followed her slightest movement ;
and now that my vigilance was awake, I
fancied I could detoct on her part an evi
dent effort to please and attract him moro
than any other. I wondered a littlo at it.
Gerald was a fine fellow, and in possession
of a handsome property, but I never
thought his talents remarkable. Certainly
he did not seem to mo such a man as a wo
man of Lady Waldegrave's position and
attractions would consent to marry, even if
sho condescended at all to accept an,' unti
tled American. Lady Waldegravo and
Gerald entirely absorbed in a game of chess,
whoro tho graceful movements of the ivory
whito arms, clasped by their heavy brace
lets of gold, and shaded by a mist of float
ing lace, wero a study of beauty in them
selves, and I turned to Mary Vose, who was
sitting by mo trifling with her crochet nee
dlo and a web of crimson silk, saying, in a
subdued voico :
" Who is this Lady Waldegravo ?"
"E tu, Hrule!" replied she, laughing
lightly ;" so you are going over likewise
to the victorious side? Ileigho ! what's to
becomo of tho rest of us ? I think I'll have
a placard, to save mo tho troublo of answer
ing so many times , that ono important
question. Lady Waldegravo is an English
woman a widow, who camo over to America
to see the country ail search out a long
absent friend. I think' it must 1, Mr.
AVayno she gives him attention enough."
"Sho came in the steamer with you, Al
lie said, I belive?"
"Yes, from Halifax. Sho remained there
over one steamer to search out any traco
of her mysterious friend in those quarters.
We became exceedingly interested in her,
and invited her to go homo with us which
she did and will romain with us until her
expected friends arrive from England, to
join her on tho tour through the States."
I had not been very attentive to Mary's
remarks. I was watching poor Allie's
strenuous efforts to answer Jack Voso co
herently, and at tho same time catch all the
meaning smiles and significant gestures ex
changed between the chess-players. I even
saw the tear that was dashed so stealthily
from tho silken eyelash ; and while I
gazed, I was making a daring resolution.
Concludod next week.
tMrs. nugg, of Chicago, lias applied
for a divorce from Mr. Hugg. There was
too inuoh hugging done in the family by
Mr. Ilugg to suit Mrs. Hugg.