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FRANK MORTIMER, )
Editor and Proprietor. C
AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER.
I Terms: IX ADVANCE
1 One Dollar 2er Year.
-Vol. XV.
1'iiblinlted Weekly,
At New Illoomfleld, rcim'a.
by
FRANK MORTIMER.
SUBSCRIPTION TEKMS.
OYE DOLLAR l'ER YEAR!
IV ADVANCK.
Susio Scott's Promise,
on
OUGHT I NOT TO HAVE LONE IT ?
T
1IIE circumstances of this affair can
not be presented in all their enormity
unless the peculiar 'relation in which I
stood toward Dick Fan-el is first fully un
derstood. It will therefore bo necessary to
go back to the period of my first acquaint
ance with that individual. I met him in
thiswise :
Undoubtedly you remember the ravine
in which is situated the town of St. Jean
do Mauricnuc, formerly the terminus on
this sido of Mount Cenis on the railway
from Paris to Turin. I ha d reached this
ono morning on my way to Italy, and I
found owing to some accidental delay, no
diligence would start to cross the moun
tain till evening. . Consequently, having
.several hours at my disposal, I devoted
them to an exploration in the valley, and
finally attempted to climb up the steep faco
of tho northern side of tno ravine. Now, I
had never been a good climber, even in my
boyhood, and, as I was at this time more
than well, I was in the prime of manhood,
at all events I ought to have known better
than to have made the attempt. However,
I did not know better, and so laboriously
climbed up the precipice, until I found my
self on a narrow ledge where further prog
ress upward became impossible. To my
great annoyance, I found, too, that I could
not retrace my steps, since any attempt to
look down in the valley ; which lay two
hundred feet below, made mo excessively
giddy. At this distance of time I am wil
ling to confess I was dreadfully frightened,
as I thought on the probability ot my re
maining a hopeloss prisoner starving to
death in full sight of the hotel which had
an excellent table de Uote, and of tho rail
way station. Hope, which wo aro led to
believe springs eternal in the human breast,
fortunately inspired mo with tho happy
thought of firing my revolver as a signal of
distress. No sooner had I acted upon this
idea than tho entire population of St. Jean
appeared to become simultaneously aware
of my situation, and Hooked to tho foot of
the precipice to watch my anxiously ex
pected fall. Owing either to their natural
stupidity, or to their reluctance, to spoil
prospective tragedy, these people did not
make tho slightest effort to rescne mo.
Finally, after they had waited two hours in
the vain hope that I would loose my foot
hold, they sot up an idiotic shout at the ap
pearance of a young man carrying a coil of
rope on his shoulder. Presently he disap-
peared, followed by tho greater part of the
crowd ; and I was about to resign myself
to despair and an utterly hopeless attempt
to clamber down tho rock, when I was do
lightod by tho ro-appcarance of tho young
man, who landed suddenly behind me.
liaving been let down a rope from the top
of tho precipice.
"Now, old boy, ho remarked with inde
cent as familiarity, he unfastened the rope
from about his waist, " lot mo just fasten
this around you, and you'll bo all right in
a couple of minutes. Tell them not to for
get me when you get to the top, for I
havn't had my dinner yet 1 .
So saying ho tied tho rope under my
arms, shook it as a signal to those above, en
Xow 131ooiiiliolI, oitoinlci- 27, 187().
couraged mo with tho remark, "Steady,
now, old fellow and good luck to you !"
and calmly proceed to relight his cigar,
whilo I was rapidly hauled through the air
to a place of safety.
This young man was Dick Farrel.
Tho rope was again let down, and he soon
made his appearance besido me. Luckily
he could speak French of which I did not
know a single word, and I appealed to him
to rescue me from the police, who had
promptly arrested mo on a charge of having
attempted to commit suictlo. Dick s per
suasive oratory secured my release, and
being thus doubly indebted to him, I felt
obliged to invite him to tho hotel nnd to
dinner.
He proved to be a painter of some sort I
know nothing about art on his way to
Home, and though ho was in the main
honest, and always good tempered, ho was
altogether too much of a vagabond to be a
suitable companion for a gentleman of my
ago and position. I felt this strongly,
when, after much champagne, he proposed
that we should journey to Rome together.
But what was I to do? Clearly, I could
not say to the man who had just saved my
life : "Sir I Cinnot consent to travel in
your company, because you wear a prepos
terous hat, and aro addicted to perpetual
smoking and untimelysinging." Of course
I lacked tho courago to say this, and hence
it followed that for the next two weeks wo
were constantly together. I will do him
the justice to say that ho never attempted
to borrow money from me, and he rendered
me considerable service by acting interpre
ter between myself and tho natives. Still
his undignified habits were a constant
source of annoyance to me. Ho would in
sist upon my accompaning him into third
class cars, where ho smoked, and sang, and
drank cheap wine from casual bottles, with
chance acquaintances, in a manner disrep
utable in the extreme I acquit him of
any intentional disrespect in representing
to the police of St. Jean that I was a luna
tic, and ho was my keeper, since he sol
emnly averred that by no other pretence
could lie have saved lire from arrest,
cannot however, excuse his habit of calling
me "old boy," and tho gross familiarity
with which ho criticised my personal ap-
pearance, and what he was pleased to call
" my jolly greenness."
After we reached Rome,. as was quite nat
ural wo saw a good deal of each other. It
so happened that we one day visited the
Catacombs of St. Calixtus. The guide
who was with us was explaining tho
skeletons and things with great apparent
eloquence, and Dick was translating his re
marks to me with comments and additions
of his own, when wo enmo upon another
party, consisting of a middle aged lady, her
daughter, and, of course, their guide. As
they were evidently Americans, we stopped
and conversed a few moments with them,
ultimately acepting their invitation to ao-
company them through tho rest ot the cat
acombs Dick escorting tho mother, while
I walked by tho sido of her pretty daughter.
Pretty is just tho word which described
her. She was not strictly beautiful, but
her manner was extremely attractive, and
she had, moreover, an idea of the respect
duo to a man of character and position in
life, which I have found that young girls,
as a rule seldom have. I soon learned Jiat
her mother was a wido'-from New York,
and that they were both well acquainted
with the family of my business partner.
'o therefore rapidly became as familiar as
old acquaintances ; and presently, whilo
Dck, with his accustomed impudence, was
giving tho old lady a history of tho cata
combs of which I am certain that ho know
absolutely nothing tho daughter drow
closo to me and whispered :
" "Would you dare to gut mo a little pieces
ofboneoutof tho niches? They aro all
saints, bones you know, but the guide won't
let me have any, and besides I can't reach
them, tho' I do so long for a piece of saint?"
I need not say that I stolo some saint a
rib I think it was and my new acquain
tance was delighted with it. The girlish
pleasure with which she hid tho bone in the
folds of her dress, and insisted that she was
ever so much obliged to me," together with
the childish eagerness with which sho had
whispered her request completely charmed
me. In fact I fell in love with her on tho
spot, and determined that I would marry
her if she would give her consent. AVhcn
wo parted at the entrance of the catacombs
I was warmly invited by both ladies to call
upon them and to bring my friend with mo.
To visit Miss Scott in company with
Dick was precisely what I did not wish to
do. But here, again, I could not help my
self. Though Dick professed to bo a warm
admirer of the widow, it always happened
that soon after our arrival at tho Scott's
apartment ho would manage to bo in close
conversation with Susie, whilo I fell a prey
to tho mother, whoso conversational pow
ers were of tho most oppressive character.
Tho samo thing used to occur when we vis
ited ruins and places together, which wo
did nearly every day. Still I felt no fear
in his rivalry. Susie evidently liked me,
and always appeared delighted to see mo.
Besides I never for a moment supposed that
sho could prefer a penniless vagabond to a
man of means and recognized respeetabil
ity. All this is merely introductory, and al
though the proceeding statements have
tendency to make a short story long, still
it was necessary, as I have said before,that
tho precise nature of my intimacy with
Dick should be set forth before I could ask
the question, "Ought I not to have done
itr
Ono day wo prevailed upon tho ladies to
make a visit to St. Peter's. In order to
make tho excursion partake somewhat of
tho nature of a picnic, it was agreed that
we should take our lunch with us, and eat
it on the immense roof of the church. In
order to make sure of securing Susie for
myself, I prevailed upon Mrs. Scott to in
vito tho Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley, who was
then in Rome, to accompany us ; intend
ing to inveigle that worthy divine into ac
ting as an escort to the widow. I never
thought what would become of Dick if
thus left without a lady companion, nor
were my suspicions aroused by the sarcas
tic smile with which he praised my fore
thought in inviting the clergyman."
"If any accident should happen if you
break your neck, for example," ho remark
ed, " it would bo so handy to have a clergy
man ready !"
Iho appointed time lor tho picnic,
arrived. .Never shall I lorgct tho solva
tions with which I ascended the long, wind
ing inclined piano which leads up to the
roof of tho church. I had determined to of
fer myself to Susio in tho' course of the
day ; and though I had no doubt as to the
result, yet the novelty and importance of
the step I was about to take made mo some
what nervous. I had, too, an undefined
and wholly unacknowledged feeling that
she was not after all, precisely the sort of
wife for me. She knew absolutely nothing j
of business, and was about as ignorant of
tho duties pertaining to the position for
which I intended her as a girl could well '
bo. Nevertheless, I had so strong a fancy
for tho gay little butterfly, that I felt tho
impossibility of existence apart from her.
For weal or for woo sho held my l'ato in her
hands, and I determined that those dear
little hands should be mine, como what
might.
Before wo had our lunch wo wero to as
cend the dome, At this stage of affairs I
succeeded in placing tho widow in chargo
of tho clergyman, and, with Susio
began the ascont of the countloss' stairs.
Dick, however, followed so closely behind
us in order, as he pretended, to keep Susie
from falling that I could find no opportu
nity to ask her the question which was on
my lips. At last we reached tho lantern
and only tho great copper ball remained to
bo explored. As Mrs. Scott declined to
to enter tho ball. I waited with Susio un
til her mother had gone out upon tho outer
gallery, vainly hoping that the long sought
for moment had arrived. But scarcely had
her mother disappeared when the young
lady announced her intention of climbing
tho ball, whereupon tho officious Dick ran
up tho ladder to assist her. AVhcn they
both had succeeded in entering that stifling
den where no man of sense willingly pla
ced himself she cried out that no ono else
was to come up on any account, for she
was afraid the ball would break loose
under any additional weight. I was thus
forced to stay at tho foot of tho ladder
wjiilo they remained in the ball, engaged
during what seemed to mo an intolerable
length of time in an animated conversa
tion, conducted in a tono so low that I
could not hear a single word that was
said.
When they finally descended, Susie's face
was flushed by heat of the place sho said
while Dick looked uncommonly grave,
and gnawed his moustache with a nervous
dissatisfied air. Had ho been any one elso
tho Rev. Mr. Smiley for example I
should have believed that he had offered
himself to Susio and been rejected ; but
being simply the penniless vagabond that
he was, tho idea of any such conduct on his
part was too ridiculous to bo entertained for
a moment.
At last we turned to descend to tho roof
and I saw that the moment for mo to
press my intentions toward Susio had ar
rived. Lingering dexterously in tho rear
until the widow and clergyman were safely
out of sight, I led Susio out upon tho gal
lery under the pretext of showing her a
part of the landscape which she had not
noticed. As we leaned over tho railing, I
looked around to make sure that.! Dick was
out of sight, and then began ; "My dear
Miss Susan, I have something to say to
you."
Sho looked at mo a moment with startled
eyes, and then putting her hands together
with an imploring little gesture, she cried :
"Oh! please don't!"
" Don't what?" asked I, quite puzzled by
her conduct.
"Don't please say anything; I mean
don't ! oh ! just look what a pretty flower !
How I wish I had it."
Tho child was evidently confused and
frighteued. I was about to explain my
self more fully, whon Dick appeared upon
tho scene, carrying upon his arm a shawl
belonging to some ono of tho party, and
asked what was the matter.
"That beautiful little pink flower, there
on tho dome," sho answered " if I could
only reach it !"
"You shall have it," he replied: and
then tossing ono end of the shawl to me,
with the request that I would hold on to it
ho seized tho other end and was over the
railing and sliding down tho slippery sur
face of the dome before I knew well what
was his intention.
Tho flower was growing on a little pro
jection not more than twelve feet below us.
Dick, however, had ilaeed himself in a
horribly dangerous position ; although ho
could romain for a time resting with one
foot on this projection, it was impossible
for him to gain tho gallery without tho aid
of tho shawl to which ho was clinging.
He paid not a particle of attention to my
poremtory demand that ho should como
back at once, but, quietly seizing tho flower
and putting it temporarily into his bosom
he looked up to Susio, who was watch
ing him, silent with excess of terror, and
said :
"You know what I asked you just now.
"Will you promise?"
Sho only replied : " Come back, Mr. Far
rel, do, please. You frighten mo to
death !"
f Susie," returned tho scoundrel, with
tho utmost solemnity, "unless you give mo
the promise this moment, I will let go the
shawl, for I don't caro a straw for my
life."
No. ;o.
"Como back directly, sir." I shouted,
or I'll let go tho shawl myself! Don't
you see how you alarm Miss Scott with
your confounded nonsense ?"
The villian never heeded my existence.
"Promise me, Susie," he repeated, "or I
swear I'll let go."
" Yes, yes, Dick, I promise," she cried
" Dick, do como back. I will marry you."
This then, was tho result of my months,
of devotion to that shameless girl. This
was what camo of my condescension, to
ward a miserable, unprincipled painter. Be
fore my very eyes, in my very hearing, he
had gained a" promise of marriage from tho
lady whom I intended to marry myself.
Before I could fully realizo his astoun
ding villainy, he had climbed back again
and had Susie in his arms. I blush for hu
man nature when I mention tho fact that
ho actually kissed her in my presence !
I tossed tho shawl down, and turned
away without speaking. Before I had gone
many steps Susie overtook me and said :
" Please forgive mo if I have given you any
pain. .Mamma wouldn t I3t mo see Dick
unless you were by, and so I had to bo civ
il to you. Besides, I do like you ever so
much, and if you would only marry mamma
it would be so nice."
" I really think you'd better," chimed in
Dick. " There's a clergyman here, audit
could bo dono at once."
There 1 1 have told tho whole story, and
tho facts have been stated precisely as they
occurred. It only remains for me to ask
tho question. Would I not have been per
fectly justified in letting go tho shawl, and
thus putting a sudden and an effectual end
to my treacherous rival's suit ? To bo
sure, ho had on a former occasion saved my
life doubtless for purposes of his own, and
certainly without waiting forme to request
that favor from him. And did that ex
cuse his subsequent conduct? Just look
at in all its hidcousncss. "Whilo I held his
life in my hands for nothing could have
saved him had I let go tho shawl ho dar
ed to ask my intended wife to marry him,
and what is worse, actually gained her con
sent. Could any ono have blamed mo had
I let go my hold? Ought I not to have
dono it ?
The more I think of it, tho more I am
convinced that justice to myself, pity for
tho unfortunate girl whom Dick cru elly
mado a sharer in his poverty, as well as a
duo sense of tho guilt of his outrageous
conduct, demanded that I should have
dropped tho shawl. And I don't hesitate
to say that I am confoundedly sorry I did
not do it.
A sailor was called upon to stand as
a witness. " Well sir : do you know tho
plaintiff and defendant?"
"I don't know the drift of your words,"
answered tho sailor.
"What ! not know the meaning of plain
tiff and defendant !" continued the lawyer,
"a pretty fellow you to coino here as a wit
ness. Can you tell mo where on board the
ship it was that this man struck tho other
ono?"
"Abaft the binnacle," answered the sail
or. " Abaft the binnacle !" answered the law
yer, "what do you mean by that?"
"A pretty fellow you," responded the
sailor, "to come hero as a lawyer, and don't
know what abaft tho binnacle means !"
From Estvillo, Ya., conies news of a
singular affair which occurred recently be
tween a number of women. They met at
a prayer meeting, at tho close of tho ser
vices Miss Polly A. Hart, having started
for home, was overtaken by Nancy John
son, when an altercation took place be
tween them, and they got engaged in a
fight, when Polly A. Taylor, a daughter of
Nancy Johnson, ran up behind Polly Hart
and stabbed her in tho breast with a pen
knife, with a blade some thrco inches long.
Polly Hart died in about three-quarters of
an hour. The other two women have been
committed.