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FRANK MOUTI3IEII, )
Editor and Proprietor, f
Vol. IV.
Js Published Weeldu,
At New Bloomfleld, Penn'a.
BY
FRANK MORTIMER.
AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER.
IVov IBloomfieia, Ijx October 18, 1870.
BUnSCHIPTION TISKM8.
ONE DOLLAlt 1'Ell YE A II I
Oil 10 CENTS VETt MONTH,
IP ADVANCE.
Fred's Courtship.
Mil. FREDERICK GRAN DISON, on
leaving college with high honors,
took up his abode with his Undo Philip,
and for live years led the most quiet and
.studious life imaginable.
Uncle Philip, who was a wealthy old
bachelor, proposed making Frederick his
heir. Relying on the bounty of his excel
lent relation, the young man neglected to
make himself master of any profession
preferring to devote his timo and talents to
the gratification of his literary tastes, which
induced him to explore the dusky realms of
the classics, as well as the brighter regions
of modem poetry and philosophy. Yet
Frederick was not so much a book-worm, as
to be altogether dead to the pleasures of so
ciety. As an ardent lover of beauty ho
sought it, and admired it when found,
whether in books, in nature, or in the hu
man mind.
Frederick required that others should
sympathize in the enthusiasm of his soul.
This necessity it was, rather than his love
of natural beauty, which first interested
him in the character of little Rose Addison,
the only child of a poor widow, who occu
pied, rent free, one of his unclo's cottages.
Rose, at that timo, was only fourteen ;
simple in her manners, pure-minded as an
infant, full of vitality ; mirthful, sympa
thetic, a perfect charm of feminine beauty.
Frederick observed her scrupulous neat
ness ; her cheerful morning songs, which
soared to heaven like the lark's, thrilled his
soul ; her taste in the cultivation of flowers
delighted him ; and surprising her one day,
as she wept and laughed over the pages of
a favorite poet of his own, he was drawn
towards her irresistibly. Of course, her
bewitching beauty had nothing to do with
the interest with which he was inspired I
Rose's beautifully simple nature was
spread out before our hero, liko a pure and
spotless page, inviting his hand to write.
Frederick saw his power. He trembled,
even whilst he rejoiced at it. Well was it
for Rose that the handsome, engaging man,
whom she so much admired, had a soul of
the noblest aspirations, a heart of truest
honor !
4 Frederick resolved to devote himself to
the development of all that was pure and
bright and good in her nature. He became
too deeply engaged in his task to care for
other society than hers. As her teacher,
hor guide, her friend, he obtained the most
perfect influence over her ; he moulded her
jcharacter at his will ; ho saw her grow up,
a beautiful, noble-minded woman ; of all
liia studies, it was in her that ho took most
interest and delight. He selected her books ;
he taught her music, French and Italian ;
and more than all, he instructed her in tho
actualities and the highest duties of life.
Uncle Philip was by no means displeased
to see his nephew thus engaged. He still
looked upon Rose as a "pretty little girl,"
even when she had arrived at the maturity
f eighteen. He thought it very kind iu
Frederick to lend her books, and be her
teacher. Uncle Philip was a benevolent
nan himsolf, and he was glad to see his
-.epliew benevolent also.
But Undo Philip had not the most dis
tant suspicion that Frederick could design
to make his protege his wifo. Even when
the old gentleman was contemplating the
array of female beauties and charms with
which the village and vicinity abounded,
and wondering within himself, who would
make Frederick the best companion, poor
Rose neveronce entered his calculations.
Now Uncle Philip was a man of strange
notions ; and as wilful an old fellow, withal,
as you may meet in a twelvemonth. Some
how ho took it into his head that tho noble
old mansion of his fathers needed a star of
female beauty, to make it the sunny abode
of perfect happiness. Tho old bachelor
should have felt this necessity forty years
before ! Ho might have had a complete
constellation of fair daughters around hiin,
in his old age !
But uncle Philip could look out for others
much better than for himself. Ho was de
termined to do the "right thing" for Fred
erick. Accordingly, one fine morning, he
said to his promising nephew :
" What a life this is, Fred I"
Fred was thinking about Rose.
"Peaceful, happy, dear uncle "
"Peaceful! happy?" echoed Uncle Phil
ip, making a very bad face. " I say, Fred,
look at me 1"
"You are looking finely this morning,
uncle. Your countenance is smooth and
fresh as at sixteen ! I believe, undo," said
Frederick, "it is your habitual good humor,
and continual flow of benovolcnt feel
ings "
"Bah ! I say, look at me 1 Haven't you
eyes?" demanded tho old gentleman.
Don't you see how withered I am, before
my time ?"
"Withered, uncle?" repeated Frederick,
surveying tho old bachelor's goodly propor
tions, with a merry twinkle in his eye.
"I'll wager you weigh more to-day than
you ever did before in your life ! Two hun
dred, if you weigh a pound."
"Bloated, boy, bloated 1 that's it i I am
a miserable old fellow."
"Miserable! you "
"All the consequence, you see, of living
an old bachelor," said Uncle Philip, trying
to look unusually grave. " You see how
bitterly I am repenting, don't you? Of
course you do ; and I advise you take warn
ing from my wretched fato.'
Frederick held his sides with laughter.
Uncle Philip scowled.
"It is no laughing mattei, and I desire
you will be serious," said tho old bachelor.
" Look you boy, I have taken it into my
head, to marry you off."
"Ho!"
" You needn't open your eyes so ! It's
time you bettered your condition "
"Dear uncle," said Fred, "I do not
know how I can. Living in the sunshine
of your bounty, I am perfectly contented."
" Are you ? I am not though ! Look you
hero what comfort are you to me ? What
do I get for indulging you in laziness ?"
Frederick winced; Uncle Philip had
touched a tender point.
"You are no comfort to me at all ! But I
mean you shall be, if I koep you. You
shall get married. You shall bring here a
lady young and handsome, that I can look
at sometimes, to take the edge off ray teeth,
after enduring the sight of our cross house
keeper ! Wo want some one to make mu
sic for us some one to cheer this old house
with the melody of a sweet, silver voice
some one to make it light and bright with
the radiance of her smiles "
Fred laughed again, He had never
known his relative so eloquent and poetic
before.
"Now, what?" growled the old bach
elor. " You I ha ! ha ! You are so romantic,
dear uncle !"
"Romantic I I don't know that I was
ever so sensible in my life I I am in good
earnest, anyhow. I say, you shall get mar
ried 1"
Fred smiled ; thought of Rose. He gave
his uncle his hand, with a just-as-lief-as not
sort of a look, which changed, with re-
markablo suddenness, when the bachelor
added :
"And I've picked you out a wife"
"No!"
"Yes, I have."
" Now," Uncle, I think, by good right"
" I ought to choose for you !" said Uncle
Philip. " You care no more for one wo
man than another. Then let my experi
ence and taste dictate for you. You will
admire my choice. In the iirst place, I
have looked for beauty. Of course, you
desire your wife to be beautiful ?"
"Yes, faltered Frederick, "but"
"And spirited?"
"Certainly ; provided"
"And intelligent ?"
" Undoubtedly ; yet"
" And accomplished?"
"Of course ; but, sir "
"And rich?"
"O, as to that," cried Frederick, whose
mind was on Rose, " I think wealth of no
consequence, whatever."
"Then leave my house this instant !" ex
claimed the bachelor. "If wealth is of no
consequence to you, I will make somebody
else my heir, who can appreciate benefits."
"But in a wifo," begun Fred.
" Riches never come amiss. You must
get a rich wife if you can ; if you cannot,
that alters the case. Now I have picked
out for you a lady who possesses all the ex
cellent qualities I have named. Beautiful
spirited, intelligent, accomplished, rich
what more could you wish ?"
" To love her, at least"
"If you cannot love Miss Pendleton, you
are not capable of loving any fine woman !"
"Miss Pendleton?" echoed Frederick
aghast.
" She is the woman to make you a good
wifo !" pursued Uncle Philip, rubbing his
hands. " Go and oflor yourself to her as
soou as you please. She will have you.
Despatch !"
And tho old gentleman turned on his heel,
leaving Frederick overwhelmed with amaze
ment and dismay. Frederick knew his
uncle too well, to hope for an easy escape
from tho'consequeucos of his decision.
Marriage ! Miss Pendleton !" he said to
himself. " Fearful to contemplate ! no !
no ! I'll elope with Rose ! That won't do,
though ! Uncle never would forgive me.
If I had tho least bit of property to call my
own, it would be different ; but to disobey
the old gentleman in so outrageous a man
ner, would be to turn myself out of doors
penniless Miss Pendleton ! ugh I"
Now the bride Mr. Grandison had chosen
for his nephew was actually a very beautiful
and accomplished lady. Frederick ought
to have been able to love her, no doubt ;
but he did not, he could not, he would not I
However, had not Uncle Philip ordained
that he should lay siege to hor heart, and
offer her his hand ?
Frederick thought about it two days.
Uncle Philip supposed he was waiting for a
new suit from tho tailor. Rose saw him
plunged in trouble, and was very unhappy.
Fred had never concealed from her any
thing bofore. It was impossible for him
now to keep hor long in ignorance of the
cause of his porploxity.
Two sleepless nights the young man pass
ed, revolving in his mind what course to
pursue to satisfy his uncle, without sacri
ficing his own feelings. The third night
the young man who as wo shall see, had
some knowledge of human nature con
ceived a luminous idea. Long before morn
ing all his plans were laid, and he was
sleeping soundly, dreaming of Rose.
On the following day, Fredrick made an
early visit at tho cottage of the Widow
Addison.
" My dear Rose," said he, " I am going
away ; I shall not see you again until to
morrow." Rose looked Bad ; then she smiled.
"Ah, how you startlod me !" she said.
" It sounds so solemn : ' I am' going away ;
I $7iall not tee you again1 but 'until to
morrow makes another thing of it. You
will tell mo where you are going, of
course ?"
"Would you believe it ?" replied Fred
erick, "I am going to court Miss Laura Pendle
ton. You have heard of her ? She comes
to our church sometimes, and you may
have seen her."
Rose looked very seriously at Uncle
Philip's nephew.
" What jest is this ?" she asked, smiling
again.
" What jest ? Do you thing there is any
thing out of the way in my courting Miss
Pendleton? I shall pay her my addresses,
and offer her my hand. Ha ! what is the
matter with my Rose ? Tears?"
"O," said she, in a trembling voice, hid
ing her face, "you have been very kind
liko a brother to me and when you are
married, I shall have no teacher any long
er !"
" Dear Rose," said Fredrick, in the ten
derest tone, " is this all ?"
No reply. Roso was a red Rose ; her
face was burning.
" Say you lovo me, Rose, and that you
M ould die of jealousy, if I should marry
Miss Pendleton," exclaimed Fredrick, pas
sionately. Ho pressed her hand. She withdrew it
and turned away to conceal her emotion.
Frederick's ami glided about her waist.
"Mr. Frederick," she said, bursting into
tears, " I never thought you could triflo
with anybody's feelings in this way !"
" Roso, dearest Rose !" said"4he young
man, in the most tender and earnest man
ner, "forgive me. I had no intention to
trifle with your feelings for I lovo you !
My whole heart is yours !"
The "shock of exqiusito pleasure" this
confession produced, brought another flood
of tears to the bright blue eyes of Rose.
"Ah," said she, timidly, "what can I
believe ? You contradict yourself ! If you
love me, how can you offer yourself to Miss
Pendleton ?"
"I lovo you to please myself," replied
Frederick. " I offer myself to Miss Pendle
ton, to please my uncle."
Rose shrank from him, with a reproach
ful look, and rejoined :
" I thought you were a man of principle
and honor !"
" You misunderstand mo, Roso. I shall
offer myself to Miss Pendleton. I must
obey my uncle."
Rose cast down her eyes sadly.
" But I swear nevor to marry unless"
Frederick invaded her lap, and made a con
quest of her beautiful hand "this is the re
ward of my truo lovo ! You or nobody Rose
shall be my wifo."
Rose raised her eyes hopefully.
" You speak in riddles," she murmured.
" To be plain, then, my uncle's will is a
mountain of adamant. He ordains that I
shall offer myself to Miss Pendleton. I
shall obey him ; she will refuse me. Then
I am free, and by degrees, I can bring him
to think favorably of you."
Rose was very thoughtful. Frederick
kissed her eyes.
"But if Miss Pendleton should not re
fuse you?" she said.
" Depend upon it, she will !"
" But but if you should forget that
you were courting her in fun, and fall in
love with her in earnest "
"Hat Ha! jealous already, my Rose I
But fear, nothing. I have known you too
long and too well ; you are too much in my
heart for me to forget you."
Then Frederick told Roso all about Miss
Pendleton, to convince hor how utterly
impossible it was for him to fall in love with
her ; and then consoling and assuring his
protego, he bado her an affectionate adieu
and set out half an hour after to pay his
first visit to Miss Laura Pendleton. Mr.
Frederick did not for some reason make
his appearance in as good style as he
might have done, although he knew the
fine lady his uncle had selected for his
bride was the very pink of country aristoc-
Termn: IN ADVANCE
One Dollar per Year.
IVo. 42.
racy and fashion. Indeed, Frederick had
said to his unclo's ostler ;
"Hamc88me tho black pony in the
old chaise. Don't stop to curry him, for I
am in a hurry. And mind you don't hint
to the old gentleman that I have gone off in
this stylo ; and hero is something for you
to buy tobacco with."
I fancy that when Mr. Frederick arrived
at Mr. Pendleton's elegant residence, he
created a sensation. A curly black pony
that looked as though he had lately board
ed in a potato patch, and had never known
the touch of curry-comb or card ; an ancient
harness that showed tho industry, economy
and ingenuity of some queer old save-penny
and stood still in need of repair ; a dilapi
dated chaise which might have served any
practising couutry physician a quarter of
a century ; a lashless whip-stock and knot
ted lines. Such was the establishment
which moved slowly up the magnificent
avenue, in full view from the drawing room
windows of the Pendleton mansion !
Very slowly and awkwardly, Frederick
got out of the old chaise. You can imag
ine Miss Laura's dismay when her visitor
was announced. In company with a couple
of friends a young lady and gentleman
of fashion she had been laughing at
the ludicrousness of Frederick's "equi
page," as she called it, as it moved up
the avenue !
The young man entered the parlor with
the most perfect nonchalanco in the world
neglecting to remove his hat until he had
saluted Miss Pendleton and, her friends.
Then ho threw himself on an elegant sofa,
in a rather careless manner, and declining
to trouble anybody with his hat, placed it
on the floor ! Without appearing to ob
serve tho consternation of Miss Pendleton
or the emotion of her friends he then offered
a few observations about the weather, and
made a bugle of his nose muffling its so
norous tones in the folds of a flaming red
handkerchief, which ho afterwards tossed
into his hat.
Meanwhile the accomplished and aristo
cratic Miss Laura had enjoyed a survey
of Mr. Frederick's style of dress. His coat
was of fine material, and graceful cut;
but it had evidently come iu contact with
the uncurriod hide of the little black
pony twice or thrice too often, for its beau
ty. His waistcoat was of rich satin; but
by some carelessness, the lowest or first
button was mated with the second button
hole ; thus producing a sad disarrangement
in the tailor's design. The cleanliness of
Frederick's linen indicated scrupulous care
in his unclo's housekeeper ; but one wing
of tho dickey drooped sadly, while the other
side stood proudly erect, in all the majesty
of starch. His cravat was awkwardly twist
ed into a bow-knot ; hnd imagine, in addi
tion to the beauties of costume, oue extrem
ity of a pair of very fine pantaloons lodged
on the top of a "lack-lustre" boot, and
you may have some idea of Mr. Frederick's
appearance.
Now our hero thanks to Rose, his pro
tege was little known in society ; and enjoy
ing tho reputation of being a student and
a man of talent, he could act with success
the part he had undertaken, sooner than
any other man. His carelessness of per
sonal appearance, was looked upon as the
result of studious habits. Having forseen
this ho had not been mistaken in judging
that he would be treated with more defer
ence than any mere clown. His uncle's
wealth and influence might also have hail
some efl'oct in causing Miss Laura to toler
ate in him what she could not have endur
ed from any other person. In perfect keep
ing with the character he had assumed was
Fred's conversation. Instead of indulging
in fashionable talk, ho discoursed learnedly
on old books by obscure authors, whoso
names not one modern reader in a thousand
ever heard ! In short he played the role of
slip-Bhod philosopher to a degree of perfec
tion which argued an imitative talent,' and
a knowledge of human nature no one sus
pected him of possessing.
Frederick dined with the Pendleton's
that day, and having inspired Miss Laura
with an utter abhorrence of all students,
rode homo in the evening, well satisfied
with tho sensation he had produced as ho
candidly assured his uncle.
CONCLUDED KEXT WEEK.