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"ZZV.K- AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. "ifST
Vol. r IVoav 13 loom field, Fn., TuoHdny, October 31, 171. TVo. -1-1.
J rubUshed Weekly,
At New Bloomfield, Penn'a.
BY
FRANK 310RTIMER.
8UHHCIlirTI0N TEHMH.
1 .M f I 12 It Y It A. It !
75 Cent for 0 Months; 40 Cents
for 3 Months,
IN ADVANCE.
TURNING THE TABLES.
I WAS IN LOVE !
Bather a startling confession to begin
it story with, isn't it?
But tlio confession ennnot strike you
more startlingly than tlie fnet of my being
in this predicament did me.
The way of it wan this :
Mrs. Townscnd gavo the last party of the
season. ' Everybody was going out of town
in a week or two, and of course cvorybody
must attend this last "demonstration" of
the " best society." I bad been absent
from the city for some time, and my friend
Tom Lesley promised to introduce mo to
the prettiest girl of the season, so I went
arrayed in my best, prepared to see and be
seen to conquer, I hoped, but I never once
dreamed of being conquered. So little wo
know of what fate has in store for us, you
see 1"
"There she is," whispered Tom to mo,
as we entered the room, and pointed to a
tall young lady opposite.
I was struck at the first glance. Thcso
blonde women always had a peculiar fascin
ation for me. Hiss Stanfiold was a blondo
of the purest type., Tall with a willowy
grace in every motion and gesture. Her
complexion was of a rare creamy tint, deep
ening into faint rose color on the cheeks.
Her eyes were blue, ' deop, ' intense and
changeful. But the principal charm was
in her hair of pale dungold 11 no, soft and
remarkably luxuriant. It -was bor own ;
I could tell that by tbo careless way in
which she wore it looped up, with an ar
row set with pearls, with a white ' rosebud
or two fastened over her oar in the most
bewitching way-imaginable. " '
"Introduce me," I whispered back to
Tom. " She's perfectly Bplendid ; the most
magnificent woman I ever saw."
" In love already ?" asked Tom, as we
elbowed our way through the crowd.
" She's a regular flirt, they say ; so be care
ful of your heart. There's a rumor afloat
that young Leusmith offered her his heart
and las million of money last week, both
of which she very coolly declined."
" She can't be manoeuvring for money,
then," 1 replied.' , Young Lensmith .was
the most wealthy young man in our set.
By that time we were near Miss Stanfiold,
and Tom proceeded to introduce us. She
bowed pleasantly, and made room for me
on the sofa where she was sitting. Tom
- gave me a warning nudge by way of a re-
minder that I must be careful, and took
himself off, leaving me alone with the
woman who had won my heart iu five miu
utcs. . I had heard and read of love at first
sight, but never believed anything in the
doctrine before. '" There I was, an illustra
tion of the theory.
I can't tell you what wo said. , , I don't
think I ro exactly clear on that point, for
it &eqroed to, mo that I was in fairy-land
while I was sitting by Lucia Stanfield. It
was very bewildering to sit under the spell
of such deep blue eyes, and the fascina
tion of such low,' j musical voice. I was
bewitched, and I don't think you could ex
pect me, under the circumstances, to re
member what was said. '
By and by some one 'caned lor a song,
and I had the pleasure of leading Miss
Stanfield to the piano, and of turning her
music, after she began to sing. , Turning
musio bad always been my special dislike
before. 1 I began 'to1 think it nice, and re
member vaguely of wishing the world was
a grand piano to be played upon by Miss
Stanfield, and that I might have the ex
quinite pleasure of turning her musio for
her and listening to her as she sang " Cap
tain Jinks," or "Up in a Balloon." . You
nwy know from that, that I was pretty far
cone. r y
' " Mis Stanficld's'taklng young Bedley in
tow, Isn't shea" I heard some one remark
to another during a pause In the musio.
It Ipoks o," was the reply. V !l,J'Ppor
follow I" "'-
What did I care for what they said
about mo? It was a!l jealousy on their
part probably. I glanced down at Miss
Stanfiold and knew that slio had heard
hat had been said, for sho looked up to
mo with a charming blush on hor faco, and
then dropped her beautiful bluo eyes In a
manner delightful to mo, I was not awnro
then that such nn appearance of " delight
ful confusion" could be "manufactured ex
pressly for any occasion whore required."
am wiser now than I used to be.
Later in tho evening I was introduced to
Miss Stanfiold's sister, Mary. A very pret
ty quiet, girl, with nono of her sister Lu
cia's dash or brilliance about her. I re
member thinking at tho timo that such a
girl would mako a capital wife for whoever
was fortunate enough together. There was
something in her quiet, well-bred ways and
half-shy faco that gavo mo that impression.
But her sister outshone her completely in
my estimation ; slio was nearer my ideal,
'this Lucia with tho yellow hair," than
any other woman I had over happened to
meet.
I met Miss Stanfield and lier sister oneo
or twice after that before they left tho city.
found out that they were going directly
from town to Capo May, and declared my
itention to Tom Lesley of going to Capo
May too.
' Miss Stanfield is to bo there, isn't sho?
quizzed Tom. "Seems to me that I heard
fellow by tho name of Sedley declare Cape
May a bore about a year ago. Has the
placo ' met with a change," or is it you ?'
" Both, most likely," I answered, as in-
diflbrently as I could, for I didn't caro to
have cveiybody know how much I cared
for Lucia Stanfiold.
I slipped off to tho Capo tho day before
the Stanfiolds did, to avoid tho appearance
of having followed them. I met Lucia and
hor sister on tho steps as tho carriage
drove up, and was rewarded with a luminous
smile from one, and a half-shy, graceful
little smile and bow from the other. , I
helped them to alight, and managed to tell
Miss Lucia how delighted I was to , know
that slio was to spend n portion of the sea
son at tho Cape ; which I thought a charm
ing place. At which sho smilod upon me
more beamingly than . before, and said
something about " always being happy to
be among congenial frionds.".
I shan't attempt to tell what was said
and done for tho next three weeks.'' With
walks on the beach by moonlight, and sails
down the bay, with long afternoons on the
cliff, reading Tennyson or Owen Meredith
and evenings full of music and gayety, the
time passed swiftly. Before I began to
think of it, pcoplo were talking of going to
Saratoga or the mountains. When Miss
Lucia asked me if I was not intending to
go to Sai atoga for a week or two, : remark
ing incidentally that they: were going,
did not hesitate to remark that "such had
been my . intention all along."
" From there we are going to the White
Mountains for a little rest before returning
to the city,' said Lucia, " This kind of
life isn't rest. It Is better than city lifo,
of course, but one can't help getting tired
of it.1 I want to got away among the moun
tains. I always feel better there. ' Lifo
seoms worth something more to me under
thoir Influence.'1 Doesn't it to you ?"
Of courso it did. ' I was fully prepared
to agree with anything in the sentimental
line that Lucia had to offer. All her drafts
bu sentiment would moot with acceptance
at par at my bank. .
To Saratoga we went. Things had gone
on swimmingly at Cape . May, and things
went on iu tho same way at Saratoga,
made up my mind, the first time wo walked
together beneath tho pines in the ' park,
with the moonlight shining over all like a
blessing, and the mellow crash of the musio
from the; band sounding in the distance,
that I would not propose io Lucia until 'we
had got to the mountains. There, with the
shadow of Mouut 1 Washington fulling at
our feet, would be the fitting place to per
form that somewhat ' difncuit task. I am
free to confess that it did seem like a dim.
cult matter' for me to ask the peerless Lu
cla if she would marry me. But ask her I
was determined to. Could it be possible
that she, would say riot , A thought of the
sails nit Cape May, the walks and talks by
the sea, was sufficient to dispel any doubt
that might obtrude itself upon my mind.
,, )' Lucia is getting in a hurry to go to the
mountains," said Mary to roe one day., I
started. ; Could it be that they 'knew
what I had liceu thinking about? I looked
at Lucia's slater, as she sat opposite jno on
the verandah, and mot look that was
curious mixture of amazement and sadness,
, She dropped her eyes beneath my glance,
and blnshed delightful pink. Yot the
twentieth timo, if not more, tho thought
camo into my mind of bow fortunate some
ono would be in gotting Mary Stanfield for
a wife. Sho looked so fresh in her white
muslin, wit h bluo flowers in her brown hair,
and tho knot of blue ribbon in tho laco at
her throat, that I could not help admiring
hor, and I told hor something to that ofl'ect.
Hor brown eyos lit up softly at the flattery,
which, from its truth, was not flattery after
all. I liked to see her eyes sinilo as they
could whon she was pleased. I had seen a
good deal of her since my acquaintance
with tho Stauflclda began, nnd liked hor
only second to Lucin, I concluded, of all
tho young women I knew.
A week or two after that tho Stanfields
took their departure for tho mountains. I
did not accompany them, for the reason
that I wanted to have a chanco to collect
my wits before proceeding to lay my heart
at Lucia's foot. After they wero gone, I
recollected that sho had not cvon asked me
if I were coining after them. But then,
perhaps, sho had taken it for granted that
I would follow them. She evidently knew
what my intentions were.
The thought occurred to mo that perhaps
I had better writo to her before I went to
tho mountains, and prepare her for what
was coming. Not but that I thought sho
knew that I intended marriage, but that
she might havo timo and opportunity to
think the matter over, and give mo a final
answer at once. I was so sure what that
answer would bo that I was not troubled
much about it.
Consequently I wroto to lior. Horo is
the epistlo, word for word, I have thanked
my lucky stars a thousand times since it
was written, that it was so non-committal.
"Mr Deau Miss Stanfield: The
Springs aro dull since you and your sister
have left them. I think I shall have to try
tho mountains. I think I could find a lit
tle rest there. Do you suppose I could Mud
a wife, too ? Ask Mary if sho knows of
any young lady say a Stanfield for in-
stanco, that would Do apt to accept tho
namo of Sedley in exchange for her own ?
1 am coming to find out about it., . t
" YOU IU, MACK bEDI.EV." ,
" There," I said, folding the somewhat
peculiar epistle, " she'll know what I mean,
of course." ' You will see that I did not
speak of marriago as connected with her-
self, though I certainly meant it in that
way. But fate was smiling on me whon I
wrote that letter. -
Two days after tho lettor was sent I fol
lowed it.
Tho Stanfield party was stopping at a
pleasant, quiet place near the village, and
after supper I started to call on them
felt, I can hardly tell how, but I'm safe In
saying that I've felt considerably more at
my ease than I did when walking toward
the Stanfiold's hotel. Was I not about to
propose to a young woman ? I'll leave my
sensations to the imagination of every
young man who has been on a similar er
rand. Such can appreciate them. To
other people I could never hope to describe
them. I have only to say that " they're
awful !"
It was beginning to got dusky as 1
reached the place. There was a largo gar-
don all about the house, filled with great
clumps of shrubbery, taller than a man's
bend. , ,
I heard Lucia's voice as I walked up tho
path, and stopped to listen.
"It was really amusing," she was saying.
" I do boliove he loved me with nil his heart.
I like him well enough as a friend, but I
couldn't think of marrying him. I couldn't
resist having a little fun at his expense,
though I got bored occasionally thoy wore
so marked, you know so monopolizing, as
If ho thought I belonged to him.' lie wrote
yesterday that be was coining to see about
getting a wife, and wanted mo to ask Mary
if she thought a Miu Stanfield would change
her name for that of Sodley. Of course I
knew well enough what he meant. Won't
he open his eyos when I tell him that am
expecting my 'aln true knight' every day?
Mary gave me a regular scolding for en
couragiug him. i ,1 did not know that I did,
He need not have takon everything ior
granted. I'm almost sure thatA would'nt
tell him no, if he asked her the question be
'U coming to ask me. They would make a
pretty good match, I think., , lie's of good
family, wealthy, and not objectionai In any
way. But my marrying liira I,, The idea V
. , .Then I was treated to ft chorus of fom
inine laughter. I shan't make any effort to
tell you how I felt while listening to Luoia'i
narration of my love affair. What's the
km to try, when I couldn't do the subject a
shadow of justice If youHmaglnatlon' is
very strong,' you' might bring it to' bear on
the ease, and think how 'you wonld have
felt tinder those 'circumstances, ' but you
can't come up to tho reality. Nothing Rhort
f porsonal experience could give you to
understand precisely what my feelings wore
at that period of my existence.
At first I was toft nstonished to think.
Then I began to get disgusted, to realizo
what a fool I had been in allowing myself
to bo so cgrcgiously fooled, in spito of tho
warnings I had had given me, from thoso
who knew what they were talking about,
to bo careful. And I began to grow mad,
and cast about in my mind how I could
urn tho tables on Lucia to her utter dis
comfiture. Thank fortune I Juid'nt proposed
nnd tho probabilty was that I never should
to her, but pcoplo would think I had all
tho samo unless by some brilliant man
oeuvre I contrived to show them how much
they wore mistaken.
What if I should propose to Mary ?
Would sho accept mo, as Lucia had said ?
Would'nt such an action on my part be just
tho thing to defeat Lucia's anticipated
riumpli ? Somehow, ns I thought , tho
caso over, 1 found mysolt glad that tho
easo stood as it did. I had been fortu
nnto in finding out tho real statu of tho
case, and might I not bo mora fortunate In
securing for myself tho woman I had often
thought so well calculated to mako somo
man happy ? I think I must have been in
lovo with Mary all tho while, only I did not
know it. Lucia bewildered and dazzled me
so that I hardly know what I was about.
Now my eyes wcro open, and I began to
see how matters stood,
I heard Mary's voice down tho path.
Sho was singing softly. I walked toward
her, and met faco to face, as we turned an
anglo mado by an old lilac bush. ."
"So you havo como?" she said, softly,
giving me her hand. ".Lucia, got your
let ter. If you ask me tho question you
told Lucia to ask mo, knowing as I do how
the case stands, I should tell you not to
ask hor that important question. You must
excuse me for saying this, Mr. Sedley, but
but I am your friend, and I would spare
you pain. Lucia does not care for you
she is already engaged. Don't give her a
chance to refuse. You bad better forget
her if you can." ' 1
She spoke rapidly and hor voice tremb
led a little. She did not look at mo at all.
Mary," I said tenderly. "I want to
ask the same question of you that I told
Lucia to do you know if ,Mary Stanfield
would change her name for mine? Don't
misunderstand me, Mary, I want you. May
I have what I want ?" : ' , . ,
Such a swift, glad light as flashed into
her eyes I Sho lifted them to mine, and I
answered the unspoken question in them
by pressing one little hand, and saying
I do moan it, Mary. Lucia is too
showy forme. I want somo one to make
home tho best and dearest place in the
world. I love you, Mary, and I want you
for my own." ' .
She answored me by putting both ber
hands in mine, and by the look on hor face
I knew that she had loved roe whilo I had
boon under the spell of Lucia's charms.
We heard stops coming down the path.
Lucia and hor friend came towards us. She
smiled as sho saw me. Now was my timo
for triumph. , , , ;'
" I havo come and have asked the ques
tion of Mary that I told, you to ask.' She
has answered yes. Allow' me to present
to you the future Mrs. Sedley." i
: I said this very coolly. ' I was conscious
of holding tho trump cards of this little
game in my own hands at tlio time when
they were most needed. ' i
' Lucia heard mo through with a vory
changeable ' expression of face. Surprise
defeat chagrin all were there. She
bad boasted of her triumph too soon. I
saw her friend look at her with an evident
desire to indulge in ft hearty laugh at her
expense, , Lucia saw the look, and know
what it meant, and tears 'of mortified pride
sprang to hor eyes. It was too much. , For
a woman who could boast of having won so
many hearts, tu havo the tablet turned
upon hor when sho was almost sure pf
having the pleasure of putting her foot on
another I .!'! ,.' . i.. '. ' '
1 grow more confident, as the years go
by, that my mistake was a lucky one.' Lucia
could never have been to me what Mary is
and many a time I have congratulated my
self on turning the tables. ' ' 1 1
' tIT A lady writer blames tho men more
than tlie worneu for the ridiculous fashions
now in vogue. ." She says i ' "If all men
possessing ft $106,000 and upwards should
forma league not .to foarry anywoman
who mounted a chignon, how . long do ypu
suppose uie ugiy monstrosities would con
tinue to be in vogue f"
A DARKEY WITNESS.
A
BLOOMINGTON (111.,) paper is re
sponsible for tho following ; it beats
"Cousin Sally Dillard" oil hollow :' "Ono
Wednesday afternoon tho examination of
Charles Lewis, ; for alleged attempt at
arson, in trying to burn tlie buildings of
Richard Washington, took placo on change
of venuo from Esquire Lawrence before -Justico
Elbiney and Pancake, J. II. Ham
ilton for prosecution, and John E. Wroy
for defense.
Kicliard Washington, (colored) was tho
prosecuting witness. Ho was dubbed by
the council for tlio defense with tho title of
" General " Washington.
After being sworn the " Gonoral" Baid :
" Well, I quits work 'bout eight o'clock ; 1
knows 'twas 'bout eight, caus don do train
comes In ; I sets 'round do house a while,
my wife she goes to bed ; do dog laid down
to de foot of the bed ; he didn't lay on do
bed, ho laid at do bed ; he is a mighty good
dog ; and then I hoard a noise in 'tother
room ; I knowed dat dat Lewis was in dar
foolin' will dem women. 'Bout 'leven
o'clock ho comes 'round to do door and
knocks. " What do you want dar?" says
I. " I want Jones," says ho. "You just
g'way dar, Jones' gone to bed ; you can't
comoinhyur." " Well," says he, "I wants
Jones ; you just tell Jones he's got to put
up or shut up, dat's what I say."
Here the attorney asks, "what did ho
mean by that?"
" You tell ; you're smart. How d'yo
'sposo I know?"
"Well, what next?"
" Well, I tolls him, you g'way dar.",
"Well, what then?" , i
. ' Well, den he went away.',' ,.
" Well you now go on and tell what
Lewis did?"
" He come back agin 'bout 13 o'clock ; I
knows ,twas dat time, 'caus I looks at my
watch ; I got do best watch in town ; I
knows 'twos after twelve o'clock ; I tells
him dis timo, jist you g'way dar."
" Well, what did ho do then ?"
, "Why,: he went away don."
" Now you go on nnd tell what Lewis
did."
' " As I was saying I quit work 'bout 8
o'clock, I know 'twas eight o'clock, caus
de train1 comes in, I sets 'round do house a
spell, my wife she goes to lied, de dog ' he
laid down to de foot ob do bed, ', he didn't
lay on do bod." . ' ' ',' ''' '
" Hold on. We dou't want to hoar that
again. What aid Lewis do V"
" Well, I quit work 'bout 8 o'clock, , 1
knows 'twas 8 o'clock.causo do train comes
in 'bout den." . i . j. t.
" Never mind that. ; You , charge: that
Lewis tried to sot fire to your house.: What
did you see him do?" , ,i : :,
" Yes, sir. I quits work 'bout 8 'o'clock.
I knows 'twas eight o'clock cause , de train
comes", : i . : ! i 's.
" Never mind the train. What did Lewis
do?"; ., , .. , i ..j i-;.;, :
Oh; what did he do? : Yls I'll tell you.
I quit work 'bout 8, train comes tu 'bout 8.
I sot 'round de house, de dog, he didn't lay
on de bed,' Lewis he comes and wanted
Jones" - '
"Yes, now what did Lewis do? Did ho
light a match ?" ...
1 1 seed him light a match, I did so, dead
shuro. . Didn't see him do nothin' wid do
match, but he lit it. Dat's all I know
'bout do match. He said Jones must put
up or git up.; So I 'lowed he'd burn do
bouse up." : n '. .-. ' ' '
You did not see him sot fire to anything ?"
" I seed him set fire to de match. I
knowed he wanted to burn de house,' 'caus
he said Jones roust put up or git np. I
told him to g'way dar, and so he went off. I
didn't see him burn notbiu' but do match."
And aftc( an abundance of such crushing
testimony as the above, from Mrs.' "Gener
al" Washington and other t' distinguish
ed" ladies and gentlemen, the' court con
cluded not to commit Lewis "for jist set
ting fire to de match.'1 ", ''it I
' He fcas discharged." " I ii '
'''" ' : i-' 1 i
: tW A mamma In the rural districts'late
ly gave her five-year old hopeful au outfit
of fish tackle. Soon she heard a shout from
Willie, and runnlnig out, found one pf her
best hens fast winding up the line in her
eiop, whither the hook had already preced
ed it. , Willie, observing the troubled look
of his mother, quietly remarked J "Don't
worry, mother ; I guess she will stop when
she gets to the pole." '
,.,r -V,-7TT-" ?:t 1 " i. '; ".M "
tSTTlip flist ingredient In conversation
is truth,,,-jhe .. next good sense, thq third
good humor, and the fourth wit.