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'tn,'H AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. ".Sf'
Vol.' VII. Now Bloomiield, Pa., Tuesday, November 11, 1873. IVo. -iff.
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A Woman's Mistake.
ONE COOL afternoon In tlio fall
Chester P. LtsRoy a gentleman, stood
on tlio platform, of the Albany depot,
watching tlio procession of passengers just
arrived in tlio Hudson river boat, who
filed past mo on their way to the cars.
The. Boston train, by which I had come,
waited as patiently as Bteam and fire
might, for thoir leisure, with only occa
sional and faint . snorts of remonstrance
at the delay ; yet still the jostling crowd
hurried past into tho cars, and ilitted
through' them in, soarch of seats their
increasing numbers at last warned me that
I might find it difficult to regain my own,
and I followed them.
" I beg your pardon, sir " '
" I turned, in obedience to a touch on
my arm, and I saw a respectable looking
negro man before mo, who bore a trav
elling bag and a shawl, and was evidently
the attendant of a slendor and stylish girl
behind him. ' " ' ' '
" Do I speak," he said, bowing re
spectfully, and glancing at the portman
teau I carried, on which my surname was
quite legible ; " do I address, sir, Mr. Le
Roy?" "That is my name rjit your service
what can 1 do for you ?', ' ' "
" The young lady, Miss Floreuco
Dundard, who was to join you at Albany
at six o'clock this evening I have chargo
of her."
He turned to the young lady behind
him "This is Mr. LcRoy, miss." 11
The young lady, whose dark blue eyes
have been scanning me, as I could per
ceive, through her blue silk veil, now
lifted it with an exquisitely gloved hand,
and .extended the other to mo with a
Charming mixture of frankness and tim
idity. ' " I am very glad to meet you, Mr. Le
Roy,' said she.' "I ' thought I should
know you in a moment. Jenny described
yon to- accurately.' How kind it wai of
you to offer to take care of me. I hope I
shan't trouble you."
lii the mUsi, of my bewilderment, at
thus being addressed by the sweetest
"Voice in the world, I managed to see that
I must make a proper reply, and I pro
ceeded to stammer" out 1 what I thought to
be an appropriate speech, when the ser
vant who bad left us for a moment, return
ed, and I abandoned it, unfinished. '
" Did you see to my baggage, Edword?"
asked his mistress.
"Yes, Miss, it Is all on."
" Then you had bettor hurry to reach
the seven o'clock boat. Good-bye, and
tell them you saw me off.",
, I stood like one in a dream, while the
man handed me two checks for the trunks
and endued me with the light baggage he
bad carried, but I was roused by the young
lady's asking me if we had not better se.
cure our seats in the cars, and I answered
her by offering my arm. In ten minutes
we were seated side by side, and trundling
out of Albany at a rate that grew faster
and faster.
I bad no time to reflect with that lovely
face opposite me, but what was the use?
Borne strange mistake , had undoubtedly
happened, and I had been taken for suoth
r person of . tin same name ; but bow to
remedy this Dow , without alarming the
innocent young lady in my charge, bow to
find the right man, with the right name,
among several hundred, people, and bow to
transfer her, without au unpleasaut scene
and explanation, to the care of eome'one
who person was no lets strange to bor
than mine !..,',
While these thoughts whirled through
my bead, I happened to encounter those
smiling eyes fixed upon me. I will not
trouble or distress ber by any knowledge
of her 'posjtlou, I concluded, "but will
jus t do my best to fill the place of the indi
vidual she took me for, and conduct her
wherever she wishes to go, if I can only
find out where it is !" I turned to her with
nn affectation of ease, which I was far
from feeling, and said
" It's a long journey."
"Do you think so?" But it is very
pleaBftnt, isn't it? Cousin Jenny enjoyed
it so much !" -
" Ah, indeed 1"
" Why why, what a queer man 1" she
said with alight laugh. "Doesn't she
never toll you as sho does mo in all her
letters, how happy she is, and that St.
Louis is the sweetest placo in the world to
live in ? Dear me ! that I should have to
tell her hiiBband first. How we shall laugh
about it when we get there 1" ."
So it was St, Louis where we were going
to, and I was her cousin's husband. I
never was so thankful for two pieces of
information in my life.
" And how docs dear Jenny look, and
what is she doing ? And how is Aunt
Beman? Do tell the news."
" Jenny," said I, mustering courage,
and words, " is the dearest littlo wife in
tho world, you must know, only far too
fond of her scamp of a husband. As to
her looks, you can't expect me to say
anything, for sho always looks lovely to
me."
"Bravo," said the pretty girl, with a
malicious smile, " but how about aunty's
rheumatism?" ,
' Miss, I mean, of course, Mrs. Beman
is very well."
" Well 1" said my lair questioner, re
garding me with a look of surprise. "I
thought she had not been well for a num
ber of years."
" I moan well for ber" said I, in some
trepidation; "the air of St. Louis (which
I have since learned is of a misty moisty
order) has done her a world of good. She
is quite a different woman.'
" I am very glad," said bor niece. .".
She remained silent for a few moments,
and then a gleam of amusement began to
dance in her bright eyes.
"To think," she said, suddenly turning
to mo with a musical laugh, " that jn all
this time you have not once mentioned the
baby 1"
I know I gave a violent start, and I
think I turned pale. After I had run
the gauntlet of all these questions triumph
antly, as I thought, this now dangor stared
me in the face. How was I to describe a
baby, who bad never noticed one? My
courage sank below aero, but in the same
proportion the blood ran to my face, and
I think my teeth fairly chattered dn my
head. . ' " , ' .
"' " Don't be afraid that I shall not sym
pathize in your raptures," continued my
tormentor, as I almost considered her, I
am quite prepared to believe anything after
Jenny'f letter you should see bow she
cares for him 1" . .
mm I blessed goodness ; then it must
be a boy 1
"Of oourso, said I, blushing and stam
mering ; but feeling it imperative to say
something, "we consider him the finest
fellow in the world, but you might not
agree with us, and in brdor to leave your
judgment unbiased; I shall . not describe
him to you." ' i . ...
"Ah I but I just know' how he looks,
for Jenny had no scruple, so you can spare
yourself the trouble, or happiness, which
ever it is ; but tell me what you mean to
call him." ,
"We have not decided on a name," I
replied. ' ' '
" Indeed I ' I thought she intended to
give him yours."
The deuce she did I thought I. "No,
one of a name is enough in a family," :;I
answered. 1 '
The demon of inquinitlveness, that, to
my thinking, hod Instigated my companion
heretofore, now ceased to possess her ; for
we talked of various indifferent things, and
I had the relief of not being compelled to
draw ''on my own Imagination at the ex
pense of my conscience, when ' I gave the
particulars of my recent journey to Boston.
Yet I was far from being at ease, for every
sound of hervoioe startled me with a dread
of fresh questions, necessary but impossi
ble to be answered, and 1 felt a guilty
flush streaming upon my temples every
time I met the look of those innocent
eyes. ' ' ) .
' It was late when we- stopped for' sup
per, and soon after I saw the dark fringes
of my companion's eyes drooped long and
often, and began to realize that she ought
to be asleep. I know porfectly well that it
was my duty to offer her a resting place on
my shoulder, ' but I hardly had courage
enough to ask that innocent fuoe to lie
upon my arm,' which was not, as she
thought it, that of a cousin and a married
man. Recollecting, however, that it was
my duty to make her comfortable, nnd that
I could scarcely deceive more than I had
already done, I proffered tho usual civilty.
She slightly blushed, but thanked me, and
accepted , it by leaning her head lightly
against my shouldor, and looking up to my
eyes with a smile, said : " As you are my
cousin," Soon aftor her eyes closed, and
she slept sweetly Rnd calmly as if resting
in security and peace.
I looked clown at the beautiful face,
slightly paled with fatigue, that rested
against mine, and felt like a villain ; I
dared not touch her with my arm, although
tho rebounding of the cars jostlod her very
much. I sat remorseless until tho sleeper
settled the matter by slipping forward and
awakening. She opened her eyes instant
ly, and smiled. '
" It's no use for me to try to sleep with
mybonnoton," sho said ; " for it is very
much in the way for me ; I am sura it
troubles you."
So Bhe removed it, giving me the pretty
little toy, with its graceful ribbons and its
flowors, to put it on the rack above us. I
preferred to hold it, telling her it would bo
safer with me, and after a few objections
she resigned it, being in truth too sloepy
to contest the point ; then, tying the blue
silk veil over her glossy hair, she leaned
against my shoulder and slept , once more.
This time, whon the motion began to be
shaky and annoy her, I stifled tho reproach
es of my conscience, and passing my arm
lightly around her slender waist, drew her
head upon my breast, where it lay all
night. i ...
Sho slept the sleep of innocence, serene
and peaceful, and it is needless to say that
I could not close my eyes and ease my con
science. I could only gaze down on the
beautiful, still face, and imagine how it
woujd confront me if sho knew what I
was, and how I had deceived her ; or,drearn
ing more wildly still, reproduced it in a
hundred scenes, which I had never before
paused to imagine, as the faco of my wife.
I had never , lovod, unless the butterfly
loves of Saratoga and Newport might be so
dignified, aud still loss had I dreamed or
thought of marrying, even as a possibility
and far contingency. Never before, I sol
emnly aver, had I seen the woman whom I
wished to make my wife never before bad
I so longed to call anything my own as I
did that lovely faco lying on my heart.
No, it was impossible for me to sleep. '
In the morning we reached Buffalo, and
spent the day at Niagara. If I bad
thought her lovely while sleeping, what
was she while the light of feeling and
expression played over ber face, as she
eloquently admired the scene before us, or
was even more eloquently still. I don't
think that I looked at the cataract as much
as I looked at her, or thought the one cre
ation more beautiful than the other.
Sho was now quite familiar with me in
Iter innocent way, calling me "cousin
Frank," and seemed to take pleasure in
my society and protection. It was delight
ful to bo greeted bo gladly by her when I
entered the hotel parlor to have her come
forward from the lonely seat where she bad
been waiting, not unobserved or unnoticed,
to receive me to have ber bang on my
arm look tip in my face tell me all her
littlo adventures alone (how very long it
seemed to mo), while every word and look
and smile seemed doubly dear to me, be
cause I knew the precarious tenure by
which I held my right to them. She busied
horself, too, while I was gone out, with
our Joint baggage, and rumaglng all over
Our trunks to find a box which I bad ex
pressed a desire to see. She mended my
gloves, sewed the band on my travelling
cap,' found my cigar case whenever 1 bad
lost it, which was about twenty times a
day, while she scolded me for my care
lessness which she declared almost equaled
her own.' '' ' ''' : "' ' ' ' 1 ' ' " "' '
' Long ago she' bad given1 into my pos
session her' elegant little portmannaie,
" with all the money in it, which she was
sure she would lose, as she could never
keep anything ;" and as she had ordered
me to take out what she wanted for ber
travelling expenses, I opened ' it with
trembling hands when' I was) alone, and
examined the contents. ; There were, be
sides all the bank bills with which she hod
probably been fnrnished for her journey,
' and which with pious car she had packed
Into the smallest possible compass, as much
gold as her tiny toy ' could carry, a tiny
pearl ring, too small for my finger, but not
for her's which I am afraid I kissed
a card with my name on it, and a memo
randum in a pretty band, " No. Oliver
street, St. Louis," which I rightly conjec
tured was tho residence of her cousin Jen
ny, whose hiiBband I was a very fortunate
discovery for me. Indeed, thus far I had
not found the way of tho trasgrcssor hard
in external circumstances at least, nnd
whon with her 1 forgot everything but her
grace and beauty and my firm resolution
to be no more to her than her cousin should
bo ; but out of that charming prcsonce I
was miserable
I am afraid that I must sometimes have
betrayed tho conllicts of feeling I had, by
my manner ; but whon I was reserved and
cermonious with her sho always resented
it, and begged mo so bewitchingly not to
treat her so, and to call her by hor sweet
name, "Florence," that had I dreamed as
much as I longed to do, I could not have
refused hor. But the consciousness that I
was not what she thought me, but an im
postor, of whom, after connection had
ceased, and she had discovered the decep
tion practised upon her, she should think
or remember nothing that would not cause
unmerited self-reproach and mortification ;
all innocent and trusting as she was, this
reflection, more than any other, I confess,
aud the knowledge of tho estimation in
which Bhe would forever hold mo, after my
imposition was discovered, agonized mo,
and I would havo given all I possessed to
own it to her nnd leave her sight at once
though the thought of seeing her no more
was dreadful. But that could not bo. .
At last we reached St. Louis. Do I say
at last ? When the sight of those spires
and gables warnod me that my brief dream
of happiness was over, that the remorseful
reflections I bad been staving off so long
were now to commence in earnest, the
thought of the coming banishment from
Florence was dreadful to me, and the time
seemed to fly on lightning wings as it drew
near. ' , ,
She was all gayety, and was astonish
ed at my sadness and my absence ot mind
when so near home and Jenny, and when
we entered the carriage that was to convey
us to our destination, I bad a miud to take
a cowardly flight rather than encounter
the scorn and disappointment of those
blue eyes; but I mustered courage and fol
lowed her in, giving the address I found in
the portmannaie, which fortunately was
the right one, to the driver.
" Almost homo I" said she, turning her
bright face toward me we were rattling
up the streets, and my time was short
"how can you be so quiet?".. ' ,
" Because, Miss Florence," ' I answered,
" the time has come in which I must con
fess to you that I have no more right to
the bouse, to which you are now hastening,
than to the name by which you address me,
and that my only claim to either is that of
an imposture and deceiver." i . j .
Sho turned her lovely face, . wondering
and puzzled, toward me. .Thank heaven I
did not read fear or aversion in it. , , i
' No right I no claim !" she' repeated,
"what can you mean 1" ! , -. , ,, .,,; . -,
' I confessod the whole truth, as1 nearly as
I have set it down here, denying nothing
and concealed nothing not even the use
less secret of my love for her. When tho
brief recital was ended, we remained both
silent, but she had 'bidden her face. I
conld see she trembled violently with shame
and repulsion. The sight of ber distress
was agony to me, and I tried to say a few
words of apology. ' ' t
" You oannot blame or bate me, Miss
Dundard, more than I blame or hate my
self," I said, "for the distress' I have un
willingly caused you.' Heaven knows that
if I accepted the charge of so much inno
cence and beauty too lightly, I bave heavily
atoned since in having occasioned this suf
fering to you, and my own punishment is
more than I can bear." " ' 1
' The coach stopped as I spoke ( she 7 turn
ed to me eagerly, her face bearing traces of
tears, laid in a low voice, " Do not misun
derstand me If I was so silent."'" 1 ,!l " " 1
Ths coachman threw open the ' door and
stood waiting. ' I was obliged to descend
and assist ber out. I hardly dared to touch
that little hand, though it was for the last
time, but watched her graceful figure with
sad distress. ' Bhe was already recognised,
for the door was thrown open; 'and a pretty
woman followed by a fine-looking, black
whiskered gentleman, whom I supposed to
be my namesake, rushed down the steps.
There were exclamations of astonishment
and 1 pleasure a cordial ' welcome and
some rapid questions; to which Florence re
turned very low and quiet answers, and
quickly extricating herself from the con
fusion, presented me as " Mr. Le Roy, your
husband's namesake, and the geutlemhu
who kindly took charge of me." - "
I glanced at her face to see if she -was
mocking me, but it was pale and grave.
Mrs. Le Roy opened hor eyes widoly, but
was too well bred to express her surprise,
nnd after Introducing me to her husband in
the same terms, inviticd mo into tho house.
Hardly conscious of what I did or of any
thing except that I was still in the presonco
of Florence, from which I could not en
dure to banish myself, I followed them into
a liandsonio parlor, where sat an old lady
whom my conscience told me was the rheu
matic aunt I had so cruelly belied. Flor
ence herself presented me to the lady, who
was a fixture and unable to rise from her
chair, aud before I could stammer out an
apology and retire, relatod iu hor own
way (how different from mine !) the mis
take by which sho bad been placed in my
caro, and tho history of tho jouruey, in
which it appeared that Mr. Lo Roy, bad),
been a fellow passenger. When sho hadt
ended, they all crowded around me, warm-.,
ly expressing thanks for my "kindness and-,
consideration," to my utter bewilderment .
and surprise, cordially invited me to re--
main with them, and make the acquaint-.,
auce of my namesake and family,
I detached myself from all this unexpect
ed kindness as soon as I could,for I fancied
I read aversion in tho flashing and pal
ing faco and drooping eyes of Florence,
and with one last look at her left the
room. A moment aftor, and I folt the
touch of a light hand on my arm, and,
turning, Baw with muto surprise that sho
bad followed me into the vestibule.
"Mr. Le Roy," she said hurriedly, "'I
cannot let you go away misunderstanding
me as 1 see you do. If I was silent,
while you humbly apologized for the noble,
generous and honorable conduct? I was too
much astonished, afterward too much
moved and grateful to . speak. . I owe
you more than I can say, and should bo
miserable indeed if a false shame, which
you see has not prevented me tolling you
this, should prevent you from continuing
an acquaintance so strangely begun.
Trust me, sir, I speak the truth.",
I don't know what answer I made, for
the revulsion of my feeling was almost too
great for words, and the rapture of know
ing as I looked down in that lovely face,
that it was not for the last time, quite took
away the little Bouse I had remaining.
If you want to know how I folt, ask a
man who is to be hung how he would feci
to be reprieved. , ,
Well, how time flics I It certainly does
not seem five years since all this happened,
yet cousin Jenney (my cousin Jenny now)
so bitterly reproaches us in her last
letter for our not visiting her in all that
time. We bave again undertaken the
journey, but under different auspices, siuco
Florence is Florence Dundard no more, and
sleeps upon my arm in the cars no more
blukhingly, but with the confidenco of a
wife of nearly five years' standing j and I
registered our names in the hotel books as
" Mr. and Mrs. Le Roy," and blessed my
lucky itars as I read it over.
' Even while I write,' Florence, lovelier
than evcr? as I think, makes a great pro
tense ' of arranging ' our ' baggage at the
hotel where we stop (and which has re
minded me by the past transactions to writo
down this story), or comes leaning over
me to call me "dear Chester," in stead of
"dear cousin Frank," as five years before,
and to scold me for being so stupid as to
sit and write, instoad of talking with her.
Was ever man so happy from a woman's
mistake. ;, . .,j i .. .. ,; i .
' ' , ' Steel Manufacture. '
The stcelj ' manufactures of Sheffield,
England are greatly ' exercised over the
prospective loss of mucli of their trade
through the competition of this country.
A Sheffield newspaper mentions a rumor of
the "removal of the Sheffield steel business
to the United Htator," adds that more than
one of the lead ing Sheffield steel establish
ments are engaged or interested in Pitts
burg or Philadelphia. The inciting causa
of this great change appears In the Impor
tant fact mentioned that Bilboa (Spanish)
ore Is being Imported into the United States
and made into stool at a much lower rate '
than Sheffield firms can sell it. . American
cutlery iu various linos of goods has for a
good while past successfully competed with
the British article, but this is the first time
that Sheffield has acknowledged that the
mantle is falling on other shoulders.'
tlT Recently a man standing on a wharf
at Cincinnati observed a dog swimming
around In a circle in the river. The ob
server went to rescue the dog, and dis
covered near hira the body of a mati who as
the coroner's Inquest proved, had commit
ted suicide; " ne had teen the dog's own
er, and the faithful animal had clung to
him even in death.