The Bloomfield times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, December 22, 1874, Image 1

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TERMS PAYABLE IS ADVANCE)) a xt Tvrk-nmXTTMXTm Ti AHfTTir TTniTCT A TlT) ( TERMS PAYABLE IN ADVANCE,
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V01. "VIII. New Bloomfteld, Pa., Tiiesln.y, December 22, 1874. - , ,Vo. 51.
IB PDBM8UEO BVBBT TUKSDAT MOBNINO.BT
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npon application. ,
Making a Match.
"OOH! pooh! What wild fancy is
JL 'this you have, takeu, my dear?"
" 'Tis no wild fancy, Mr. Stanwood, 'tis
the sober truth, and so you will soon find
:if yon do but listen to mo."
" But I tell you, wife, I will not listen to
such an absurdity. Our Ella in love with
herfirawlng master 1 Ha 1 ha I That is the
'best joke I have heard for some time."
" You will find it anything but a joke,
Mr. Stanwood. Now, do please lay aside
that newspaper, and attend to me for a few
'moments, I wish 't get this subject off of
my mind."
" I really .wish you would, my dear. It
is very absurd 'in you to trouble yourself
with suoh foolish -suspicions."
" Once for all, husband, I tell you they
are not suspicions. I have seen enough for
some time to convince me that Ella loves
Mr. Ardley you noed not laugh -so im
moderately rjust liston patiently."
"I'faith, not M"
"Then If you will not listen, you shall
lead," and Mrs. Stanwood unfolded a
dainty little note, and held it close before
the gentleman's eyes, so that they must,
perforce, see 'its contents. One glance
overthrew his smiling Indifforonoe, and
. snatching the note from his wife' hand,
he read :
" 'My dear frank ; I'll dear Frank her,
the baggage; 'Ihavabeen thinkiug over
what you proposed yesterday, and I think
it is better that you should not speak to
papa just yet. lie would not consent
I know he wourd not ; and only think if ho
would forbid our meeting agaia, what
should we do ? Let us wait a little longer,
Frank ; we can still hope for the best, and
not fear for -each other's constancy. I
trust, oh I bow undoubtingly in yon, dear
est Frank, and I know you have the same
trust iu your own Ella t' "
Mr. stanwood read these lines twice
over, closely scrutinizing the handwriting,
" as if be almest thought the billet a for
gery.
"Perhaps 'you are oonvinced now, Mr.
Stanwood," tkl his wife, drily, "If
that does sot prove that Ella loves Mr.
Ardley "
" She does not She must not I She shall
not!" thundered the enraged father; -"my
daughter love one so far beneath her I I'll
teach the silly thing where is she? Bend
her to me immediately I will quickly put
an end to this nonsense."
" I hope you will not deal harshly .with
the child, she is scarcely more than that,
you know," Mrs. Stanwood ventured to
say ; but the only -reply was reiterated re
quest to send Ella to him without delay.
And while the lady departed rather un
willingly on this -errand, the incensed
father paced the room with ' rapid strides,
"nursing his wrath to keep it warm." In
ta few moments a pretty girl came tripping
into the room.
"Miss Stanwood,'!-4egan the father, ia
.-a severe tone, " I am shocked and grieved
iby what I have heard of you this morning.
"What excuse can you .offer for your out
rageous conduct?"
"Why, papa, what is the matter ? What
have I done to displease you?" asked
!la,ker bright, smiling faoe clouding with
anxiety.
' What have you done 5 Is not this
preoious piece of writing your work ? and
the unfortunate note was held menacingly
before iiar.
The young girl caught her bwatb, and
.changed color as she saw it.
" Yes, you may well tremble. You, the
daughter of the Hon. Horace Stanwood, to
pen such a note 1 - Pray, what baa your
drawing-Blaster to say to me that you wish
deferred a little longer? I await your na
ply, Miss Stanwood."
" He wished to to speak to you about
jno," almost sobbed Ella, struggling hard
to subdue her agitation.
" What does ho wish to say about you?"
"Please don't be angry,papa ; he wanted
to toll you that that he loves me."
"He loves you 1" repeated the father
passionately, seizing his now blushing
daughter by the arm. : " How dared he to
dream even of loving you ; and how have
you dared to encourage his presumption?
He loves you 1 The audacious beggar 1 And
you were afraioTthatl would not consent
that I might forbid your meeting him
again. Your fears were prophetic I
would rather see you in your cofUn than
consent to your marriage with a beggarly
teacher. And ' mark my words, if I ever
know you to speak to that follow again, I
will discard you forever. Do you hear me?"
Poor Ella could scarcely be said to hear.
Grief and terror had almost paralyzed her ;
but every word smote koenly on her heart.
Satisfied with the effect of his angry
words, and perhaps half regretting that he
had boon so harsh, for ho was not naturally
a hard hearted man, Mr. Stanwood closed
the interview by desiring his daughter to
retire to her apartment, and there remain
till his farther wishes in regard to her
should be made known. And the unhappy
girl obeyed with alacrity,glad to be allowed
to indulge her grief iu the welcomo solitude
of hor chamber.
" Well, Mrs. Stanwood, I have decided
how to act in regard to that troublesome
Ella. She shall be freed from her Impris
onment soon,"
"I am very glad to hear it. The poor
child looks wrotohedly. Every day she
grows more pale and languid, and her eyes
are dull and heavy with continual weeping."
" Change of scene, aud oountry air will
soon restore the light to her eye and the
roses to her cheeks."
"Change of eoene country air, M.
Stanwood ?"
"Yes, I have concluded to take her off
to my sister Amelia's."
"Away off in New England ?" said tke
wife, dolefully.
"Only a two days' journey, my dear; Bad
then she will be in no danger of meeting
Mr. Frank Ardley confound him I Thoagb
if he has a spark, of feeling be will never
seek to renew the acquaintance after the
language I addressed tohim the other day."
" How long is EHa to be absent ?" aidced
Mrs. Stanwood, after a silence of some mo
ments.
'. "Until autumn. She will enjoy herself
very much at her aunt's, and the entire
novelty of her surroundings will soon -ob
literate the remembrance of this Billy,
school-girl attachment."
Mr. Stanwood's docisiou8,as be was wont
to boast, were always "as fixed as the laws
of the Modes ahd Persians," therefore Mrs.
Stanwood made no opposition to his pro
ject, though she much regretted the
threatened separation from her only living
child.
Ella's ample wardrobe was soon pnt in
order, and on the next morning she started
on uer journey. On reaching Boston, Mr.
Stanwood, greatly te his satisfaction, met
with some friends who would pass by the
town near which dwelt his sister, and
placing Ella under their care, with many
kind words and carouses, (for his violent
anger bad entirely died away,) he parted
from his daughter, and returned home.
The home of Mrs. Rand, Ella's aunt, was
situated near one of ITew England's pret
tiest villages. A narrow path, thickly sot
with maples, led up to the house, whloh
was a quaint old-fashioned building, with
mossy eaves projecting ever long, narrow
windows that were almost concealed by
climbing rosea and woodbine. The long
sweeping branches of two ancient elms
completely shaded the front of the house
and to Ella the wWe place had a gloomy,
forlorn aspect quite repelling.
Mrs. Rand received her young relative,
whom she now saw for the first time, with
great cordiality ; but Ella, low-spirited and
weary, was in no mood to appreciate her
friendliness, and was glad to avail herself
of the old lady's suggestion that she should
retire to her room and refrosh herself with
a nap before tea-time. It was a luxury to
find herself alone in the neat, cool-chamber,
perfumed with the odors of the nwci that
peeped in through the snowy curtains. No
way inellned to take the prescribed nap, (she
lay vacantly looking out on the broad ex
panse of bill and vale ; while her thoughts
returning to the home from whieh she was
now so far distant, dwelt sadly on the
change the past two weeks had wrought
on the clouds thai had so suddenly arisen
in her hitherto unclouded sky, '
Her meditatious were poorly calculated
to raise her spirit, aud Mis. Rand was
much concerned, when she summoned her
niece to tea, to find her still pale, languid
and dejected. .The old lady rallied her
good-naturedly, saying she did not know
what was coming over the girls now-a-days;
in her time young girls had rosy cheeks
and were full of health, and life, and gaye
ty very different from ' the lack-a-daisical
creatures of these times. And Ella smiled,
faintly, as hor aunt talked on, trying to
cheer her up, and thought within herself
how impossible it would be for-her to be
lively or gay any more.
Then the kind old lady dropped the sub
ject, and began speaking of a friend whose
arrival she expected the following day.
" I am delighted that ho is coming at
this time," she said, smiling pleasantly on
her silent guest, "you will be company for
each other ; and I predict you will be
charmed with my friend Harrison. Ella,
my dear, you cannot help it," she added,
laughing, as Ella began to utter a faint
negative, " he is young, handsome, lively,
witty, and all that sort of thing : juBt the
kind of person to captivate silly girls ; but
then he can attract us old folks as well."
And the old lady launched into an enthu
siastic eulogy, on tho many virtues and
amiable qualities of her "friend Harrison,"
until Ella grew quite sick of the subject,
took a real school-girl dislike to Mr. Harri
son, and resolved to be as little in his com
pany as possible.
The morrow came, Ella, by her aunt's
desire, strolled with her through garden,
arid meadow ; fed the chickens ; went down
to the brook to seo the geese and ducks at
their aquatio exorcises, all with an air of
such utter listlessness, that Mrs. Rand was
very much troubled. At length, she had to
return to the house, to attend to some
preparations for the other guest, whom she
was now hourly expecting. .
Ella, glad to be alono, sauntered here
and there at will, caring for nothing, and
then turned to the house, devotedly hoping
that something had occurred to prevent the
exemplary Mr. Harrison's arrival. But, as
she entered the wide hall she heard ber
aunt's cheery voice in the parlor, and that
1 lady at the same Instant appeared :
" Come, my dear," said she, taking the
young girl's hand, and leading her to the
parlor, " I was just going in search of you
hey-day, what's all this?"
For, without waiting to be presented,
Mr. Harrison rushed to meet Ella, and she,
with a little scream of delight, nestled very
cosily in bis arms.
The old lady peered sharply through her
spectacles at the pair, who, for the moment
were too much absorbed in each other to
heed her astonishment. Then explanations
were quickly given, and, it appeared that
Ella's lover, Frank Ardley, was a favorite
from childhood with Mrs. Rand, who al
ways called him his middle name, and to
whom he had now come to impart the
story of his unhappy love, and to seek in
her quiet old home comfort for his wound
ed spirit, and truly he bad found it.
But Ella, when the bewildering rapture
of the unexpected meeting was over, began
to talk, tearfully, yet decidedly, of return
ing home without delay. She knew for what
purpose she bad been sent from home
knew that under present circumstances hor
father would not allow ber to remain an
hour under her aunt's roof so she must
not stay.
Frank, looking very blank at this an
nouncemont,declared be would leave on the
instant, rather than occasion her departure.
But Mrs. Rand vetoed both motions,
" Ella's father had written to her, asking
her to take charge of his daughter for the
summer, and she intended to do it, so Miss
Ella need not think of running away from
her a pretty thing, truly ! And as for Har
rison, his home was always with her when
he could spare the time to come ; so there
they were, and there they must remain,
And If her brother Horace had picked up
the wicked notion that nothing was of val
ue but wealth and grandeur, it ' was high
time for him to drop it again. lie thinks
his daughter too good for Ilarrisou Ardley
Indeed I She could toll him her Harrison
was a mutch far the proudest lndy in the
world I"
Without doubt Ella Stuuwood fully con
curred in this opinion, and the result of the
old lady's representations was, that the
young IjMMtple submitted with wonderful
docility to hor decision and said no more
about leaving.
And now what happy hours they spent
together, quite fulfilling Mrs. Rand's pre
diction. Ella forgot her purpose of disliking
and avoldingjMr. Harrison forgot that she
had ever thought the old homestead gloomy
and Its mistress prosy and garrulous. The
latter w as bow the he, dearest aunt in the
world, and her home the moBt delightful
spot. And Mrs. Rand had no cause for
farther lamentations over the young girl's
paleness and want of spirits ; the roses had
returned to her cheeks, and her gayety and
sportivenoBs amused and delighted her
warm-hearted aunt.
"The dear, young thing 1" she would say
to horself, as she saw the lovers so happy
in each other, " she is just the wife for
Harrison Ardley, and his wife she shall be,
all her father's prejudices to the contrary,
notwithstanding."
So the summer glided by, and from time
to time Mrs. Rand sent good reports to the
parents respecting their daughter, which
reconciled them to her absence, and caused
Mr. Stanwood to pride himself greatly on
the wisdom of the course he had pursued.
.
Early in September came a long letter to
Mr. Stanwood from his sister. It informed
him that a mutual attachment existed be
tween his daughter and a young gentleman
whom the writer had known, from his in
fancy, and whom even she considered
worthy to be the husband of her lovely
niece, "in short, they aro meant for each
othor," tho letter went on, "and I am
quito certain their union will be a happy
one. You see I am counting on your con
sent, as a matter of course, for I know if
you searched the States all through, you
could not find a more unexceptionable
match for Ella. My adopted son, Harrison,
is a very fine young man in every respeot,
talented, ( an important qualification with
us New Englanders, you know,) and he
comes 6f au old family, too, being related
to tho Harrisons of county. I have
long intended to make him my heir ;
though, for that . matter he has wealth
enough of his owu, still I have taken a
fancy to leave what property I possess to
one who will make good use of it, and it re
joices mo to think, that with your consent,
my two favorites for Ella has become
very, very dear to me will share my world
ly goods." Mrs. Rand closed her letter of
throe pages, by requesting that the mar
riage might take place at her house, and
that the parents would designate a suitable
day for the ceremony, and come to assist
thereat.
Mr. Stanwood mused a long time over
this letter, read it through once more very
deliberately, and then summoned his wife
to the library. Mrs. Stanwood perused tho
letter, aud returned it, simply asking if
be intended to accede to his sister's prop
ositions. "I do," was the emphatic rejoinder.
" Having considered the subject carefully,
in all its bearings, I consider that we may
deem it very fortunate that our daughter
has fixed her mind on one whom we can
approve ; for, I havo such perfect confi
dence in Amelia's judgment, that I be
lieve the gentleman whom she regards so
highly will merit my full approbation."
"ButElluis so young," remonstrated
the mother, '" and besides she ; should be
married at home."
" We would prefer to have it so, cer
tainly, my dear ; butAmelia is so desirous
to have the marriage take place beneath
her roof that I should really be loath to
deny her. And again, it would be very
impohtio to run the risk of displeasing her.
I should not wish ber property, which is
quite valuable, to be lost to the family, on
every account, therefore, it is the wisest
course to yield to her desires ; you can
give as large a party as you please, in hon
or of Ella's nuptials, on our return home."
And Mr. Btanwood, having thus decided
the matter, penned an appropriate letter to
his sister, appointing the 8rd of October,
Ella's birthbay, for the wedding.
On the evening previous to the appoint
ed day, the parents reached the farm-house,
according to a promise to that effect. Mrs.
Rand took care to have the young people
out of the way on their arrival, and having
conducted Mrs. Stanwood to her apartment
to dress for the evening, she began to ex
patiate very pathetically to her brother, on
his daughter's unhappiness aud dejection
on her first coming to the homestead. In
reply, Mr. Btanwood told of her ridiculous
penchant for her drawing-master, winding
up with, " A young fellow without any
conceivable claim to aspire to the hand of
child of mine a mere nobody, sister
Amelia. I really folt sorry for little Ella,
but the thing was too absurd to be allow
ed to go on. I would never sanction such
folly.'7
"not even if your opposition had con
signed hor to an early grave ?" inquired
his sister, very solemnly.
"Oh, there was no danger of that," and
the gentleman smiled, carelessly ; " In our
matter-of-fact age, people do not die of love
or broken hearts."
"Perhaps not; but it Is certain many
have died of diseases superinduced by con
tinued anxiety or melancholy. We all
know something by experience of the pow
er the mind exerts over our physical
health . and, for my part, I trembled for
Ella, when I saw how prone she was to
silent, mournful reveries how impossiblo
it was to interest hor in anything. I re
member bow your other children had faded
away in curly childhood, and I feared for
her, so fragile, so youiig, and with a griev
ous disappointment evidently preying on
her mind." , ,
"But that did not last long," ropliod the
father, more affocted than he wished to
show; "you wrote me soon after her ar
rival, that she was fast regaining cheerful
ness and health."
" I did, brother, and glad was I that I
could truthfully make such a statement.
But who was the porsou who mado such an
impression on Ella's fancy ? I should like
to hear something more from you concern
ing him ?"
"So tell the truth, Amelia," said Mr.
Stanwood, rather embarrassed by tho ques
tion, " I know no more of him than what
I have already told you."
" Which is surely very little. Then you
had no objection to him save that he was
teaching for a livelihood ?"
"That was a sufficient one."
"But tell me, Horace, if this young
Ardley's position and fortuno wcro such as
would entitlo him to aspire to your daugh
ter would you in that case consent to their
union ?"
" Very probably I should, for I rather
liked the young fellow, but not as a suitor
for Ella ; but may I ask the drift of all
these questions ?"
" Simply, that I know more of - the in
dividual in question than you. If I tell
you that my adopted sou, Harrison, has
another name, that he was known to you
as Frank Ardley, - what then, brother?
Nay, now, don't let passion take the place
of reason, Horace ; you wore wont to judge
of matters In an impartal, dispassiomd
manner, and I trust Buch is yot your cus
tom." Mrs. Rand bad not forgotten her broth
er's weak point ; the compliment was ono
especially agreeable to him, and unwilling
to have it seen unobserved, he kept down
his rising anger.
"But you cannot mean this, Amelia,"
he said presently, "you wrote me that
young Harrison, whom you intended to bo
your heir, had wealth enough of his owu."
"And so he has," replied the old lady,
emphatically, "ho has tho .best of all
weaHb, a wealth derived from his Creator,
and ot which no 'revulsion in monoyed
circles,' no change of 'fickle fortune'
can despoil him. He has the wealth of a
lofty spirit, strong in unyielding rectitude
of a generous, manly heart of a sound
mind, gifted, too, with some of the bright
est talents that heaven bestows. Yes, he Is
rich In all these ; and tell me Horace Stan
wood, have you not seen men rise to the
highest eminence by means of these pos
sessions, while the envied sons of million
aires have fallen to the lowest depths of
povorty, and worse, of degradation and
crime? I have seen such things, and
though your years are fewer than mine, I
doubt not you can recall mapy instauces of
tho kind that you have seen or heard of."
Mr. Btanwood mused in silence. "Re
lated to the Harrisons of - county, I
think you said ?" he asked at length.
" Yes, Gerald Harrison is his uncle on
the mother's side," roplied Mrs. Rand,
with a covert smile, for sho saw that she
had gained the day. Just then Ella came
tripping by the window,and,at a sign from
from her aunt entered. She flew into her
father's arms, all smiles aud blushes ; then,
oppressed with sad misgivings, she buret
into tears.
Pooh ! silly child, you have nothing to
foar," he whispered, cheerfully. "Ah,
Harrison, my dear follow !" he added, us
that personage appeared, aud offering his
hand cordially to tho astonished lover.
" I suppose I must give this wilful girl to
you ; seo to it that you never causo me to
repent my compliance."
"Heaven helping me, I nover will Mr.
Stanwood," was tho quiet but firm-toned
reply.
Mrs. Rand, having waited to learn this
much, hastened to her sister-in-law to re
late how mutters stood ; and tho two soon
descended to joiu the happy trio In the
- nest, room. '
A bannv eveninir wn Riieiif-. Iiv nit AT-
Stanwood was in his most pleasant mood,
and his sister could see that every moment
he was becoming more pleased with his
prospective son-in-law.
" I never made but one match," the old
lady was wont to say in after years ; "bin
that was one to brag of."