n
TJIK TIMES, NEW BL00MF1EL1), PA., MAltCH C, 1878.
Vows Made to be Broken.
N'
O, HI HI" Bald Julian Ferrean en-
ergetleally, as lie tossed tils cigar
away, preparatory to Joining the ladies :
"I'm not a marrying man. In my
bumble opinion, about the worst thing
a man ean do with himself is to Blip his
tteek luto the matrimonial iiooro 1"
"What I ynnV cried Tom Revere,
" You holding fortli against matrimony
with your reputation for gallantry, and
your confessed adoration of the lovely
sex? I'm thunder-struck I"
"Certalnlv. I adore the Indies; I've
much too high a regard for them to wish
them condemned to such a state of ser
vitude. Tie a woman down to the cares
and vexations of married life; subject
her to the whims of a man whom site is
.hound to obey ; and make her the wor
ried slave of half a dozen young tor
ments and you've spoiled her I" con
cluded Julian, with some excitement.
A vociferous clapping of hands from
the adjacent bay-window greeted this
peroration, and the energetic orator, who
had not been aware of any audience save
Tom Revere, was rather discomposed to
tlnil himself declaiming before half a
dozen girls, and three or four masculine
satellites of the same ; while a chorus of
laughing voices added their din to that
of the applauding hands.
" liravo 1 Ferrean, relieve your mind
if voil do astonish the public 1 Who
cares for the fitness of things I" roared
llarrv Blount's thundering buss ubove
all the shrill outcry.
"Upon my word, Mr. Ferrean, if I
had known you were not a marrying
man, I'd never have' given you all those
waltzes 1 I reimunce you, sir, hence
forth and forever!" laughed Annie
Orlerson.
" Sound sense, every word of it, Mr,
l-'erreanl" declared Belle Blount, em
phatically.
11 Vewy neat, Ferwean ; vewy neat, i
and cxtweiuely well put," drawled Hid
ney Phillips, the greatest fop and dandy
of our set, but a man whom none of us
' liked to anger.
" What egregious nonsense, Julian!"
aid pretty, piquant Rose Ferrean.
" Come In, Julian, won't you V" said
his cousin, Edna Reese.
Julian followed Tom Revere, who had
already entered the house ; and, coming
into the drawing-room, found that wor
thy established beside his particular
affinity, blue-eyed Annie Orlerson.
Our party were spending the afternoon
jtt Cbetwoode Hill, in honor of Miss
-Blanche Chetwoode's arrival, and for
the purpose of making thatyoung lady's
acquaintance. She was a cousin of
Nora Chetwoode, from the city, and we
had been so long accustomed to hear
Nora rave about her, that we were all
anxious to meet the paragon. So, when
we received Nora's notes, announcing
her visit and inviting us to make a little
informal party for her,eaoh and every one
of us donned his most Impressive attire
and made himself as killing as possible,
and repaired to Chetwoode Hill, speak
ing only for the masculine members of
the party, because the the ladies did not
appear to be gotten up with any unusual
degree of Bumptuousness; but then you
never can be sure whether a lady has
spent three hours or ten minutes in the
preparation of her toilet.
I may as well confess that I, Rlcha rd
Branden, attorney at law, left my office
during business hours, took this unusual
pains with my personal appearance, and
walked a mile to Chetwoode Iifll that
vrarm June day, caring very little
whether Miss Blanche Chetwoode were
beautiful as a hour! or ugly as a Gorgon,
provided only that little Nora was gra
cious and sweet to me. I did confess it
to Rose Ferrean, and she said I had
more sense than she gave me credit for.
We were the first party to arrive;
Rose Ferrean and I, Edna Reese and
Julian. Nora met us at the door, her
hazel eyes shining, her jetty curls danc
ing all around her pretty little head,
looking altogether such a charming
picture of delight and satisfaction that
I inwardly renewed my vow to propose
upon the very first elllgibleopportunity
Ah ! little did I think that, within three
hours, I Bhould voluntarily renounce
that vow, and but I will not anticipate.
Nora led us to the drawing-room, and
introduced us to Blanche Chetwoode,
Julian Ferrean was the first to be pre.
sented, and I saw by hid face that he
was profoundly impressed. And no
wonder, for the girl was a marvel;
alateiy ana slender as a lily, and as
wuite, inougn ner Heavy braids were
like jet, and matched her sloe-black eyes.
riiere was a dainty tint or pink upon
tier cheeks, and her mouth was like a
ijoral bow. She wore a thin black dress,
and had yellow lilies in her hair and on
her bosom ; the effect of which attire
was artistically perfect.
Julian Ferrean, tall, fair-haired, ele
gant Julian, for whom the girls " pulled
eaps," and were jealous of each other ;
with wnose blue eyes and blonde mus
tache they were won't to be smitten at
first sight; and who gallantly distribu
ted bis attentions among them all, with
such perfect impartiality that they called
him "everybody's beau," he seemed to
strika Mis Chetwoode very favorably,
for I saw an expression of positive ad
miration In her face Us he bowed low be
fore her. " Here," I thought, " la the
beginning of a romance."
Therefore nobody was more surprised
than I to hear Julian, who, a little later,
had been out to smoke' with Tom Re
vere, get off that speech against matri
mony which the company received with
such various comments. I was equally
surprised to see Blanche Chetwoode turn
around with approving eyes B9 he enter,
ed, and to hear her say, In her sweet,
distinct voice :
' " Mr. Ferrean, I heartily agree with
you. It appears to me that the institu
tion of marriage, as it exists at present,
is a miserable failure."
Julian looked rather taken by surprise
but he bowed with something more than
his usual air of deference.
" I am flattered to find that Miss Chet
woode and myself are of the same opin
ion," he said.
" I have long held that opinion," said
Miss Chetwoode, gravely. " I think no
woman could have a true regard for a
man, and yet be willing to Impose upon
hliii the burdens which matrimony, ex
cept in the most unusual cases, must en
tail ; nor could a man who possessed
any feeling of chivalry introduce the
woman lie professed to love into that
which Mr. Ferreau well calls a state of
servitude. I believe there Is a Plutonic
regard which may and should exist be
tween persons of opposite sex, and which
would be far more sutisfuctory and ele
vutiug than that senseless passioiulled
love!"
This speech, certainly a remarkable
one for a young lady to make, was re
ceived in silence by all save Rose Fer
rean ; she turned up her pretty little
nose, and said, simply but forcibly, "Oh
pshaw 1"
For which Irreverent remark Miss
Rose was rewarded by a glance of scath
ing rebuke from her brother, who had
been regarding Miss Chetwoode's ani
mated face In silent and admiring ap
proval. After a little, Belle Blount
spoke, in her decisive fashion,
You are right, Miss Chetwoode. I do
not believe in matrimony, and I think
love and love-making about the most
stupid business one could possibly en
gage in."
Sidney Phillips Bbot an odd side-look
at the handsome black-eyed Belle; and
I, who knew Sidney pretty well, had
never seen that look In his Bleepy gray
eyes except wnen ne meditated some
piece of diablerie. He had told me
once that he meant to marry Belle
Blount ; not that he had ode red himself
to her, nor, Indeed, that he hud ever
been especially attentive to her; but I
believed Implicitly from that hour that
Belle wpuld be the future Mrs. Phillips.
Sydney was accustomed to have his own
way ; no one ever knew him to full In
any undertaking. But now he said, in
his laziest drawl,
" Weally, now, Miss Belle, would you
accept that sort of Platonic fwiendship
that Miss Chetwoode weferred to, aw
in pwefewence to aw matrimony V"
There were occasions when Sydney's
lisp ana arawi were terribly exaspera
ting; and there were other times when
peculiarities of speech were indescriba
bly funny. Harry Blount used to tell
a Btory about him, how once at college
he entered the class-room with consider
able animation, and remarked, in the
most excited tone he had ever been
heard to use,
"Boys, there's a wumpus down
stweet 1"
"A what r" was the astonished in
quiry . from several of his chums ; to
which he responded :
" A wlot 1"
"What?"
" A wow !" shouted Sidney, furiously;
and, covered with wrath and contusion,
he hastily retreated, followed by the up
roarious laughter of the fellows. We
all believed this story, because Sidney
invariably "got mad" when Harry told
it; which he did pretty frequently.
iiowever, lieue mount did not seem
to see anything amusing in Sydney's
anectation just now. Her cheeks were
very red, and her tone was undeniably
snappish, so she answered him,
" Most decidedly, yes! "
"Aw yaas; weally, now, matwimo
ny is a good deal of a bouh," continued
Sidney, contemplatively. " Boosed un
certain ; if a fellah makes a mistake he
can't have a chance to wectify it."
"That is very true, Mr. Phillips,"
observed Miss Chetwoode. I consider
that an Insuperable objection to mar-
rluge; one may be happy; but if one U
miserable, there is no return ; and the
risk is too great."
" Blanche, dear," said Nora Chet
woode, a little timidly, for Blanche was
her oracle, "don't you ever mean to
marry ?"
"Never I"
It is quite impossible to describe the
tone and manner of Blanche Chetwoode
as she said that. The little word sound
ed as Impressive as three hours of elo
quence could have done.
" And I am with you there, Miss Chet
woode I" cried Belle Blount, as, with
glowing cheeks, she impulsively held
out her hand to Blanche.
That young lady clasped it for a mo
ment with a firm, steady hand that
seemed a little mesuierlo in its touch ;
for Belle' face took on the exact expres
sion of her own bb she said,
" Then we are allied, Miss Blount?"
" Will you admit a third party to your
compact? You have heard me an
nounce myself a bachelor sworn." And
Julian Ferrean stood before Miss Chet
woode with outstretched hand.
"Aw me too, Miss Chetwoode?"
That was Sidney Phillips, and he also
was oflering his hand.
I'm weudy to take the oath," said
he.
" I declare!" cried Rose Ferrean,wlth
wide-open, astonished eyes. " You're
actually resolving yourselves into an
anti-matrimonial club!"
Vewy good ideali, Miss Wose," lisp
ed Sidney. " I pwopose we do just that,
and Miss Chetwoode shall administer
the obligation. She is the owlginator of
this upwlsing." ,
" You mistake," laughed Annie Orler
son. " it was Mr. Ferrean."
" Well," said Belle Blount, with en
thusiasm, "is it not a grand idea, who
ever originated It ? Let us all unite and
pledge ourselves never to enter into the
miserable bondage of married life ; and
let us all help eacli other to keep that
resolution 1 Shall it be bo ?"
Sidney and Julian simultaneously
bowed i and Miss Chetwoode gave them
a smile of Biich bewildering splendor
that Tom Revere, ambitious of winning
the like for himself, started up, and
avowed himself a convert to Miss Chet
woode's theory.
Then came Edna Reese and Eustace
Hardy, Harry Blount and Annie Orler
son. I firmly believe to this hour
that Blanche Chetwoode had the
power of fusel nation, and could bend oth
ers to her will, like the sirens of the old
legend. It struck me as almost an un
canny thing to see them all crowding up
to clasp her hand, as if she were the
priestess of a new religion, and they her
converts, offering their vows upon that
soft, white palm.
I know not what Instinct of evil made
me turn to look at Nora Chetwoode ;
and I saw her bending a little forward
over the table at which she stood, her
lips half-parted, and a deep flush upon
either cheek ; while her eyes were dellb.
erately fixed upon her cousin's face.
My heart gave a sudden bound as I
thought, " Oood heaven! is little Nora
going to rush into this folly along with
the other lunatics ? She shall not do it !
I'll put a stop to It."
I made one step forward, but I was
too late. Blanche Chetwoode looked up
and caught Nora's eye just then, and
before I could speak, she said smiling,
Well, Nora, how is it with jxu,
ptlile t "
And the next minute Nora was at her
side, and Nora's hund was clasped with
hers. With an Inward groan, I follow
ed. "If Nora never marries, I never
shall, that is certain," was my melan
choly thought, as I succumbed to the
inevitable, and meekly gave in my alle
giance.
Like a Iamb to the sacwifice, eh,
Bwaddon ?" said Sidney Phillips. Con
found the fellow I he always appeared to
Bee light into one's brain, and read one's
thoughts like an open book.
"So we're all swoulin celibates except
Miss Wose," continued the mocking
wretch. " Come, Miss Wose, a'n't you
wcady to wenounce the slavewy of wed
lock ?"
" I should hope not!" retorted Rose
Ferrean with asperity. " I never saw
such a set of lunatics in all my life! I
must say I had a better opinion of you,
Dick Brandon." Here I cast a pitiful
look at Nora, and Rose seemed softened
She proceeded, "As for you, Nora, I do
believe you'd go into a nunnery, or turn
dervish and go spinning on your head
if your cousin asked you to !"
" Your iilustwations may be a little
shaky, but your splwit is wefwcshlng,
Miss Wose," drawled Sidney.
"My iiime is not Wose I and if I
wasn't an idiot I wouldn't drag out my
remarks as ir every word weighed a
ton!" angrily retorted Miss Ferrean,
who was not very well endowed with
the repose of the Vere de Veres. Rose
was all energy herself, and vehement
ly despised all lazy people. Hence she
could not bear Sidney.
"Won't you join the club then,
Rose ?" asked Edna Reese. " I'm sure
it's a great deal nicer to be united in
friendship than"
" Fudge!" interrupted Rose. " I shall
marry the first desirable man that asks
me, and so will you, every one of you
girls I Yes ; Miss Chetwoode and all
Now mark my words !"
Miss Chetwoode drew herself up with
stately hauteur, and gave Miss Rose a
look that ought to have been annihila
ting ; but, as it did not appear to have
the slightest effect upon the irreverent
damsel, she treated the Imputation with
silent contempt.
Nora looked quite distressed at seeing
Rose's evident vexation ; and as for
Harry Blount, if ever speedy repentance
was written upon a human face It was
plainly to be read In his lugubrious
countenance when Rose declared her In.
tentlon of marrying "the first (desirable
man that asked tier." I fully expected
to see him withdraw from the club on
the spot; but lie probably stood In
awe of Blanche Chetwoode's wrath.
big, blundering fellow that he was, with
a voice like a bass-drum, a fist like a
sledge-hammer, and a heart llkewell
like putty, or Bomethlng as soft. Be
sides, poor Harry was dreadfully afraid
of being laughed at, and Sidney Phillips
was watching him with a Mephistophe
lean grin ; so he stood his ground.
I believe it was with the sole Idea of
adding to the poor fellow's despondency
that Sidney Phillips brought out anoth
er proposal, which was certainly not at
all to my distaste.
It's undahstood we all agwee to help
each othah keep this wesolutlon, aw
isn't it, Miss Chetwoode?"
" Certainly, Mr. Phillips."
" Then aw I pwopose we add an
agweement that no membah of this club
Bhail accept or ofTuh any attention to
anybody not a membah of this club ex
cept when politeness compels it."
1 his motion was carried with much
acclaim, the only dissenting voice being
that of Harry Blount; and, in the over
whelming majority against him, he was
scarcely heard.
So our "Anti-matrimonial Club" was
formed, and we all fell to discussing our
new principles with great spirit, and
much unanimity of sentiment; Indeed
there was such a general acquiescence
in everything that everybody said (ex
ceptln the part of Rose Ferrean, who sat
with her pretty noBe and mouth screwed
Into what she probably considered an ex
pression of great scorn,only opening her
lips occasionally to remark "Fudge!"
"Nonsense !" or something else equally
brief and to the poiut) that the conver
sation shortly grew very tiresome, and
Julian Ferrean relieved us all by pro
posing a walk down to the river. Every
body agreed, and we all paired off and
started. Of course I walked with Nora.
resolved to do the best I could to help
her keep her pledge! Julian was just
in advance of us, with Blanche Chet
woode; and I saw Sidney crook his arm
to Belle Blount, and heard him lisp
softly,
" I pwesume, Miss Belle, as a Platonic
fwlend, you will not wefuse me the
honah."'
Bslle did not refuse.
But poor Harry Blount ! Ho went un
to Rose Ferrean, and bowed, blushing to
niseyenrows as ue asked her to walk
with him. There was a malicious spar
klein Rose's eyes as she sarcastically
replied,
"i'araon me, iur. jsiount, but you
seem to forget that I am not a member
of your club!"
Hurry looked overwhelmed; and Rose s
perpetual enemy remarked,
" But the pwoviso, you wecollect.Miss
Wose; when politeness so evidently we
quires," "Thank you, sir I" retorted Rose,
shortly. "Ihave no desire to impose
upon Mr. Blount's politeness. There is
Roy Chetwoode, with his fishing-rod ; I
shall go fishing with him."
And she forthwith turned her back
upon him, and walked down to the garden-gate,
where Nora'seiichteen-vear-old
brother stood arranging his fishing tack
le, preparing tor a piscatory excursion,
The boy looked up, blushing and flatter-
ed, as she preferred her request to be
permitted to go with him: and shortly
after they went off together, laughing so
prodigiously that I guessed she was tell
ing him all about our anti-matrimonial
club.
And sweet little Nora com farted poor
Harry, but discomfited me, by calling
him to her side, and saying, kindly and
gayiy,
"You shall walk with me, narry.
will have two cavaliers; and, if one is
stupid, I can talk with the other."
She talked to us both impartially, but
1 am atratd sne tourxt neither or us very
brilliant. Not wishing to favor me
above him, I suppose, she managed to
drop my arm, on some pretext of ar
ranging her hat, which did not need ar
ranging, and she did not replace her
hand where I had been bo pleased to
have it rest. We walked along In a fu
nereal manner, Harry, gloomy and
miserable; I, wishing him fifty miles
away ; and both of us Inwardly regret
ting that we had taken that senseless
pledge upon us. As for Nora. I've no
idea what she thought, but it might well
have been that we were both "stupid.'
Bo we arrived at the river; an eccen.
trio stream, born among the mountains
which took a rest here, after the labor of
turning countless mill-wheels and pro-
Fielling much machinery, and broadened
nto quite a lake. But a little further to
the south it narrowed again ; and, after
running in tumultuous rapids down
long, steep, rocky slope for a mile or
more, it plunged overa precipice of near
ly an hundred leet in height, forming
cataract which was the sole sceuio lion
of our neighborhood. Taking advan
tage of the high fail and swift current
an enterprising manufacturer, whose
mill was half a mile from the river, had
cut a narrow canal from the rapids just
above the falls to his mill below, whence
after furulshlng the motive power for
his wheel, it was conducted back to the
river, mingling its soiled waters with
the parent stream again below the cata
ract. I am thus particular in describing
tins useful Sluice, because, in tual tlay'i
terrible ex)erienco it became so all-im
poruuit to us. concluded uext week.
YEGET1NE
'urirtes the Blood, ItonoTates and In
vigorates the Hliole System.
ITS MKDIf'Af. f'lirifirRTiv itio.
Alterative, Tonic, Kolrent and
Diuretic.
VEGETISE.
JlcUable Evidence.
Mr. II. 11. Stevens.
Dear sir, 1 will most cheerful
ly add my tcstlmi ny to the rent
number vim have airemtv rei.niv.
I
VEGETISE.
VEGETISE.
ed In favor of your great and
8oou nit'iiiumn, vegenne, for I
o not think enough can he said
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Ingsatthe stomach, au advise
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for I can assure them It is one of
the best medicines that ever was.
Mhs. L. OoHK.
Cor. Magazine & Walnut Sts.,
Cambridge, Mass.
OIVES
HEALTH, KTHKNfJTH, AND
APPETITE.
My daughter hasracelved (rreat
benellt from the use of VegHtine.
Her declining healih wasasonrce
of great anxiety tn all her friends
A few bottles of Vcgetlne retir
ed her health, strength, and an-
llfl il.M.
vegetise!
VEGETUE.
VEGETISE.
VEGETISE.
VEGETISE.
N. H TILDKN.
Insurance and Real KMiite A'g't,
No. 411 Searsllulldlng.
Huston, Mass.
CANNOT BE
EXCELLED.
. Charlestown, Mass.
It. R. Stevens.
Dear Mr. This is to certify that
I have used your -Blood Prepara
tion," in my family for several
veins, aud think that, for Scrolu
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I have u ed almost every hing. I
can cheerfully recommend it to
any one iu lived of such a medi
cine. Yours respectfully.
Mas. A. A. D1NSWORE.
No. 19 Russell 8t.
IT 19 A
VALUABLE REMEDY.
8outh Boston, Feb. 7, 70.
Mr. Stevens.
Dear Sir. I have taken several
bottles of your Vegetlne, and am
convinced it is a valuable remedy
for Dyspepsia, Kidney Complaint
and general debility of the ys
tern. I can heartily recommend It to
all suffering from the above com
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Mas. Al. Parker,
86 Athens Street.
VEGETISE.
VEGETITE.
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V 10 d ETIN 13
Prepared
H. K. STEVENS, Boston, Mass.
Vegellne is Sol J
March 6, 1878.
by all Druggists.
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