. , J . ,, , A
lMJm Mm
V
4 l:iii!i:iiihi,,":aii!iiin:i
VOL. XII.
2STEW BLOOMFIELD, PA., TUESDAY, JULY 30, 1878.
NO. 31.
1
s..; -
THE TIMES.
Aa Independent Famllj Newspaper,
II PUBLISHED BVERT TUB9DAT BT
F. MORTIMER & CO.
8 V II 8 C It I V X I O Hi l'ltlt'E,
(W1THIS TUB COUBIT.
(Hie Year 81 2
Six Months 75
(OUT Or IBB COUNTT.
One Tear, (Postage Included) . II ffl
Bix Months, (Postage included) 85
Invariably lu Advance I
W Advertising rates furnished upon appli
cation. THWARTED VENGEANCE.
T AM RASH, Florence ; I own to
X the Southern blood that leaps
through my veins, that makes me, as
you say, wilful and passionate. But I
am a man, with a man's feelings and
high principle of honor. I am no boy,
Florence,to be wiled from this gay smile
to that, I must and will be heard."
" It is better not," said Florence May.
nard, turning away half impatiently.
" We have been such good friends, Wil
lis, I have hoped that nothing would
disturb the calm current of our happi
ness. And the sweet girl sighed as she
seated herself again.
" Florence Florence how could I
help it P" cried the young man, passion
ately. " Have I not been always under
the spell of your presence ? When you
were a child, I loved you, madly. I
cannot I will not see the prize that I
have toiled for, early and late, slip from
my grasp. Oh I if you knew how hard
I have tried to be good, for your sake,
to be, if possible, worthy of you, you
would let your heart love me, I know
you would."
" If it were in my power," said Flor
ence, sadly and seriously. If it will
comfort you, let me tell you how hard I
have tried to find in my heart one chord
that would thrill in sympathy with the
feelings you profess. It is in vain, Wil
lis. I love you as a friend, as a brother,
even, for that you have always seemed,
but, oh I you would not take for a wife
one whose every impulse revolts at the
thought of that other sacred union I"
The man stood up, fire in his eyes, a
scarlet flush on his cheek, his arms,
folded, his hands clenched (though out
of sight) till the blood almost came. He
gazed at the girl with a strangely vary
t Ing expression, now cruel and relent
less, now tender and pitiful.
" Florence, you will never know how
much I love you. Two years ago, when
I thought that perhaps I had lost you, I
sought to put the wide seas between us.
I traveled fast and far, even to the wilds
of Australia. The suffering of that time
has left indellible marks upon my face.
I thought I had conquered." He stopped
for a moment, his lips working con
vulsively. He turned away to hide his
emotion, but in a few moments resumed.
" I came back, hoping, as I had heard
nothing from you you were married. If it
had been so; all might have been well.
But you met me the same kind tones as
of old, the same sweet smile. O Heaven I
how my pulses trobbed with hope again.
All the past was forgotten. I madly be
lieved that my absence had worked a
change in your feelings. I dared to
dream again, I dared to love. I cannot
give you up, Florence, I will not give
you up 1"
Florence rose from her seat.frightened
at his manner, trembling as she noted
his changed appearance.
" No, don't leave me as if you were
afraid of me ; I cannot endure that. I
will not harm you, Florenoe ; but I can
not give up the hope that you don't un
derstand your own heart, that you don't
understand me. You, at least, love no
one else, do you, Florence P"
" I have never loved any man, Wil
lis," she said, calmly, " and if this is the
complexion of that great mystery,! trust
I never may. 1"
" Florence, you know not what you
aaylng," cried the young man, his
, ewartby face glowing again. " What
'J have I doDe to distress you P Pity me 1
"j pity me I It is not love that prompts
, me to violent speech ; it is disappoint
' went where I had staked all my dearest
hope. Oh, why was I ever born to en
, endure this misery !"
i Florence stood there, pitying. She
trembled, and could have wept, but It
would not do to show any emotion that
might be construed into signs of relent
ing. This man's flery nature did not
suit her usually calm temperament.
How was it possible that she, so quiet
and retiring, had won a love so terribly
real, so enduring P She could not un
derstand it, but stood there perplexed,
pitying, yet strong in her resolve.
It was quite true, as she had said ; no
man had won her love, as she was not
prepared to know by one single pang the
misery that he was suffering. She knew
that his eyes were haggard, his brow too
early marked with strong lines, hig heart
heavy, for many a labored sigh came up
from its depths ; but she could feel no
sympathy with him, and but faint pity.
Sometimes she was impatient under his
homage, more than once after this al
most stormy interview. His nature was
not a fine one; it rather resembled the
iron that will corrode till the rust has
eaten beyond the surface, than the good
gold that bears the tempering heat of the
fire and comes out purer than before.
Florence was obliged, in self-defence,
to be cool in her demeanor before him,
and it sometimes enraged him. His peti
tions became more like persecutions, and
at last for a time they did not speak to
gether. He carried his resolves smother
ed in his own bosom, till his jealousy
grew to be a consuming fire. He watched
her at all times with a secret rage, and
blood that ran hot to his fingers' ends if
he detected her bestowing her smiles on
others. She grew to be afraid of him,
and yet a sort of pity kept her power
less. If she had confided in her father
(she had no mother) there might have
been a way of escape. In consideration
of the young man's own feelings, he
would have placed them apart. But
gradually it grew to be a matter of
course to see him watch her under his
bent, black brows, to find him follow
ing her like a shadow wherever she
went ; and now be said but little of his
love, she hoped it would in some inex
plicable manner die out and leave her
free.
One Sabbath a stranger appeared in
the rector's pew. He was not handsome,
though his was one of those faces that
suggests beauty rather than possesses it.
Yet he was sufficiently attractive in
manner and appearance to set the whole
parish to talking and wondering.
" I want you to get acquainted , with
htm, if that jealous lover of yours will
let you," said Letitia Saunders, a little
blonde in pink and white, who called on
Florence the following week, and seated
herself airily, with an eye to the dispo
sition of her flounces.
" My jealous lover I " cried Florence,
in some surprise.
" Yes, that haughty Southerner whom
some of us admire so much. Little do
we get for It in return, save cool indif
ference. ' His is joined to his idol ; let
him alone.' "
Florence smiled at her flippancy, but
crimsoned, too.
" He is no lover of mine," 6he would
have said, but could not with truth.
" Nothing to me," she added, " nothing
whatever. Of course he is attentive,
any man would be who holds the posi
tion he does in my father's household ;
but his regards, in my sight, are only
brotherly, I assure you."
" Strange I It is all around that you
are engaged."
"Indeed?"
' Yes, I heard it at Mrs. James', and
even Mr. Felix told me as if, I imagined
perhaps it was only imagination, after
all Willis Boynton had himself told
him."
It flashed over Florence suddenly gain
fully. Could Willis stoop so low as to
circulate this report, and thus, driven by
his insane jealousy, attempt to bar all
others from approaching herP The
thought made her cheeks tingle gave
her a thrill almost of anger.'
" I am not engaged to Willis and
never expect to be, Letitia. I care noth
ing at all for him, and only receive his
attentions as I would those of my own
brother If I bad one. You must see how
cool I am toward him." .
" Yes, I have often remarked that ;
but people will talk In this village, so I
suppose there'll be scandal enough with
reference to the new comer who is very
rich, and I think splendid looking,don't
you P Now there'll be a rush to see who
can get him. I am going to stand back
and look on. I have always said I
never cared about being married, you
know."
" Is he a relation of the rector " asked
Florence, willing to pursue the subject,
for to tell the truth she had been some
what moved by the sight of this stranger
she who met most men with indif
ference. "Don't know, likely not; though
some say he is a cousin of his wife. At
any rate he is distinguished, and all but
handsome Just the sort of man to make
a hero, don't you think so V"
At that moment, in burst another fig
ure, dress and ringlets in disorder.
" O girls, excuse me, but I'm in such
a hurry. We're extemporizing a picnic
to Suubright Lake. It's a capital day,
and papa says he will go and Mr.
Allington, that's papa's visitor and we
must be all ready by eleven, with lunch
eons, and cape-bonnets, and hats, you
know. Oh,dear I I'm all out of breath."
She sank down rosy and panting. " We
shan't have many men, but there is
Amos Keith Captain Keith, I ought to
call him, to be sure but then he's en
gaged to Mary Danvers, so he's no com
pany ; then there's Willis, and Herbert
Anthon, and"
"Willis is out of town ; won't be
home till night," said Florence.
" Well not much of a loss," laughed
the little creature ; he would have been
devoted to you. It does provoke me to
see these engaged people.'.'
"'We're not engaged, Minnie," said
Florence. " I am surprised. This is
second time to-day I have heard what
is Indeed news to me."
"Oh, I'm glad of that 1" cried Mln
nie, " for I never quite liked Willis; he
is so dark-looking. But it's the truth
that the engagement is spoken of every
where." " You may contradict by my authori
ty," said Florence, calmly.
"I will, then; but come what about
our fun ? I can't give it up. If you
must know, I was the first one who
thought about it, and papa laughed at
me and doubted my success. This spur
red me. It's a glorious day, neither too
hot nor too cool; and we'll have
one man there who isn't married or en
gaged. Won't that be a novelty P"
" And he's so fine looking," said Leti
tia. " Isn't he P Papa says he never saw
a nobler specimen of manhood. You
should have heard papa and him parley
vout in French last night. It was splen
did. Papa says he hasn't had such a
treat in a great while ; says he is the
most finished French conversationalist
he ever met with out of Paris. What
do you think of that? Brush up your
French, girls."
" Dear me, I hope he isn't a learned
man," said Letitia, piteously.
" You would think so if you had seen
him romp with me last night. If there
wasn't a curly headed little boy in the
army, for whom I have a strong re
gard," she added, laughing and blush
ing, "I don't know what would be the
consequences. But come, girls ; speak
quick ; will you go P"
" I will," said Letitia, rising with de
cision." "So will I," returned Florenoe, catch
ing the enthusiasm. " What shall we
carry ?"
" Oh, anything that will taste good
spread out on the grass. Mother is get
ting table-cloths and ware ready, and
Tiny is marking down, so we must get
up a party. Oh, dear 1 I've got to go on
the hill for the Dcnlieghs and Ani
hursts. Be eure and be at the depot at
eleven. Won't we have a merry
timeP"
Yes, Florence felt a strong presenti
ment that she, at least, should enjoy the
occasion. She did not say so to herself
In just so many words, but is was an
.immense relief to feel that she was not
to be followed about by the man whose
eyes had grown to be almost intolerable
to her. Once 'she had thought them
beautiful, for Willis was acknowledged
to be very handsome by everybody, and
yet, 6trange to say, he was not generally
liked. Many people would say that it
was a pity so charming a girl as Flor
ence Maynard could be induced to like
him, for there was something uncanny
in his appearance. It was such a pleas
ure to feel that nobody was watching
her, ar attending to every want, noting
every movement. Her spirits rose high
as she made her preparations. It was
somewhat strange that the open, noble
face of the stranger mingled some way
with her anticipations. She laughed at
herself for the thought, but it was never
theless true that she had been very
much pleased with the new-comer's ap
pearance, and found herself uncon
sciously comparing the two faces that
of Willis always losing by the comparl
sion. Everything was in readiness when the
little company met at the cars. Two
strong men carried an immense basket
well packed between them. Each party
had at least a lunch-basket filled. All
were merry, gay, and laughing as they
took their seats, conscious that no mar
plot was in their midst.
The ground arrived at, there was
plenty to do. Some busied themselves
In bringing water and wood, for they
were to have a genuine tea-making ;
others took out the viands and placed
them in order ; others still strayed
nearer the edge of the beatlful lake.
Florence was engaged at the spring.
She had nearly filled her pitcher, when
a musical voice said :
" Let me assist you."
She looked up almost trembling to see
two dark blue eyes smiling in her face.
Strange how that glance shook her equa
nimity. She, who was generally so fear
less and frollcksome, was dumb now.
She merely thanked him, and he, lifting
the pitcher, walked slowly by her side.
"I have heard much of your Ameri
can woods, he said, " but I never
thought to find anything half so beauti
ful as these painted leaves. How gorge
ous they are like the bright birds of a
tropical climate, only nestling by hun
dreds upon boughs and branches."
" Your forests, then, do not exhibit
these changes P"
" No ; our climate is too damp. And
even the sunshine here affects me differ
ently. It is neither lurid, burning, like
that of a Southern clime, nor pale and
sickly like England's. It Is so clear,
golden, and exhilarating. You ought to
have great poets here. You have I
was reading last night Whittier and
Longfellow. What justice they do the
beautiful works of nature. The rivers
leap and the forests sing through their
verses."
" I am glad you like them," sold Flor
ence, with animation.
" Oh, I see much to admire here," and
he glanced again in her face, his eyes
lingering there for a moment. " Look
they find it difficult to make the fire
burn. I must help them."
Saying this, he hurried toward the lit
tle group,almost blinded with the smoke
and scattering the wood, built up a pyr
amid with skillful fingers, placed a few
coals on the top, set them in a blaze,and
presto ! there was a fire that Bhot up a
flame of clear amber against the brown
trunk of the sturdy oak near.
" That was skillfully done," said the
rector. " Neither burnt nor blackened
fingers." ' ..
" I have been iu the woods before," he
said, cheerily, but from that moment a
sadness came over his face which did
not leave It quickly. He drew quietly
apart from the rest, and one good at the
study of the human face might -have
seen in his a sad, weary, almost hopeless
dejection that the gayety surrounding
them might not dispel.
It was a happy time, nevertheless.
There was the snowy cloth set with
tempting delicacies; beyond the bright
green of the sward, clumps here and
there of young trees, mighty growth of
oak and maple, and still beyond, in the
softness of the shining distance,the deep
bright blue of the small lake, sparkling,
snapping its wet fingers in the vivid
sunshine.
The girls were all anxious to know
the new-comer, but though he was very
social, dealing his smiles with unstudied
partiality, at times it was easy to see
towards whose good graces he Inclined
the most Sweet Florence, with that
nameless charm in lipsand eyes, patient,
mlrthful,or quietly Berious,attracted him
Irresistibly, and more than one pair of
knowing .rbs sparkled over the discov
ery. A row on the lake, a circle under
the prooteotlng shadow of some pleasant
trees, brightened by story and song, and
the day's toil and pleasure were over.
It was quite unaccountable how in all
the confusion that ensued, it being near
Iy dark, the young stranger should find
himself by the side of Florenoe May
nard. Yet it was, as she knew, when
once seated, some one took' her basket
from her tired hands and held it, nod
ding and smiling as much as to say :
You see I have taken the liberty."
As for Florence, she was startled at
the Intensity of her emotions. She had
never before admitted the' thought of
love, but now some strange, sublime in
stinct told her that she had met her
fate. For a few short moments she
yielded to the pleasure of this dawning
but exquisite happiness, when suddenly
a dull, quick sense of pain made her
breathless. The light was so placed (for
the sun had set) that it threw a strong
reflection upon the cracked mirror at the
opposite end of the car, and there, dis
torted by the flaw, no doubt, yet looking
hideously sullen, sat Willis, apparently
watching her conversation with her
new friend. The baleful fires of jealousy
burned in his eyes, his brow was black
and lowering. At once her comfort was
destroyed ; a feeling of uneasiness crept
Into her heart a dim presentiment of
coming evil. Ostensibly Willis was
reading his newspaper In reality ,study
Ing her face, and drawing his own In
ferences from her companionship. Sud
denly the paper was folded, the young
man arose, turned and moved unsteadi
ly toward her. Arriving at her seat, he
stopped and bowed bowed also to the
stranger to whom he had been intro
ducedand leaning against the back of
the next scat, he directed bis attention
to Florence.
" It is quite an unexpected pleasure to
meet you here. Wasn'tt rather a sud
den arrangement, this excursion P fori
suppose you have had a pkuio in the
woods."
" It was rather sudden," said Florence,
quietly, biting her lips, galled at the
patronizing manner he had assumed.
" Will you have this seat P" asked the
Englishman, politely.
Willis declined, but kept his position,
chatting to- Florence, talking upon snch
subjects that the stranger must have felt
himself uncomfortably in the way,nntil
the cars stopped at the station. Then he
insisted pon doing the bonors,took pos
session of Florence and her basket,
wished the Englishman good-night as if
he had been defrauding him, and accom
panied her home. Their walk was a
silent one. Willis had gradually worked
himself into a fit of jealous desperation.
" I have no doubt you enjoyed your
day immensely," he said, as they neared
the door of their residence.
" Never better," said Florence, fery
shortly.
' " We do not always know wnon.
we become acquainted with at such,
places."
" You forget we were all acquainted,'
said Floreuce.
" I presume so ; you seemed quite
chatty and confidential with your frienA
of yesterday."
" I don't know that I was particularly
confidential; I certainly did enter
into conversation with our minister's
guest. I presume I need not ask your
saetion In such matters."
" Oh t no of course not," he replied
briefly and bitterly ; " or in any other,
as to that."
" I certainly shall not," said Florence
and there was a shade of contempt in
her voice.
No answer ; but Willis rang the bell
with such violence that two of the ser
vants came running to the door, fearful
that their master was certainly brought
home either ' dead or dying. Florence
entered, indignant Willis followed,
angry, and furiously jealous, ne could
scarcely overmaster his passion. lie
raged up and down the parlors, after she
had gone to heir room, like a wild pan
ther ; he did not know, himself, but he
should go mad certainly such passions
had never possessed him before. For
ward and back with a fierce tramp,
shoulders set square, teeth locked, eyes
glaring, and hands clenched, he raged
cursing in his heart using the most
awful imprecations against his Maker,
against Florence, against the stranger,
toward whom, If she had smiled on him
but once, he felt the most murderous in
clinations. Oh I it was terrible, this loss
of self-possession ; but more awful ' the
loss of that which he , had staked his
very soul to win. Strangely enough, he
had thought that his patient persistence
must at length be rewarded. Trusting
and fearing alternately, he bad watched
the scales of his hopes, now vibrating