The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-02-06

easy. flow of thought and sentiment
where soul met its kindred, and boil
we're surprised at its rapid fight.
Again and again they met, always
talking as though they had been friends
forever, so uneonstrained and easy was
the interchange of thought between
them. It generally happened, too, by
some strange chance, that Slocum was
either out on some fishing excursion OF
something of the sort, whenever the tall
handsome stranger called on the bride
| elect
The middle of May arrived. The
wedding day was drawing more near,
In maze of 5ewilderment the young
betrothed awoke as from a sudden
dream.
:. Do l love him we'll enough to be-
come his wife ?" asked she of her own
heart.
Alas deeper depth than the shall
low line of the elect could hope
to soundl
But the spirit that had taught her
her own heart-tie meaning of the word
love-the tall and handsome stranger
he had gone as sudden as he came. Bus
mess had called him to distant .coun-
try aud cline.
True, he had never spoken of love,
but when he was gone, Linda found to
her dismay that he had taken her heart
with him. Slocum seemed to her now
nothing more than an automaton man,
brainless and heartless.
g But 1 will be true to honor and my
promise" said the courageous Linda,
resolutely-" 1 will make him true
wife; 1 bury my own heart and its love
and perform my duty faithfully"
Alas alas there is many a slip
betwixt the cup and the lip"
A rich old uncle of ahe portionless
sIocum suddenly arrived from the
+" golden East" sought his nephew,
made his will, and Slocum, ths.almost
penniless; the almost briehess lawyer,
awoke in the morning a rich man.
His uncle secuted the idea of his we'd
ding the fair Linda, with her very mod
crate fortune, telling him that such
handsome, accomplished and wealthy fell
low as he lSlocum) could pick million-
aire heiress from almost every bush.
His kind uncle bid him travel and
choose from any of the aristocratic and
wealthy beauties of Europe.
Elated with this sudden fortune,
puffed up with personal vanity, Slocum
followed his uncle's advice, setting sail
with high heart to cross tho ocean for
Europe and success.
He dropped careless note to his be-
loved, telling her of his determination
to travel, and. to leave her free
Somehow or other, Slocum's remit
ia nces from his uncle did not arrive as
be had reason to expect, and he had not
much sooner crossed the Atlantic than
he re-crossed it.
What was his dismay upon arriving
at home to find his quondam bride-elect
to his rich old uncle, that the |
will had been remade, and that he (Slo-
cum) was cut off without even shil.
ling-the will being made in favor of
Linda and her successor.
The discovery was mad6ening; but
worse than all, the rich old uncle had
thrown away his ugly wig, and the
hump on his back. and his wooden leg,
and he stood up as Linda's youthful
bridegroom-the tall, handsome stran
gerl He had once rescued her from
death.
1t was pleasant ruse-to those who
enjoyed the sport; but it threw poor
Slocum into bilious fever which near
ly terminated his life, which also put
me in possession of the above little cpl
sode, 1 being the physician who carried
him over the bridge of sickness to the
terra frma of health.