The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-09-09
JOB PRINTING.
B IL AN G. III E:
OR.
THE FIREMAN'S BRIDE.
BY WILLIE E. PABoR.

w lille L fADOh'
L do not love him, father, and there
fore cannot marry him. Surely you
would not have me wed Sith Que whom
hardly respect, and for waom | do not
entertain the slightest affection
Blanche Duboise bit her pretty lip as
she ended. and placed her little loot firm
ly on the floor in the parlor, where she
stood facing her parent
Love, Blanche, nonsense. There Is
no such thing now a days. The hum
bug of undyiu love and unfading afec-
ton has long since exploded, 1t might
flourish in Acadia, and may be proui-
nent element in the realms the poet locates
in the air but nothing else There is no
thing real and substantial in it. 1t is all
bosh and nonscpce. fit only for seutimcn-
tai maideas of sixteen, or thereabouts.
who hage only seen the world tbroug b
the medium of romances, in which Bour-
cicault swears he will die for Belinda,
aud Belinda vows she can never be sep
arated from her devoted Bourcicault.--
am a,hamed of you, Blanche, that you
indulge in such an exploded notion as
love-
Mr.. Duboise paused TO watch the effect
of his words. Blanche paled and grew
red BY turns as be spoke, and then an
swcred.
Did yoW ever love!'
The question was q home thrust. 1t
was a moment or two before the reply
came.
Have you any more ridiculous ques-
tious to ask Ii so, | will answer them
in lump
No, father, until you answer this one, |
will ask DO other When you married
my mother, was it for love OF he- or the
money she brought to you on the dag OF
bridal!'
Mr.. Duboise's face flushed with ill-con
cealed anger, as he answered,
Blanche you are impertiIent.'
But there came no denial, and Blanche
read in his counteuance euoug b to sub
stautiate the charge her heart bad made.
Was this the cause, she thought, of the
early fading away of my loving aud be-
loved motherl Even now can recolIect
how agitatcd she appeared whenever her
husband, was in her presence; as if she
felt his cruelty and his Indifference, tho /
they were uot framed in words. But her
father was now angry. She saw this /
1t added conviction to her suspicions.--
Yet it would not do to anger him still
more, by touching upon the chord she had
so gently sounded, and which had AVA
keued SO harsh q response.
'Fatberp
well, daughter.
Il did not mean to offend Forgive |
me-
Il will Blanche But as you love me,
do not touch upon the subject again
And as you IoUe me, father, do not
speak to mc of the marriage with Arthur
Grey
Nay, now your silly mood comes on a.
gain. But hear me, Blanche. As my
daugb bter ycu must do my bidding, and
when say that op uext Christina Eve
you will be the bride of Arthur Grey,
mean what | say
No father, you DO not
Mr.. Duboise, unused to contradiction /
10 matters Of business, was somewhat as
teuiShed at this retort. He looked
Blanche in the face for mo-
meut. He saw there fxidity of pur.
pose which surprised bim. What could
it meany Usually Blanche had yielded
to all bis motives. Why not in this easel
Did she love anotherl He secuted the J.
dea, and yet felt that there was some
reason as yet unknown to him that made
Blanche SO firmly settled in her obstina-
cy.
But | do, Blanche Dubois, and you
will live to see it. What do you mean
by this conduct Have | not ever been
kind bareDt to your
Yes;
Have nOtindulged youinevery Wishf
'Yes.'
And now when / have your happiness
in view, why are you so contradictory and
SO obstinateT
II am neither the one nor the other, {
father was the calm reply.
But you are when you refuse to be the
bride of man as rich and respected as |
Arthur Grey
Arthur Grey is rich; true. He is re-
'pected for his richness, nothing more
he has the heart Of stone, and is as
much of a man as the untutored savage.
Nay. be is less than savage; for an In
Ian can love. but he-never. Father,
,annot marry bim.'@ 4
Once, twice, and the third time. Mr..
1ubOise paced the parlor, as bis daugh-
er's words fell upon bis ear. Then he
poke again.