M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-03-22
From the Ohio Farmer.
A STRANGE TALE
by MRS. FRANCES D. GAGE.

their brains to invent fiction, with
which to amuse the gaping crowd who
are ever on the alert for something
new, when the living, acting roman.
ces ull about them are so much more
startling and wonderful than the fancy
can portray
am not going to get myself into
trouble by giving names or dates, but
| am going to tell a strange tale i"
told me by one whose very being was
surcharged by its strsn yeness, and
whose quivering lip and tear-swim.
ming eyes attested, with each word,
10 its truth. .H.
Imagine, dear reader, if fyou can,
an elegant, elderly lady, sitting before
you, with a fine face, and one usually
called placid, but in which you cal
now and then discern something that
startles you-makes you afraid
something that assures you all is not
right, as the still lurid air of a sum
mer afternoon tells you, even before
you hear the thunder, or see the black
cloud, that a storm is lowering Just
below the horizon.
Her dress is rich; her laces are cost
ly; the carpet at her feet rarely beau
titul. There are pictures upon the
wall, marble vases upon the mantle,
and flowers and fruit tempt the eye
Her garden is talked Of for its won
dertul productions. And, most, Of all
she is envied, because she has such an
exquisite home, such good husband,
''and everything that heart can wish. "
Look at her, and look at her well.
Florence Bel was left an orphan at
the &c of sixteeu, and, with the legs.
cy OF orphanage, came the accompani-
ment Of fine fortune, both OF which
- the orphan and the fortune
placed in the hands Of a guardian, who
being a member Of the Society OF
Friends, sent his young ward at once
to Friends school to finish her edu
cation and fit her for the management
OF her estate, which was to come into
her hands on her arriving at the age
OF eighteen. Florence was a fine
looking girl, with bright. puburn hair,
blue eyes, and complexion fair as q
| lily. She had never known q care, or
a want unsupplied, and lest she might
be restricted at the Quaker boarding,
school, the kind hearted guardian gavo
her thirty dollars, in small change, to
supply the daily wants Of her quiet
Quaker life, through the term.
The friends separate their boys and
girls in school, and lay great stress
upon the entire prohibition Of social
and friendly Intercourse, by broad
fence through the playground, and
separate recitation rooms. ...
In the boys school, in the same
building with our heroine, was Young
man OF uncommon physical beauty,
named Henry Waite. He was tall
slender, graceful and pleasant; yet
there might have been, to a close OBJ
server, a something in his jet black
eye, and the peculiar curl Of his thin
lips, that would have reminded one o.
the old adage, call is not gold that
glitters." Be that as it may, young
Waite was very good looking, and just
entering his manhood. He had seen
Florence Bell daily on the street, OF
through the window, or over the door
yard fence, and she had seen him, OF
course.
One day she found a letter in her
desk; how it came she knew not; but
it told her a tale of passionate love-
1t Was written IN beautiful hand, and
its mastery composition and style en-.
chanted and enraptured ber, and hel
admiration and delight were not de-
creased when she read at the bottom
OF the fourth page the name Of Henry
Waite.
1t asked, "would she not return ar
answer, deposited in such a spot il
the school house yard, accessible a
both sides of the hateful fence? Woo
she put it there at such a time?
Florence was young, and alone; sht
had no one to consult. To show biz
letter to the teacher would have ex
PEELED him. She hugged her secret
close, and resolved to answer Jus
once. Once led to twice, twice tt
three times; and so went the work OF
for whole year, no one suspectins
Or interfering with the ''love's young
Dream" that was weaving its war;
and woof for her young life. In al
this time they had not had one inter
view to speak to each other, face tC
face. Bat her love for him was full
and entire; his letters were 50 pure
and holy in sentiment, so rich in love
80 passionate, and yet SO tender, tina
she scarcely wished to break the spell
and come nearer to one who seemed
to her the master. piece of beauty il
body and soul. Before the closing o
tha na.r tbav had agreed bv letter IA