The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1861-12-18

! in order TO detect anything in his appear
ance moi entirely in keeping with the most
urbane polished and benignani gentleman,
and as such, Laura regarded him.
This man, Hill was most consunima,e
earth, and that was money. Money was
his god-he knew no other-and he would
have linked himself with the most Ioah-
some creature that ever crawled through
| lie, il by so doing, he could double the
wealth which he already possessed His
only object in visiting the Dorfinetonl, WAS
! 10 satisfy himself beyond a peradventnre as
to The real state of that tsmily's finances,
before hazarding counship, aud having
become convinced that Laura's marriage
/ portion was likely 10 reach a sun near
his own wealth, he al once set abou pay.
ing his addresses to the young lady il earn
| est, much TO the delight of her psrens, aud
not al all 10 ihe discontinue OF the young
/ lady herself. Things progressed rap dly.-
| He courted, proposed, was accepted, and
| the time for their wedding was fixed, all in
less than six months from the period when
Laura was tie happiest being in the Rorld
she had every confidence in the man TO
whom she had pledged her eternal fidelity
| she knew no deceit herself, and did ii look
/ 10 find il in any one else-but least of all
would she have thought of seeking it in that
bosom where she had yielded up tn, treas
! ure of her virgin love. He had told her he
| loved her, lime and again with all the ap-
parent ervor that shrewed, calc Hating,
! oily tongued fiend could muster, he had
told her so and she had fimly beIie' ed him
as she believed she was born and must die
again How could she, then, but he hap
py! for che loved him ss fervently as ever
woman loved man. Il would seem 10 her
| that she had never lived till then, and she
felt that she could almost die in tie wild
ectacy of her JOY.
The wedding morn arrived, the minister
was present, the guests invited, and he
! marriage documents prepared for signature
The bride, beautifully dressed in white,
awaited the coming of the man whD was
she fondiy ihought-to be her future hus-
Her father and brother had waited on him
an honr previously, but not one OF II EN- had
yet returned At length when two hours
had passed away-two hours which seemed
like years 20 Laura-tootsieps were heard
upon the stairs, and shortly afterW ards the
door opened, and MIR. Darlington and his
son entered with flushed and angry faces,
but the bridegroom did not oceomrans thsmI
| Half dead with fright, Laura irem bling in
CURED what had happened.
'Not much" carelessly answered her
cold calculating, stern-featured father" bat
no marriage can fake place"
ain The name of Heaven, father, what is
! il you mean f1 exclaimed the now ieoniZed
girl, the perspiration starting from Ter mar
BILE brow and running in large bea is down
her placid face.
''I mean this" answered her fait or, "HilI
is not an eligible match. He thought him
self, pretty shrewd suppose, but le found
{ that could calculate as well as h., could !;
he was not satisfied with the amor Mt which
| offered TO settle upon you, and | would
| give no more so after politely r.marking
that he could not think of wedding a tan
ner's daughter for any such sum- he rang
the bell, called the servant and politely bade
me good morning ~
While her father was delive ing this
speech Laura stood mute and riyid as a
stature, her eyes were fixed in Ier head
| and olared wildly and as he fini she'd she
fell heavily upon the floor.
They bore her 10 the bridal chamber,
where restoratves were applied, ard after
a while, she was restored TO lie, ,ut not TO
reason the unmeaning glance of her once
brilliant eye, and her incherent ST eech TOO
| plainly told the story-she was a lunatc!
Two days afterwards, Laura vas missed
from her room. She had been watched
| with the utmost vigilance, for it was not
safe TO leave her alone; but d dlring the
temporary absence of her nurse, who had
| LETT her asleep she made her escape from
the house, and all search for her vas vain,
till on entering the dairy she was discover
ed dressed in her bridal robes, hinging by
the neck, and quite dead-a vict m 10 the
base treachery of a souIless villair on the
one hand, and sorded desire on the part
OF her father to bring about an "eligibIe
match, )" on the other.
| How TO SToP THE Flow OF BLooD.-
Houskeepers, mechanics, and others, in
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