North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1864-05-25
S<tt Storp,
TAKEN PRISONER
BY AMY RANDOLPH.

/ -
| cy, or III know ths reason why !"
| Mr. Mathew Deane was IN a particularly
! bad humor this ray December morning ev-
erything had gone wrong. Stocks had fall
en- when they ought to have risen-his clerk
had tipped over the inkstand on Ills special
and peculiar heap of papcrs-the fire ohsti
natey refused to burn in the grate-in short
nothing went right, und Mr.. Deane was con-
sequenty, and correspond,ngly cross
| Jenkins -
eyes, sir y
$50 to the Widow Clarkson's, and tell
/ her that shall be there in just half an hour,
and shall expect contidently-mindJ Jenkins,
confidently-lo receive that rent-money, or
| else shall feel obliged to resort to the ex-
tremeSt measure. You understand Jenklns?"
"Cer'ainIy SIR"
Then don't stand staring there like an
IDIOT" suarled Mr.. Dcane in sudden burst
| ofirritation, aud Jenkins disappe AIRED like a
! shot.
| just hal? a. hour afterwards Mr.. Mathew
| Deaue brushed the brown hair just sprink-
led whit gray, away i:pm his square, Yet not
unkindIy brow, put on his iur-lmed ever
( air, fully determined, f-uratiVely, to ami
aiate'' the detadtlng Widow Clarksnn.
Il wa, awarli>h little red brick house
| which appeared originally to have aspircd to
two-story-hood lot, but cramped by crcum-
stances, hal settled down into story and =,
half. but the Windows shone like BTazl han
pebbles, and the door steps We're worn down
by much securing. Neither ofthese crcum-
stances, however, dil Mr.. Dcane remark, as
he pulled the g,ittering brass door krdt, and
! strobe into Mrs. Clarkson's neat parlor.
! There waa a small hre-very srnl'l, as if
every lump of anthracite We're hosrded-in
tie stove, and at table, writing Implemens 4
before her, sat young lady whom Mr. Deane
at once recognized as Mrs. Clarkson's nj ece,
Miss OGve McIlen. She was not dsagreea-
| ole 10 look npon, though you never Thought
Of caSs.!g her among the beauties with SHIN
ING black lair, blue, long Iashcd eyes, and a
very ffctty mouth, !.ididg teeth like rice ker
ntis; so white were they.
Mas M~iien rose tith polite nod, which
vas sriniy recipr coated by Mr.. Deane.
:" called to see your aunt, Miss MelIen ~
81 know it, sir, hut being aware of her
timid temperament sent her away. | pre-
fer 10 deaf with you n sell u
|. NJ. Deen stGrted-'he cool audacity OF
! this danse in grey, with scar let ribbons in
her hair rs her astonished him.
81 suppose the IN oney is ready r'
! No sir, it is not !"
Then, Miss Olive-pardon me but ]
must speak palniy-I shall send an officer
here this afternoon to put valuation on the
furniture, and"
"Yon'll do nothing of the kin d, SIR"
Olives cheeks had reddened, and her eyes
| flashed portentiously. Mr. Deaue turned
| toward the door but ere he knew what she
was doing, she had walked across the room,
locked the door, taken out the key and re-
sumed her seat.
What does this mean 2" CALCULATED the
| astonished "prisoner of war;"
at means, SIR" Olive said, that you
will now be obliged to reconsider the aues-
tion.
"Obliged 3"
fes-you will hardly jump out of the
window, and there is no other method of
egrees, unless you choose TO 60 up the chin
ney. Now, then, Mr.. Deane, will yoe tel |
me il you-a christian man IN the nineteenth
century-intended to sell a poor widows
furniture, because she is not able to pay her
rent. Listen cir ~
Mr.. Deane had opened hismouth to remon-
strate, but Olive enforced his words with a
very emphatic little stamp of the foot. and he
was, as it were stricken dumb.
You are what the world calls q rc h
man, Mr. Deane-you own rows of hou ses,
piles OF bank stock, railroad shares. bonds
and mortgages knows what? NY auni
has nothing-I support her by copying. Now
Il this case be carried into a court of law, IN v
poor alling aunt would be The sufferer you
"on'd emerge, unscathed and proftIng -
l"u'ro not bad man Mt. Deane-you hare
great many noble qualities, and like YOU
for ,hem,"
She paused an instant ard looked at Mr..
Deano. The color rose to his cheek-it was
not disagreeabe to be told by a prettic
Young girl that s.e "liked him." on Any
terms, yet she had INDUCED in pretty plain
speaking.
have heard she went on, f" of your do
ing kind actions when you are in the humor
for it. You can do them and you shall do
them in this instance. You are cross this
morning, you know you are Hush. no ex-
ruse-pou are selfish and irritable, and ovel-
bearing! I'll were your mother nd you