Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-02-23
TOWANDA, BRADFORD COUNTY, Pa, FEBRUARY 3d. 1865

its calmer current again, and simply ans
wered "The response always comes some
time in life, Miss Bracket"
She raised her eyes to his as every
one happy, then ?" she said {" is every mar
riage we'll suited ?"
There are other means of happiness be-
side marriage, though this is the greatest,
! he said /; q a woman's home has generally
| other loves and others duties beside the
one of the husband and at the worst there
are friends"
Friends !" she said, scornlully what
good are friends TO one? 2"
You think so had hoped for a diff
erent verdict" said Harry.
Oh, you are not a mere friend" cried
Rose :; " at least, not the kind of friend
meant" she added, and again she bushcd
to the very roots of her hair
No; | am more the brother than the
mere acquaintance" Harry said, in a low
voice, altered, too in its tones, and deep
and mellow" your future husbands broth
er-friend | am yours also, am not p
II suppose So" she answered, coldly, and
turned away from him, as if offended
Something not quite so frey as wrath,
nor 50 happy as mirth, came into Harvy's
eyes as he watched her move away discon-
tentedly, perhaps more hurt than annoyed /;
! but he did not follow her, and in few mo-
ments she came back to him, smiling as
usual, as if she had done battle with the
evil spirit within her and had driven him
out
But when Harvey parted with her that
day, she went into her own room, and wept
as if her heart would break and he, for
the first time i'll his life, felt inclined to hate
Fred Whitfield, and to curse his blindness
and faulty
Had it not been for the young doctor, Mrs.
! Whitfield's life would not have been worth
many hours purchase. More than once
| during her illness he had dragged her out
of the very jaws of death, ard had now so
far recovered her that the wedding-day was
again discussed, and only waited Harvey's
sanction for the invalid to risk the fatigue
and excitement consequent.
Oh, bother the marriage y said Fred,
taking his mothers hand Rose is dear
good girl, and will wait till doomsday,
rather than you should risk anything, moth
er. There is no hurry, and we can wait
| quite well until you are strong cant we
Harvey?"
vey answered, with an almost impercept-
bic dash of sarcasm in his voice but it
is not good for your mother to be anxious
| and she seems to be anxious to conclude
this affair OF course it can be nothing to
me-" he added hastily. Il have no purpose
of my own to serve III the delay or the con-
clusion."
He had thought As it was to be, it was
better concluded with all decent speed, he
said to himself and then he, at least
would be out Of danger She, perhaps
| needed no such precaution and yet-those
| bushes of hers and that eager tremulous
| face had Weakened strange thoughts in him
Hush he must not dream such dreams
What would he think Of himself poor,
penniless, country doctor if he came here
| as his friends almost brother, and, in re-
turn for his love, broke off his marriage
with an heiress, and secured her for him
himself? The thought brought the blood
into his face, and made him loathe himself,
as dishonored in soul, for even harboring
such vision
| So it was arranged that the settlements
should be signed and that the next week
the marriage should actually take place.
Mrs. Whitfeld's health not preventing. And
when Rose was told this, she wept again ::
and, to her mothers intense dismay, burst
out with Mamma, | will not marry Fred
| Whitfield !'--an announcement which that
fine lady put down to insanity, as the mild
est term
The day following this decision Fred
could not go over to Lisson he was de-
| tanned on some business or other at home :;
so the young doctor rode over, with note
containing request for the two ladies to
dine at the HaWsc in the evening, seeing
| that That side one was disabled and the
other detained, and no intercourse possible
unless they would kindly come
Certainly said Mrs. Blackett, little
nervously, glancing at her daughter, who,
with her head thrown up, stood sideways
to her.
And you, Miss Blackett?" answered
Harvey.
"Oh, by all means y said Miss Rose, not
quite pleasantly, at least to her mothers
ears. =" ! want to speak to Fred very seri-
ously"
My dear y demonstrated Mrs. Blackctt:
and then she left the room.
What has happened ?" asked Harvey,
impulsively,
"Oh, nothing answered Rose she was
standing now in the bay-window, looking
ont into the garden, so that her face was
not seen. have only told mamma that
| am not going to marry Fred and she is
put out"
Harvey reelcd like one struck, Had his
senses played him false
Indeed !" he then said, after long
pause "your determination is sudden,
Miss Blackett"
Yes" she answered, with assumed care
lessncss and her quivering voice and
Eashful eyes belicd her assumption. "Now
that it has come so near, feel that it will
not do and am sure Fred will feel with
me-"
Again Harvey was silent What could
he say that he thought Fred would con-
sent to give her up, being utterly unworthy
his good fortune? that he hoped he would
keep her still at her word, when he hoped
Just the reverse? that she was doing wrong
to be honest, wheu he loved her for it more
than he ever loved her before? What
could he say? Truth and honor were on
opposite sides, as sometimes happens in
life and if he said what he thought. he
would say what he ought not to say. So
he kept silence and Rose was not quick
i -