Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1867-03-07

Il H1bfOi. hap PeIl6Ctly W6ll. Gnu Lnat DeIIl
| Bronson had betwitched him out Of bill
fave senses. Fred used to put il on t
she country air and the quietowhieh wal
fbene6tipg his health, etc !, but it was nt
use trying to decieye me, and | told hin
80, Then he owned up frankly, and j
1 promised to help him oil + could, If ht
required any help in the prosecution oi
his snit i neHerthought Belle a lift, oi
Ithat she you'd Willingly distress any hu-
lnan being; but she had way or look.
1 ing into ones eyes as if to captivate them
for befe mere personal an usemobt. Al
anyfate she had aalarger share Of beauz
than other girls but all their attention
came to nothing, / feared it might b.
so with Fred Evans, and warned him ac'
cordirgly; but Fred said he'd 'haEe hci
if he tried all his life !; that without hel
life wps naught to him, that she wal
the only living being wbo'had ever aWak
ened real emotion in his breast, etc.
etc. After that ! said no more, bu
Iclosely observed the lovers, and sOor
came to the conclusion that Fred was By
no means dissagreeable to her.. Things
went on in this way without any definite
result until Fred received sudden sum
mons home on account of his inothef'i
Illness. When he came back to renew
his yisiE,I he1insisted upon staying at tht
Oakvhleu Hotel rather than wear out hil
welcome al, our house, and finding re-
monrtranees unavailing, there he went
The landlord (honGst old Dawnaby II
wondcr if he yet lives9 gave Fred at my
suggestion, his best bedroom, 'No. 20'-
I am particular in mentioning the mum,
Der. , 'He shall have No, 90 said
Downsby. tAny friend Of yours, Mas.
ter Augustus, shall have the best 1 have
to give as long IS j am landlord. Il
was q pleasan room, looking out on, the
distant hills and the beautiful winding
branch ofthe Blackwater;, but what cared
Fred for scenery he was IN the hands
Of the Blind zod, and could not see even
asa far as HIS nose, except inthe direction
Of Beliefs cottage, l used to 60 over 70
Fred's room and smoke my cigar, while
he. poor wretch, expatiated, ON his stf'
ferings, doubts and solicitudes. Did she
love him ? chat was the question that dis.
t1fbed every moment of his existence,
and to which with the closest reasoning,
ne could Not bring himself a satisfactory
reply. Sometimes be thought q word or
a sign settled the point beyond doubt
ia his favor; at others he fancied no
read GOODNESS and Indifference in her
eyes. ID4his condition of uncertainty
ho dared not press the question lest Q
hasty step mighs bring him 10 grief,
Al Fred's earnest solicitation ! prom
ised 10 sound Belle as to her sentiments,
if favorable opportunity presented il.
self, Or at any rate to let her know, in an
indirect way, that Fred was laDguishing
in distress on her account, and thus give
her no excuse for unnecessarily prolong-
iug his misery. It 50 happened, hOwev-
or, that my services we're not called into
reddisition, Belle Bronsoo, because Of
the sudden arrival at her house Of some
country cousins, was obliged to give up
her room-her mothers cottage being a
small one--an6 to occupy for q single
night room at the hotel. We would
cheerfully have offered her guests accom- :
modations at our house, but we were in
the same predicSment. An agricultural
faipin the village had brought many
strangers into the place, and our OWE
guests were so numerous that | had givA
en- upinay room to two Of them and had
intended asking Fred Evans to lot me
pass the night with him.
For this purpose / went to tho hotel
at a late hour, and proceeded at once to
Fred room. but to my surprise found
no ona there did not even norice
that his trunk was gone, Or suspect the
fact. which afterwards became apparent,
that to oblige some lady guest for this
night only, as the landlord expressed il,
Fred had consented 10 give up NO. 2O'I
and occupy d room In the roar of the
building. The gas being turned up l
took 4 book to await bis return, and hear.
ing 1t last what appeared to bo steps ap-
the room, and supposing tito
Be- Fred. IN momentsry impulaeito play
4 iokc upon him / slippedunder the bed,
/ large and high one, intending to imi'
tate q cat Cot which animal 1 knew he
haS d detestation) as soon as he entered
he room. The door opened, and | was
On the point Of indulging in my yentril-
oaaial faculty by giving q drawn
MEOW. when from my hiding place Ibe-
held Belle Bronson taking quiet possess
lion Of the apartmsntl aal 3iiH a2ilqa
: NV astoniehment was so great, and the
Iense of modification 80 intense, tha. / !
lid not, as I.should have done, make my
elf Immediately known to her. Thus
he opportunity for discovery and expla.
,ation;was lost. j dared not move al
,air but hoped sincerely that some ex-
,lss might take ber out Of the room for
moment, aud 50 facilitate my escape
She. however, looked tho door, removed
he key, and, / knew BY ihe sound, pre-