The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1868-01-24
The SchO0lmaster at Arden.
BY W. MASON TURNER, N. D.

That may be true, NV friend. and
yet, Edgar Nor.h, proud, impudent
fellow that he is, will force himself in
to consideration, and demand notice. "
IF he enforces bis demand on me.
let me assure you, Sam, that be will be
noticed. You know yourself. that |
am not to be trifed with, and [ GER
tainly shall not allow this presumine
schoolmaster to carry his comb uncut
around me"
i would not get into any difficulty
with him, Cliff; be is an imperious.
proud fellow, at times, almost insult
ing, and yet-yet, Gift, there is some
thing about the young fellow which l
am almost compelled to admire"
i do not deny the man his good
qualities, should he possess any; but,
that You can see anything to admire
in him, is beyond my comprehension. +"
well, l can't say that | exactly ad-
mire him, but the fellows proud indie
pendenee, his very impudence com
mends him to me; though, mark me.
| DO not endorse his course in regard
to that scandalous affair in his school
about Dora Almonte' Clifton Cord
ways brow grew dark; a selfish lus-
tire, vindictiye fire, burned in his
eve.
lis for that, Sam. 1 despise him.
Nay, do not misunderstood mel
have no fear. Dora Almonte is still
my afianccd, and if I do not love her
sufficiently to die for her-yet, | am
sufficiently ambitious as to desire to
add her fortune to mine. I go in for
the aristocracy of wealth that arts
tocracy, which, with its powerful lever,
gold, can almost swing the world in
its Orbit-can make crowned heads
bow before vOu-can give an entree
into any portal-can secure you re-
spect, when al other means fail. What
care l for blood, unless money goes
hand III hand with It? My dear fell
low, there Is a great deal. despite the
paradox. of very poor rich blood, and
thanks to fortune, just as much with
poor blood To the latter, | am glad,
If not proud to say, that l belong.
What care / if my father was a miner
what care /, if that poor father Of
mine was even unable to read Did
be not find in the bowels of the earth,
in one day, that which he bequeatLed
to me, and made my fortune ? Ana l
can read, and l can speak, and though
not the brightest. nor did l care TO be,
vet, | Was pot the dullest; neverthe-
less, ] certainly was the most respect
ed Of nay class, during my term at
Elton. Blood psbaw what care for
it, as long rs nay broad acres roll IN to
me my twenty thousand per annum =
The other answered not. He was but
a satellite that revolved around the
millionaire. He delighted to bask in
the sunshine OF that giittenng centre,
to be absorbed in the halo Of that
bright, golden sun
And for this idea, continued Cord
way, "to carry ont this, my ambition
I shall marry Dora Almonte; and
unite not only the two respectable
houses of Almonte and Cordway- but
their two fine estates, which is more
to my fancy
You can have no difficulty, Chf -
the father, old Almonte, Is yours, heart
and soul Dora certainly once loved
you, or indeed, made a good pretence
that way. The only trouble in my
opinion which can arise, VIII be from
that Internal schoolmaster
I'D n the schoolmaster He shall
not stand between me and my aims
The impudent dog | long for mo-
ment to chastise him l viii not be
deied. My arm is 10 school-boy 5.
But, it is strange that old Almonte still
continued Dora at school under the
teaching Of that fellow, even for some
time after those scandalous tales were
set afoat."
so t seemed to me, bat not now.
Cliff, for if rumOr be true, Miss Dora
herself Indignantly refused TO be re-
moved on this charge, which she said
was trumped up against her, and
and forgive me, Chf-she even went so
far as TO say, that these tales were set
afoat by you and myself"
".She is by no means far out of the
way. But they were started for good
purpose; that they have been partial
" successful, there can be no doubt.
"And yet, Cliff, they still meet.
"Furies what mean you p exclaim-
ed the other.
Exactly what 1 say-Edgar North
and Dora Almonte meet frequently.
They have exchanged tokens, and be
lieve myself, are solemnly plighted."
You are mad, Sam Melfordl your
words cannot be true. / cannot be-
lieve, fool though she is, that Dora
Almonte would ignore my position, my
influence, my money, S'yset, and
throw herself away on a penniless
schoolmaster, whose History no one
can tell. | cannot believe this. Sam =
II do, though l am sorry, when l
saw it. | must believe what my eyes
and ears tell NE. Two days ago, as /
was going to the village by the path
that leads over the creek, heard
voices near the bridge. One sounded
strangely familiar; it was that OF Dora
Almonte. l am always alive, you
know, Cliff, to your interest, SO eau
tiously tied my horse, and drew near
the spot As approached. heard
occasionally as if in soft entreaty, the
deep bass tones Of Edgar North, the
IL eoor,oI ~ la -alpa Il l.