Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1868-04-29
pT nnMSRIIRG PA. WEDNESDAY, APRIL %, 1863

part some which was not altogether pleasant
knowledge for Florence. siak I'd, b1r .7giJ
Z She learned ofMr. Avery's having found
n lady in the street, whom he took home,
and with whom he stayed long, long time.
The number and the street Of this house
being given her, she recognized. tho resi-
dence Of Edith Rowson, who was known to
bc as desperote o Airt:, feminine as Fred
Avery's reputation made him flirt mascu-
line. ' a"a siV %
The next day was tho day Of her ball.
Fred did not come to see her; but 1t was
lust as well. She was so busy and, beside,
he would be sure to come carly to the ball
in tho evening. sa 5ir
He came very late. Tom Otis and his
friend Gordon had been there dancing away
for two hours. At length he came, and
Florence met him in the hallway.
"You are late," she said coldly.
"Yes; I met fellow from the West In
dies with whom was obliged to dine, and
couldn't get rid of aftcrward. All, Flo
renee" no whispered in her ear, and meant
it too, deeply, "how dearly l love YOU"
Her frame quivered with delight, for she
loved him with every fibre Of her being.
Fred entered the ball room, and the first
person he saw was Edith Rowson. Witch
ing little creature. How piquant she looked
in her cloudsof tulle ahd he coral ornaments.
He instantly remembered she was engaged
to him for the first dance.
The first dance, and the second, and the
third. Are they engaged to each other for
all the dances? Florence looked at them
with amazement. With her head and her
heart throbbing with acutest pain, she whis-
pered to her mother that she was SO i'll she
must go up stairs, but there need be no ces-
sion of the festivities. .......
Up stairs her maid met her and caught
her in her arms just as she was on the point
Of fainting. ...........
"Why, MISS" she said, show r''e you
look Shan't some one 60 for the doctor"
No, no doctor. Miss Warburton says no
doctor can help her.
In the morning Fred Avery reviewed his
conduct With supreme disgust.
"Was l insane to act as l did? Is there a
fatality which drives me from the woman l
love toa woman who is uothing to me, whom
despise, loathe, as l do myself?"
He shuddered with disgust. 49,.
"But will see her, he said, "tcll her
that lave her dearly, in spite Of all my
folly. She loves me, know. She will not
refuse to see me. ...
He went at once to the house. Miss War
burton was too i'll to see, any one. Days
passed she was still i'll. .....
II will writo to her." he said at last
He wrote this note, and sent it, .....
"OH, MY DARLING--Can you forgive my
folly-wickedness2 Will you marry me
Answer, if but one word"
The answer came very promptly. 1t was
but one word e.
"No." .'- '...
No more flirting now for Fred Avery. No;
but there is Lethc in the wine cup, as there
is oblivion in opium eating. -af q, q.
Down down he goes, sinking steadily from
one grade to another until he has reached
the lowest. But long before this stage his
former friends cut him, and in the fashiona.
bic circle, where he was once a brilliant
light, his name is almost forgotten. a.'
Mrs. Warburton wondered if her daugh-
ter had forgotten it. She knew Fred Avery
once proposed to Florence, and that she re.
jected him. ,- .....'
"Do you think Florence ever loved himY'
asked Florence's aunt of her sister, Mrs.
Warburton..
"Never. She never mentions his name,
and she wrote No to him when he proposed
to her." . .s
One day they were at breakfast, and they
read in the morning paper Of handsome
young man who, crossing Broadway in a
state Of intoxication, was knocked down by
a heavy truck and killed. ar
"What name p asked Florence. &.
"Trederick Avery"
Florence said nothing further.
They ordered a carriage and went out.
She went through the routine of visiting
and shopping, and visiting galleries Of paint
ings and matinee Of the opera. But
everywhere she set off alone and said moth
ing. -.-.i -sf .-,o lre r'-., MOI.
@ "Do you think sho could have loved himT'
asked the mother now in turn, OF the aunt
II cannot say" she replied. -.
In less than month Florence was stricken
with fever. h1- l.aTe. 3.rse.a,
'Is there no hope, doctorT' camo the
mothers last agonizing question. f
mo. There is no hope. Frame too
emaciated by a previous, silent wasting
away to resist this hot tyrant Of typhoid.
An anniversary came and found Florence
still alive. 1t was the anniversary Of the ball
which took place Eve years ago.
Just as the clock pointed to the hour when
Fred Avery came tina: night, SO late, and
meeting Florence in the hall way whispered
4. TIL l...1,, T 1oyo 1,o,, ~, ahc