The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1869-11-19
Til 9 Green Lantern.

The Green Lantern.
1 think I am safe in saying tha,
Paul Stanford hated me from the time
we were little boys at school togeth.
cr, up to the period of which l am
going to tell you.
Unfortunately We had always been
in some sensc.rivals.~ We were near.
ly of the same age-our tastes were
somewhat similar-our circumstance cs
in life much alike, and we were in
the same classes and studied the same
books. ~...,~~.,,.,..
Probablyiit was moro bccause /
applied myself closer to my studies
than he did that l outstripped Paul
and under all circumstances where
scholarship was concerned bore off the
palm. Naturally, he was quite as
clever as | was--a little more bril-
liant lndccd-but he lacked applica-
tion, and we all know that to become
scholar requires time and patience
aid hard study, even if one is a gen
ius in the beginning =
Paul had one decided advantage
over me. He was handsome and
graceful, and all the girls in the vi.
cirity made him aware of it. He
was self-conceitcd, naturally--and the
adulation he received made him vain.
Nothing makes fool of man any
more speedily than to have the wo-
men make too much of him. .........
Gay, and gallant, and courteous,
he was to them all-but he coveted
the love of only one. Florence Wayne
was a sweet little brunette of two
or three and twenty, and all the
young men in town were in love with
her. y.
She had only lived in Marley two
years. Her native place was Phila-
delphia, but her fathers health re-
quiriug change of air they had com e
to Marley aud established themselves
in pretty cottage out on the Pown-
al road.
Florence was accomplished in no
ordinary degree. and she had travel
ed great deal, which after all is the
best way Of educating oneself.
| In Philadelphia she had moved in
the first society, but she did not hold
herse!fabove taking part in our rus
tic merry-makings, and at the husk :
ing and apple bees, ami dances she
wasthe life of the company. s:.-ss Z
10 do Florence justice, she encour-
aged none Of her suitors; was kind
and courteous-nothing more.
AS for me, had been a beauty
worshipper always, and when l saw
Florence Wayne met for the first
time myeideal woman. My heart went
from me una never came back. In
my widest dreams had ne yer imag-
incd ever so family that such glo-
rious vision ever come upon me in
dull. prosy old Marley, where nothing
ever did happen year in and year out.
| had seen very little of tho world,
and was, shy and awkward, and the
passion | felt for beautiful Florcascc
did not tend to make ME less cmbar-
lasscd in her presence. The fact OF
it was. .the sight Of her confused me
to such degree that I was always
making myself ridiculous before her,
and if she had not been the kindest
hearted girl in existence, she would
have INDUCED in many hearty laugh
at mp expense.
Once l summoned up courage
enough to invite her to ride with me /.
had as fine horse as there was in
the country, and good buggy, and
might have enjoyed myself if 1 had
not been SO awkward. ..,,,
AS it was, I had trod on Florence s
dress, struck her bonnet with my el-
bow in getting into the carriac &c
switched the whip in her fauc, aud
did score of other things which
would have died to prevent.
She made me so terribly conscious
that 1 pc ssessed hands and feet that
must be disposed of some way, and
how this disposition was to be ac-
comrlished was tho question.
Paul Stanford loved Florence, also,
but his lore made fool of him as
mine did of me. lie was always lust
50 polished aud brilliant, aud could
say his wittiest things with the dark
eyes Of Florence full upon him-iust
as we'll as if, she had been thousand
miles off. Oh, how I enyied him his
easy. quiet honchalance. and how
chafed and irritated I was by tho pat.
ronizing air he assumed toward me.
| But at last fate gave me . chance
to do Floreuco . scrvice-to. prove t.
her that [ was not q coward, though
| might be an awkward clodhol per.
Marley was seacoast town, an,
it was to avail himself Of sea air and
bathing that Mr.. Wayne had rcmoy
cd thither. Almost every day h,
and Florence werc down on Poin
Pleasant beach-Mr. Wayne bathing
and Florence reading and watchin,
him.
The attachment between this faith
CT and daughter was very strcng-