The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-01-07

hOiOC vi tllC nOlllChdIO IOuGts
ut can do no harm. I will put i
to the test"
CHAPTER III.
! Our hero was, as has been describ
led, an orphan. His father, dying
two years before, had left him sole
heir of his vast wealth, some OF
which, was situated in the neighbor
hood of Benton, and it was the care
of this, which had brought him here
at this time.
Some four or five miles from the
Village, lived his college friend and
classmate, Give Hartley; and unable
if he had felt inclined, to refun his
warm invitation, to pass the time
mot given to his business, with him.
self and his widowed sister, who, with
her two children made the Hartley
Homestead" seem like a home to the
Young owner, who in turn, endeavor-
ed to make up to them, in some part,
the loss they had sustained, and
to dispense becomingly the hOspi-
ltalities of the fine, old mansion, he
gladly became his guest, coming,
and going as he chose, and as sure Of
welcome as if he owned the whole.
Merry ight-hearted Give Hartley
Though he proclaimed himself 'the
responsible head of family" he lik-
ed better the gay society fthe young
ladies, with their followers, in the
place, than 'moping" at home, as he
called it when his friend was gone;
and call on some one of the fair
girls in his circle of friends, engross-
ed his time this afternoon on which
his friend returned.
SO Brace Clifton had the Opportu-
nifty he so much desired, of being a
lone: and he put into execution the
plan he had that day formed, what
ever it might be. Doubtless our Gu
.riosity in regard to it will be satisfied
farther on: but, just now we can only
know, that when theyoung owner of
the 'Homesteadn came in-from "a
visit to his lady love-" he said he
found him, in the library, putting
away the remains Of writing materials
which he had been using; and Give
thought him a very distrGit and un-
communicative companion, the rest
of the day.
Leila Lawrence, in her Western
home, not long after the events here
tofore narrated, received one day
two letters. Both were from Benton
in-State. One was written in a
delicate, girlish hand,-was brimful
of the laughter-loving spirit of the
writer, judging by the smiles which
chased each other over the face of the
fair reader; and the other, which, by
some bungling of the officials in the
2. o. department, had reached h.
with the one of the earliest date, was
addressed in a free and graceful hand,
evidently a mans: and Miss Law
renee wondered which of her friends
of the other sex had dared to write to
her unallowed.
She was a proud girl:-it needed
not the indignant flush which mount
to her cheek as she read, to prove
her such-yet, noble one too, and
generous as she was proud.
The astonishment with which she
hadobserved the strange chirography
did not lessen as she went on; and, l
am fain to record, that, then and
there, Miss Lawrence became very
angry-and very beautiful was she,
in her anger.
She was, perhaps twenty years of
age; tall and graceful, yet dignifed
in her mien,-cOld, often, to those
she did not like; yet loving and ten
der to the few she loved: and them,
she loved with an intensity which
was almost a passion.
A lady, by nature, position, and
culture, she was yet capable of no
small degree of anger: and her fash
ing eyes, and burning cheeks, were
now signs that she was thus moved.
"How dared he" she exclaimed,
starting to her feet, and pacing the
room, excitedly.
"DOes he think-Whover he is
that will join the thousand silly
girls who consent to correspond with
some stranger, of whom they know
and then live to regret it, if
they live long?"
yet" she added, after a pause
and speaking more softly.
"This is, l must admit, a manly
letter, IN seeming; full of noble sent
iments and courteous regard for my
convictions Of prOpriety."
She read again; and, as she read,
the anger tint died out, and the soft
flush of womanly pleasure took its
place.
"Lady;"- the letter said
by accident, your
name and address has become known
to me. Not by accident, l believe,
the knowledge has made singular
and lasting impression upon my mind.
Yet, l know not in what terms to
for this departure from the
rules, which very properly govern
our intercourse in society, nor for
the seeming boldness with which l
confess that your name and the fair
vision which my fancy has given its
owner, can never be obliterated from
my memory:-that the dearest wish
l have, is to meet the embodiment
of what my dream of you has been,
and prove the vague fancies of this
day with mere dreaming, ora de-
lightful certainty.
Can you pardon the hope; and will
you, dear lady, excuse the presump-
tions