The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-10-25


Since he was to offer his hand to the for
mer, he wished to run 10 risks of being ac-
cepted.
Accordingly, during the week he passed
with his relatives, he denied himself like a
| self-constituted martyr, and vexed Pauline
almost to desperation.
Whenever she wished him to join in her
exercises, she found him absorbed in some
book which he seemed to prefer to both her
and her darling Mynha He never made
her promise to accompany her, without
stipulating the condition that he should first
be permitted to finish chapter or page
in peace. In the morning. he could not go
out, because, as autumn was now approach
ing, he was afraid of taking cold. Before
dinner, he was too hungry to exercise, and
after dinner he complained of indigestion
At the end Of q week, Frederick, having
only thrown out vague hints touching his
matrimonial purposes, wrapped himself up
warmly, to Pauline's great disgust-and set
out to return to his uncle's house.
A singular correspondence between Fred
erick and his "intended,' ensued, Uncle
Philip claiming the right 20 see all the let
ters on both sides. The young man told his
uncle that he was afraid Pauline was little
too spirited to make him the right kind of
a wife but the old gentleman exclaimed,
"not a bit ! not bit p and insisted on an
early proposal.
L" am afraid she won't have me, ;" said
Frederick. Her letters are too cold.'
"What can you expect?" cried Uncle
Philip. "She is not literary woman, to
write eloquent letters For my part, I hate
literary women! Pauline is Diana, in
her way bold, but true, warrant. Atall
events, propose"
Frederick obeyed and in few days re-
ceived the following reply which amused
him and Rose almost as much as it discon-
certed and confounded Uncle Philip:
"DEAR Coz. Yours reed. I must de-
cline your offer; for although / am con-
vinced of the worth of your amiabIe dispO-
SitiOn, fear our tastes are not enough alike
to warrant more than friendly intercourse
between us. Excuse haste. Myrrha is
sick, and | am dying with anxiety for her.
Your aifectionate cousin,
PAULINE"
Erred - exclaimed Uncle Philip, as soon
as his extreme modification and disap-
pointment would permit him to speak,
"what is the matter with you? Won't
anybody have you?"
81 was doubtful about Pauline" replied
Frederick. "She is so very Spirited"
"And you are so very amiable! But by
all the laws of love ! I'll marry You off, if
it costs me years labor I'll find some
body amiablo enough foryou! Now think
of it, there's Edith Wells gentle as lamb
q very picture of mildness beautiful as a
houri She's just the girl foryou! Iwon-
der did not think of her before -
Frederick was aghast. But all his re-
monstrances were in vain. His old uncle,
cruel and tyrannical, had spoken, and he,
the subject, must obey
Frederick did not despair, however. lie
was already acquainted with Edith's char
acter. She was one of the most retiring
affectionate, amiable young ladies in the
country, living among flowers, birds ant
pet lambs, and devoting herself to making
everybody and everything around her hap
py.
Frederick and Edith had been partial tt
each other in their childhood but it wa
now long since they had met, thanks t.
the superior charms of Rose.
Edith was very well pleased to see hel
old friend, Notwithstanding the odor Of
cigars which he brought with him, ant
which to her delicate sense was very disa
greeable. She did not know he had no
smoked before since he left college; anC
that he had made himself sick for her es
pecial benefit
Frederick took tea with the family, ant
amused himself afterwards by tormentinl
Edith's beautiful lap-dog, to her infnit