The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-01-28


sold at great sacrifice (it had been
a great sacrifice from beginning tc
end, for the former owner had ruined
himself in its erection), and the
Thorntons left Blainford and no one
knew whittier.
Twelve years after the incidents
recorded above, a steamer, crossing
Lake Erie one summer evening,
brought among its passengers q
!quirt, retiring little woman, dressed
in heavy mourning, who registered
her name as Mrs. Dinsmore, Mon.
treal. She was evidently a stranger
in Detroit, and altogether unacquain-
ted with the names or character of
the public houses. She naturally
shrank from making inquiry of
strangers, and they were fast nearing
the city and the faint summer twi-
light was creeping softly over the
river and the lake they had just left,
and casting a faint gloom over the
roof and spires of the approaching
town.
/ Something about-her isolation
and reserve, perhaps-attracted the
attention of a gentleman standing
near her. He had noticed her once
or twice before, and once was vague
lily conscious of a desire to look in
her face without an intervening cloud
of almost impenetrable Grape. Her
hand, which was bare, was white
and small, with faint dimples across
the back. 1t was q very unusual
thing for Mr.. Montford to notice
anything appertaining to lady. He
had been to Buffalo regularly four
times a year for the last six years,
and this was the first woman to
whom he had ever given a second
thought. Whether some unexplain-
able intuition revealed to her his
interest in her 1 cannot tell, but
with sudden swift step she crossed
and came to his side.
"Are you a resident Of Detroit,
Sir" she asked, in low, clear voice.
eyes, can l be Of service to you
MADAME" he replied, courteously,
another strong desire to look in her
face coming over him.
"If you would recommend some
nice, quiet hotel where I could stay
a week or so, you would do me IA
vor. Not to expensive" " she added,
'Fbut comfortable and pleasant" +"
81 think 1 can, madam, just the
place you describe" with feeling
ofunusual qualification.
He then proceeded to inform her
concerning the house, it's location,
scale of prices, accommodations, etc.
81 speak thus warmly ofthe place
because it has been my home for
nearly nine years, and [ owe it a
good word," he said smiling. You
had better, though, ask some Of
those gentleWen, perhaps. They are
old residents-men with families
and it might be more satisfactory to
you to have their opinion"
''Thank you; but 1 think l will re-
Iy upon your recommendation" she
replied, and with a bow walked away.
Mr.. Montford had been to Buffalo
to purchase goods. He was a mer-
chant, doing business in Detroit,
and there was nothing unusual about
that; but as he drove up to his hotel
he was vagully conscious ofa feel
ing of intense salts faction with him
self and all the world. He had
bought at very favorable rates-pos-
sibIe this was the cause of his eleva-
ton. He, himsslf, believed it to be,
and yet he found his thoughts con-
tinually straying from business, and
to the surprise of his fellow-boarders
he did not go to his store as usual
that evening, but loitered about the
office and parlors until bed time. If
any one had told him he was waiting
in expectation of seeing the lady with
whom he had spoken on board the
steamer, he.would have rePelled the
Iintimation Indignantly, and honestly
too. it is so easy to deceive ones self
He did however, feel it his duty, as
he had recommendation the house, to
look at the books to see if she had &C
eepted his recommended and arriv-
ed safe. 1t would be well enough,
too, to know the lady's name, in case
he should happen to meet her during
her stay. He read it over twice or
three times to himself, "Agnes L.
Dinsmore, Montreal, c. W." This
he knew was the name; for he had
seen the initials, "a. L, D." in the
corner of a handkerchief she had in
her hand when she spoke to him.
Mr.. Montford was thorough bus
mess man. Nothing ever distracted
his thoughts from it, or caused him
neglect its interests for a single hour.
He had come to Detroit with a small
capital, but strict attention, energy
and prudence had made him, after
nine years careful labor, one of the
foremost among the merchants OF
that city. He was a bachelor, and
likely to continue so, people prophe-
sled. for though courteous and gent
lemanly, he was never gallant or at
tentive to woman in the leastpOssible
degree. Of course, therefore, it
caused some remark among the boar
ders when the next morning after
his return, instead Of breakfasting at
the first table, as was his invariable
custom, he waited until the second,
and when the stranger made her ap-
pearance opened a conversation with
her. and even accompanied her into
the parIor, tarrying there several min
utes. 1t was supposed that the lady
was an old acquaintance of Mont
| ford's, at first, but some one who had
been a passenger on the steamer, and
had heard the conversation between
them. revealed the circumstance to
lone of the boarders, ana the fact was
Idulv circulated and marvelled over,
land as the days went by, and the in
ltimacy increased, the interest in the
Isubiect was intense. Was it possible
that this shy, quiet little creature
without any visible effort, had cap
lturet his grave, unimpressible man,
for whom so many cunning snares
had been set in vain!
Mrs. Dinsmore was a widow of
thirty. or thereabouts, it was judged
Her husband had owned property in
Monroe, a lake town lying south OF
detroit. She had preferred stopping
in Detroit. as Mr.. Gornam, a lawyer