The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-09-19

same reunion, had entered the room 10
assist her pretty cousin ~7 lo31
%" 'Provokingp What is provoking 2"
she asked, as her eyes rested on the vex-
ed features of the other What has put
you out dear ?"li, ,rr w
Nothing less than this letter---come
this instant from papa Only think, he
writes that he has just heard that an old
friend of his in London, arrived lately
from India, and that he is going to call
here this evening, So, as papa has bust
ness which will keep him late, he says 1
must stop at home and receive this impor-
tation It's some Nabob, suppose, with
a face as yellow as his gold"
I" Perhaps he may not be quite as bad
as that" smiled Janet.
"It little matters, coz, whether he be
or no" was the petulant response. He
will hinder my being present at the Gra-
hams tonight, that is certain and did
SO wish to gol When / am almost dress
ed, too l wish / had started half an
hour earlier r. s.Ua
Poor George Merston! He will bear
no love to this nabob," remarked Janet,
"when he finds he is the cause of your
absence" I
"George Merston, indeed W exclaimed
Nina, with coquettish toss of her golden
curlS. +" Janet, l must request you will
not thus mention his name in connection
with mine. He is well enough to firt
WITH but further-why, he is only bar
rister, and suspect, brieAess.
No, dear, the true reason why l am so
vexed at remaining at home is by being
disappointed in seeing that rich stranger
who is to be there. Mrs. Graham's Mys-
terry | call him, for she will not tell US a
word about him, save that his wealth is
enormous while in her lively way, she
has set oil the girls mad about him, by
declaring he is yet perfectly heart whole,
and is looking for wife; so that all of
US have chance-and-and | think I
stand as good a one as any"
And the bright blue eyes looked with
conscious pride into the glass
GAS good, if not better, Nina. You
know you are the acknowledged belle of
our sci" answered Janet, the expression
of whose sweet face denoted mind far
above mean Jealousy,
ooh, what terrible hatterer you are
Janet--worse,I declare, than poor George
Merston But" and the fair features
again became sadly overcast, &" l cannot
tell how can laugh when l am so ex-
cruciatingly vexed. Not to go, after 1
have been building up my hopes all the
week After | have resolved to make
conquest of this stranger; because of an
Indian, too 1t is provokingw s.
" Can nothing be arranged 2"
"That I might go? Oh, you darling
Janet. wish there could. You have
wise little head, but don't think you
can do that"
"Well, 1 don't know if you think
that could receive this Nabob as we'll
as you, Nina?"
"You? But then you would have to
give up the party. Oh, l will not per-
nit that |"
"No hardship to me !" laughed Janet.
az care nothing for this lion of the even
ing, this Mystery; and, having head
ache, as l told you at dinner, l shall be
only delighted for an excuse to stop
away" er. IaHt
At first Nina, who was at heart very
good d-natured, but rather vain, would not
hear of this proposition; but gradually
her refusals grew fainter, yielding and
yielding to her great desire to 60, and
finally succumbing to Janet's persuasions,
she finished her toilet, while her cousin
gladly removed her own, Then, kissing
the latter over and over again, declaring
she was the kindest, sweetest and most
generous girl in existence, Nina Goodall,
all her light -heartedness returned, and
her pretty face picture of dimples, step
ped into the cab, and drove off to do
homage to the Mystery" while with a
sigh Of relief, Janet proceeded to the
drawing room to await the arrival of the
Nabob.
An hour passed. during which Janet
had worked little, sang little, and
played little, when a loud knock at the
hall door informed her the Nabob had ar
rived Rather curious, she hurried from
the piano, and taking up her work,
awaited his coming, m ~ 'a,i,
Her impatience was not put to a Sc
we're test; the door soon opened and the
servant announced .rI.0.
"Mr. Edmund Webster" 4lInJ
Janet quietly arose, then was seized
with an embarrassment foreign to her
calm nature. The fact being that Nina's
words had SO impressed her that she