The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-05-16

daughter, there can be no earthly consola-
tion for the decree which carried her out
but to which, however, as in Christian duty
bound, l endeavor unrepiningly to bow
l remain, dear madam, with warm regards,
yours ever, CLoTILDA RYLAND.
Mrs. Dunraven thought there was some
thing sngularly repelling about the tone
of this letter. "She never loved the dear
little child she was glad of her death,
because probably she got some money by
| it," was her exclamation; but then the
good woman checked herself, and said, 81
have no right to judge her thus. After all,
it would be cruel to suppose that a woman
did not love q child or mourn for its death,
merely because she was sometimes harsh
to it in its lifetime"
| She told her son of the letter, and even
read it to him. He burst into passion of
tears, but even amidst the tears he exclaim-
ed, ooh, mamma, don't care l don't
believeit. l saw Desree in Broadway that
day, and she is not dead ~
Nine or ten years went over, and Eustace
Dunraven was rising young physician set
| tied in New York, his mother living with
him. He had been attached to the army,
had served through the war, and had been
in New Orleans, and had stood by the
grave which n marble monument described
as the last resting place of Desiree Con-
slant, aged nine years and three months.
He had looked at the grave with tenderness
| rip 1a Of
childish love. OF course, the dark-eycd
child had faded from him long since into q
y. mere memory, n cloud-shape, dream (;
something which impressed him sweetly
-aHd sadly to think of. like the recollection
of exquisite music, orOf some melancholy
moonlight scene. But he had never loved
any girl since. He thought with curious
wonder over his boyish conviction that he
had seen Desiree alive long after the date
on the tombstone ;tsnd, though he now as
sumed that he was mistaken, it was strange
how clearly on his mind remained the i'm
preston of his having seen her. In New
Orleans he had made inquiries about the
Ryland family. Fate had dealt heavily
with them. Clotilda Ryland, the aunt of
poor little Desiree, had died at any early
period Of the war, her death having been
hastened by the news that her son, whom
she passionately loved, had been killed in a
battle by Federal bullet. Angelo Ryland,
her husband, who was represented as hav-
ing been wholly under her influence during
her lifetime, was living in Paris with his
daughter, now his only child. They had
lost nearly all their property-most of it
inherited on the death of little Desiree-
during the war, and were living in q poor
and narrow way. The mulatto woman
whom Eustace remembered as Desiree's
nurse had been devoted TO Mrs. Ryland,
refused to accept her freedom during the
war, and died soon after her mistress death.
The family was, if such an expression may
be used, effaced from New Orleans.
And now Eustace Dunraven is settled in
New York. One day he is sent for to at
tend an English lady who, with her family,
had just arrived at the Clarendon Hotel
He finds that the lady is very weak and
nervous from the effects of the voyage part
ly, but that there is nothing serious the
matter. The lady's husband is an English
man of wealth. They had been in Ameri-
ca several years before they had come
again to see how it looks after the war;
He hears the lady ask one of her servants
"where Miss Dennis is, and he hears that
Miss Dennis has gone out with Miss Emmi.
ly and has not yet come back. DIR. Dunraven
, takes his leave, to visit the lady next day
and on leaving her apartments, and hurry.
ing through the hall, he almost runs against
a young lady and little girl who are
coming in. He takes off his hat-begins
to mako an apology, when he suddenly
, breaks of, fushes, stammers and at last
exclaims, "Do let me ask of you your
D name Tell me-are you not Desiree Con
| stant?" iF
For there before him stands a woman,
: not a child but the woman has the face
r the eyes, the hair of the child Desiree.-
0 The resemblance is wonderful, bowi!dering
Q overpowering. 1t is Desiree.
t And the young lady turns pale, and sayi
S In tremulous tone
Q "sir, my name is Elizabeth Dennis; bu
the name Desirce startles me in q man
!, ner cannot explain. I do believe | onc'
must have known you then"
GLOW did you get the name of Elizabetl
] Dennis ?"
az don't know l hardly remember m!
4 parents. l cannot understand why tn,