The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-10-15

Byron Jones couldn't sleep wink that
night for the hopes and fears that agitated
him.
The next morning came, and he saw
nothing of Bob. Jones was half distracted.
| He made so many mistake at the office,
that Messrs. Coddy sil's head clerk more
than once threatened him with condign
punishment.
How was it Lalla Rookh had not re-
pliedP
We will follow the fate of the poetical
letter.
| Bob, while waiting at table that dinner
time, found an opportunity of dropping
the note unobserved into Miss Roach's lap.
Laura was SO surprised and curious that
sho could not resist the temptation to open
and read it at once.
Suddenly looking up, she perceived the
powerful spectacles of Miss Starchley level
ed straight at her.
"Ah, Miss Roach what is that?" cried
the schoolmistress "What are you read
ing? insist upon seeing it at once"
Laura was terribly confused
She found herself the centre of observa
ton to the whole school.
Fumbling in her agitation, she attempt
ed to thrust the note in her pocket, but
dropped it on the ground.
Miss Starchley pounced upon it instantly.
Her face, as she read it, was awful to
contemplate.
"Ah-h-h ~ she exclaimed "Who sent
this9 Who brought itP Who is this
Byron Tennyson Shakespeare Jones, and
what do you know of him? Come, 1 must
know"
Laura defended herself by telling the ex-
act truth, viz, that she knew nothing of
that correspondent, save that the note was
brought by Roberto (for so " Buttons" was
called in the house.)
All the schoolmistresss wrath was now
turned upon that luckless juvenile.
"You impudent young creature How
dare you bring such letters here? Doubt
less you have been bribed by this furtive
individual. Inform me all about it in
stantly.
Bob was so taken back, that he stam-
mered, hesitated, and altogether SO de-
meaned himself that Miss Starchley seized
her terrible cane and administered several
smart strokes, which set him bowling.
Drat the love-letters ?" cried he when
alone in the wash-house, as he rubbed his
smarting back. +" Catch me having any
thing to do with em again--no, not for
half-a-crown apiece"
AS to Jones' unlucky effusion, Miss
Starchley promptly threw it on the fire.
"If l ever find such rubbish brought
here again." she cried, 81 care not to
whom it is addressed, I'll punish the whole
school, without distinction of persons"
say, Laura, " said Netty Wade, her
special friend, with sly look, as they took
their after-dinner walk in the grounds,
"you can't persuade me you know nothing
about the letter."
81 declare did not" responded our
heroine, "and can't make out who this
Byron What's-his-name can be, unless it
is that Notwithstanding youth that
stared at me SO hard at church last Sun
day."
With frizzly hair and a rundown col
larP" said Netty. 81 noticed him, and he
seemed SO -begone, could hardly help
laughing. That must be the individual to
to a certainty"
"What game - added young Polly
Hopkins. 81 think we ought to make
some fun out of this"
" But how ~ said Laura. "I've got in
to trouble enough already, and certainly
shall try and keep out of itin the future"
"1f you don't answer him he'll die for
love" remarked Netty.
Bob on being privately questioned by
the young ladies, described Mr.. Jones, and
confirmed their suspicious, but, at the same
time, declared that he was " blessed If he'd
have anything to do with no more letters"
Meanwhile how Jared it with our hero
Sadly indeed. His despair at receiving no
reply drove him almost frantic. lie waited
for hours outside Minerva College, but
caught no glimpse of Laura or Bob, who
indeed took care to keep out of his way.
That night Jones q consumed the mid
night oil, " Or rather tallow, while, in fit
of poetic inspiration, he again stroye to
move the heart Of Laura
TO LALLA RooKH, THE sooRNFUL."
All cruel maid, who disregards the groans
wrung from the tortured breast of Byron
Jones.