The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-03-12
A Fortunate Blunder.
SWTHAT'S that you say Hayden
w The Bolton Bank broke? 1t


dolent enjoyment, sprang to his feet, tip
ping over his chair, and sending the cigar
he was smoking to the further end of the
room.
"Yes it is; it is here in the paper, as
you can see for yourself. But what is it to
you? Did you have anything invested
there P''
"No; but Miss Neal had-which amounts
to about the samo thing"
An air of intense chagrin overspread his
handsome, though rather effeminate fea-
tures as he read the paragraph to which
his companion pointed.
"Confound it." he muttered, "it's al
ways my luck to have my dish tipped just
when it's full Though must say, if it's
got to come, that I'm glad it happened the
month before our marriage"
Charles Hayden, young man whose
features, though less regularly formed,
were expressive of far more manliness and
goodness of heart, gazed at the speaker
with an air of undisguised astonishment.
"Why SO, Wells you surely did not seek
the hand of Miss Neal simply for her
money"
"Well, no; can't say that She is
most lovely and charming woman; and
it really cuts me to the heart to give her
mp. But then 1 am too poor to afford such
luxury. And Miss Neal can no more
afford to marry poor man than poor
girl SO we're about even"
"And have you no thought for the pain
that your desertion will intlict upon the
heart you have won," said Hayden in a
tone of suppressed Indignation.
"Softly, my dear fellow" said Wells,
who had resumed his former comfortable
position, and was solacirg himself with
fresh cigar. ~ hardly think that it will
be any such desperate affair to Miss Neal as
you suppose. Indeed, I've thought several
times of late, that had it not been for her
fooishly high idea of the binding nature of
such promise, she would have broken the
engagement herself."
"And knowing this, you would have
held her to its fufillment."
"Not being sufficiently disinterested to
refuse the gift of fifty thousand dollars, !
rather think | should"
"You are not worthy of true-hearted
woman, like Ellen Neal - was the indg-
nant response.
"Then so much the better for her, that
l should leave her to be appropriated by
some one that is-you, for instance. 1t
strikes me that you used to be somewhat
interested in that quarter; now is the time,
old fellow, for you to go in and win."
Charles Hayden scarcely felt or heard the
covert sneer in these words, so much was
he engrossed by tie newborn hope that
had sprung up in his heart, and which
made its pulses beat SO quickly and strong
ly.
$50 you are to be married next month
my dearP" said Mr.. Thornly to his ward,
Ellen Neal.
"Yes, believe so," was the rather in
different reply.
Mr.. Thornly studied his wards face for
moment with his keen eyes,
al don't believe you care two straws for
Frederick Wells"
"Oh not so bad as that guardie," said
Ellen, with a faint smile; d" though have
sometimes feared that don't give him the
affection that he deserves. He seems to be
very strongly attached to me-"
"Humphl my opinion of Frederick
Wells is, that he is too much in love with
his own handsome face to be very much at
tached to any woman"
"You are too severe Any way, have
promised, and cannot break my word"
"Oh, no, certainly not; far better break
your heart"
81 don't believe I've got any," was the
laughing rejoinder. "If 1 have I've never
been able to discover it. Never fear for me,
guardie; dare say shall be as happy
with Frederick as with any one"
Yet in spite of these lightly spoken words,
there rose up before her mental vision one
with whom she knew she could be far hap
pier But even if she had been free to
choose, how did she know that he would
choose her? True, she had sometimes fan
cied-but what right had she to indulge in
such fancies?
When Mr.. Thornly reached his Office he
found Frederick Wells waiting to see him;
who said with an air Of constraint, not
to say embarrassment, not at all remarka-