The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-03-11

lazy, only old you know, and not SO brisk
as people who are younger. He has been
complaining of rheumatism--"
"You know nothing about it, child"
said her mother, impatiently. T" My splen-
did dahlia p here the tears actually came
into her eyes, and she added, 81 gave the
value of twenty-five dollars for it; and /
would give as much again for its recovery"
"Fifty dollars mamma, for a flower "
"For flower such as that. There is
but one other like it in the world.''
"Then we will find it, mamma " shout
ed Walter, few years younger than his
sister, "me and Willie. You promise to
give twenty-five dollars to any one who will
find your lost dahlia-root ?"
Eyes" replied the mother, "to you or
any one else who will find and bring it to
me unhurt."
But though the boys, as well as Emma
and the gardener, and some of the servants
searched all the afternoon, the missing root
was not to be discovered.
So Mrs. General Harmon, never at any
time very reasonable woman, mourned
over her loss, and partly soothed her ag-
grieved feelings by dsmissing the old
Scotch gardener Duncan, and taking in
his place one younger and more active,
though by no means as skilful as his pred
ecessor. And Duncan smarting under
sense of injustice, went forward and offered
his services to Mrs. Rivers, who had long
been desirous of possessing them. Thus
Mrs. Harmon "spited nobody but herself"
as is generally the case when people act
hastily in passion.
Now Duncan's successor at Fairview was
young man named William Watson, who
had long been in love with the pretty
daughter of the widow Luttrel, who occu-
pied that poor little cottage at the far end
of the village street, and eked out scanty
pittance by taking in washing, or any such
Job that offered, whilst Rose went out
sewing when she could find the work to
do. Watson had long been anxious to
supplant Duncan, and it was, in fact,
partly owing to his artful representations
that he at length succeeded and his hope
was now, that in view of the comfortable
salary and the pretty gardeners cottage at
Fairview, Rose might be induced to marry
him. Great therefore was his chagrin, as
well as resentment, when he found his
offer of marriage for a second time rejected
by the daughter of the widow and his ill
feeling was increased on learning that Rose
had all along preferred his own cousin,
Robert Ward ; and that the two were to be
married as soon as Ward could afford to
purchase or build small cottage. But
then, the young man was, like his affianc-
ed, very poor, doing a small trade in the
village as blacksmiths assistant and it
would probably be a long time that he and
Rose would have to wait for their cottage.
Meantime, thought Watson, who was vim
dictive, something might be done to break
OFF the match; and he never wished this so
ardently as when he saw the young couple,
bright and happy looking, despite their
poverty, saunter slowly past his own door
on Sunday evenings on their way to and
from church, and fancied in their smiling
looks that they were triumphing over him.
So the spring passed and the summer
came bossoming into the gorgeous luxur-
iousness of July and August. On the first
of September was to be the great horticul-
tural fair at Lexington, the county town,
about twelve miles distant from our little
village.
Mrs. Senator Rivers wanted some dresses
made for the little girls for this particular
, occasion, and, as was frequently the case,
applied for Rose Luttrels services. So one
morning, about week before the first OF
September, the young girl set out for a
three-mile walk to Mount Joy, whose
turreted roofs and many chimneys, rising
above magnificent grove of old trees, she
could see quite plainly from her own little
) cottage. She was pass the day at Mount
5 Joy, and in the evening return, bringing
' the work with her for completion at home
Rose was used to walking, and two OIL
: three miles along the pretty picturesque
. valley road was very little to her. Never
. theless she accepted from farmer Brown,
D by whom she was presently oyeItaken, the
t offer Of a ride in his wagon.
Little less than two miles from the vii
Q lage they came to what was called the Fiv,
0 Corners, a point where no less than thai
, number Of roads met. There was nice
0 country tavern here, together with stor,
l and smithy. AS they passed the latter
0 they saw the smith come out, and will
black and hraxynv hands nail mn n hoard In