The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-04-22

"Begone, you little brat !" cried Philip,
"or will have you placed in the hands of
the police ~
"Please, sir, my mother"
go yes, the old story p' and he struck
the feeble arms clasping the end Of Miss
Montgomery's rich sables, with his whip.
The childs face crimsoned--she drew off
little distance, and looked at him with
wondering surprise.
Argeline sprang forward, and laid her
hand on the shoulder of the beggar.
81 will go home with you, my child"
she said, "and see your mother"
The little girl without word, led the
way and Argeline followed. The young
belle had never set foot in that part of the
city before, but she unhesitatingly followed
the lead of her conductor
The room into which she was ushered
was low and meagre ; the utmost poverty
reigned over the whole place. 1t was,
indeed, as Philip had said, the old story.
A woman widowed, poor, with only this
little Edith she had tried to support her
self by sewing, but close application had
near death to care for aught belonging to
the world.
Argeline sat by her, listening to the
plaintive story, while Edith, with the
money their visitor had given her, went out
to buy fuel and food. She returned in
little while, but no fire could ever warm
that white, cold woman again for Mary
Ashe, all suffering was ended
Argeline took Edith home with her, and
after she knew her better, she decided to
keep her always. She was already thirteen
years of age, and thanks to the careful
teachings Of her mother, she was advanced
far beyond the generality of girls at that
age.
She now was sent to school, and neither
pains nor expense was spared to perfect
her education. Under the influence of
kindness, Edith's dark face grew positively
handsome. The great, black eyes lost their
frightened appealing expression-the sunk
en- cheeks glowed with faint crimson, and
the mass of neglected hair fell into heavy
curls, that were the delight and admiration
of the whole school.
Argeline still held her old place in So
ciety, aud many were the suiters who laid
their fortunes at her feet. She rejected
them all. She had been deceived once, by
one she thought faultless, and she was sat
isfied to let all these pass from her thoughts.
She said she should never marry she
should find enough in Edith to satisfy all
her woman's craving after love.
year and more passed. Spring was
just opening Philip and Miss Montgom-
cry had gone to Europe with party of
friends. They were to be married in Paris.
Argeline read the notice of the wedding-a
grand affair at the American Legation
without thrill Then she knew she had
overcome all tenderness for the banished
past.
In May, theie came a great shock for
Argellne Vernon. Most women would
have wept and stormed over it-shc only
sat quietly down to think.
A financial crisis was upon the country,
and taking advantage of the general con-
fusion, Ellxins, the banker with whom
Argeline's funds were deposited, had ems
bezzled everything he could lay hands on,
and fed the country! There was no help
for 1.-THE shrewdest detectives failed to
obtain trace of him-he had escaped and
left nothing behind.
Though not absolutely penniless, Miss
Vernon had not enough left to warrant her
continuing in idleness, even had she been
thus disposed. From the first, she knew
she must work-she, who had never even
dressed her own hair
Her aunt was almost frantic at the change,
and sought with all her power to dissuade
Argeline from going out TO earn her living.
She should be welcome to remain with her
as long as she chose, and Edith could 60 to
the orphan asylum.
Argelne made all her arrangements
quietly. Inclination pointed her to the
countryside looked to the green hills,
, and fresh, free breezes that she knew swept
the New Hampshire meadows into billowy
seas of clover, in the sweet month of June.
: At just the right time, local paper fell
into her hands. She could never regard it
other than special providence. 1t con-
tanned an advertisement of the school COM
I mittee of Ellwood--a village fifty miles
away. They wanted young lady "of Cd
ucation and respectability," so ran the
notice, "to take charge Of school of fifty