The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-07-01

a stranger--the acquaintance of but day?
Ah, but the experiences of years, how often
are they concentrated in single day, in
brief hour How rapidly fate weaves her
spells In day, in an hour, ties are knit
and ties!are broken, arrangements caused
and estrangements healed, in those limited
periods events have their birth which give
coloring to all the after-life.
Little dreamed Henry Peabody. as he
pursued his lonely journey, of the unjust
suspicious attached TO him, and Of the deep
interest, at least, in one heart, which he
had awakened. Had he been cognizant of
them, we may fairly suppose that he would
not have exhibited that tranquility of mind
which he did. He had felt for time a
little low-spirited after parting with his
late fair fellow-passenger, but cheerfulness
rather than sadness was the normal cond-
tion of his mind, and he very soon threw
off the slight feeling of depression. His
was a sanguine temperament, and hope
whispered to him Of many fond possibilities
in the future. t'a0r.reIgF r
AS yet he had not determined on his
career in life He had graduated at an
unusually early age at one of our highest
institutions of learning, ranking we'll in his
class. He had also, gone through the
regular course at the law.school, although
he had not decided to become disciple of
Coke and Blackstone. He believed that a
knowledge of jurisprudence, and the disci-
pline of mind to which he would be sub
jected in its requirement, could not fail to
be of benefit to him in whatever calling he
should elect to pnrsue. at present his
mind gravitated between the legal profes-
sion and mercantile pursuits. Having
youth, energy, a good constitution, and
well-grounded principles, his chances of
success were favorable in whatever under
taking he should resolve upon.
When the accident occurred he was on
his way to the West, where, with limited
inheritance carefully husbandedas "nest-
egg," he proposed to look about him, ready
to take advantage of such opportunities as
might offer Fortunately the injuries he
had received did not retard his journey.
Had he been of superstitious or despon-
dent mood, he might have looked upon that
accident at the very outset of lis career, as
an augury of evil, but he was neither 1t
was simply an accident, which, as he laugh
ingly observed to fellow passenger, "all
railroad travellers, in these break-neck
days, should regard as a matter of course"
oftentimes Henry regretted that he had
not ascertained the name af the gentleman
who had persisted in his taking the watch,
literally forcing it upon him. In the con-
fusion incident TO the disaster, the oppor
tunity was not afforded him indeed, ne
had no particular reason for seeking it.
When the watch was pressed upon him he
was on the point Of requesting it, but the
sudden starting of the train prevented
Also he regretted that he was ignorant of
the place of residence of his tete-a-tete in
the cars She had informed him that sho
intended to spend the summer in Rockport,
but had given no hint in regard to her
home. He knew that it was somewhere in
the East; that was all. He breathed some
thing like sigh as he thought of the slight
chance of their ever again meeting; still.
he had a feeling, born of hope, that their
parting was not final. But when, where.
and under what circumstances would be
their next meeting were altogether beyond
his divination.
About this time there prevailed what was
styled the "Westen fever' in several
localities. All classes and ages were affect
ed by it. The great West was regarded as
the famed Eldorado, and scores of Young
men fiocked thither filed with golden
dreams, too many of which, it is feared
have proved, or will prove, but little better,
if not, indeed, much worse than leaden re-
alities. Peabody had taken the disease in
mild form, under the influence of which
he started for, and, as we have mentioned,
was now on his way to this wonderful
region. l.f .4. rb1-
We do not propose to follow him through
out his route. He visited many ancient
cities-that is, cities which sprane into
existence we'll along in the nineteenth CEN
tury-and embryo cities, and finally select
ed Chicago as the most promising place in
which to pitch his tent Before doing this,
however, it became necessary, in order to
perfect his plans, to visit New York, in
which city he found himself some five or
six months after the readers first acquain-
tance with him. t
Late one evening, as Henry was return
ing to his hotel from call on a college