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

Lexington. Don't intend to take down
notice till bargains made and money paid
cash. First that puts the money in my
hands to have it,"
Rose walked on. Her feeling of indiffer-
ence toward William Watson was changed
into one of indignation. What could he
want of the smithy, who was gardener,
and had a cottage of his own? No doubt
the proposed purchase was to spite her and
Robert, and, as the thought occurred, she
perceived the object of her Indignation
approaching on horseback round turn of
the road. She did not desire to meet him.
Not only was she angry with him, but he
was not, as she well knew, the sort of
young man with whom girl would be
willing to be caught walking alone on
secluded road and Rose, seeing that she
had not been perceived turned hastily into
the bushes, crossed low fence, and struck
straight through the wood in the direction
of Mount Joy. There was no pathway
through this unfrequented wood, and when
Rose had walked some distance, she lost
the "bearings," as sailors say, and had
wandered out of her direct course She
paused on slightly elevated and open
space, and looked around. The first OBJ
ject that arrested her attention was some
thing red-gorgeously red and vivid -
cleaning out from neighboring thicket
like a blazing jewel. 1t must be flower,
of course-though not even the superb
cardinal flower had ever seemed to the
girls eyes half so splendid in it's gorgeous
hue. And when she reached it, she stood
in almost rapturous surprise and delight at
recognizing in this jewel of the woodland
dahlia-and such dahlia
There were several buds already nearly
opened though but one in full blossom
a blossom just opened and perfectly devel-
oped
81 will get Robert to remove it to our
garden" said Rose to herself; "and this
lovely blossom / will take to Mrs Rivers.
She is so fond of flowers. wonder how
it came here, away in the woods, and there
is part of a basket, half buried in the earth
near it. Yes, it is actually growing out of
an old wicker basket"
As she passed the Mount Joy garden,
Duncan was throwing over the palings a
handful of rooted-up weeds. His eye was
instantly caught by the glow Of the flower
which Rose carried in her hand its stem
wrapped in some wet moss to keep it fresh,
And when she showed the blossom, and
told him how she had found it, the old man. S
shrewd, grey eyes kindled. He knew all
in an instant. 1t was Mrs Harmon's lost
dahlia.
"Pll gle you guide price for the plant,
Miss Rose" he replied, persuasively.
"What price ?' asked Rose, wonder
iugly; for 1T had not occurred to her that
any one would wish to buy the flower.
"Aweel," said the old man, rehectively,
as he scratched his head-"say ST."
Duncan was Scotchman, shrewd and
economical, yet he felt half ashamed to i'm
pose on the girl with such an offer for this
rare and splendid plant. And seeing that
she hesitated, he fancied she knew some
thing of its value.
you think its worth mair, mayhaps?''
he suggested.
"Oh, no." said Rose, with half-absent
' smile; 81 was only wishing it was worth
, $780,"
"Eh, guide guide us 800 for a wee
flower p
So Rose, in defending herself from the
charge of such unheard-of mercenariouness
q unconsciously told her story. Duncan had
/ good heart-"au fond' as the French
say-and his sympathies were aroused fol
the lovers, whilst at the same time, his in
dignation rose against his successor at Fair
view-W Watson.
e "I'll tell ye wha' It's, Miss Rose" he
broke in at the end of her story" Gin yell
: gle me that flower, and hail plant root, bud
an a., I'll nae see ye put out for want O
+ 800. hae that, an mair, i the same
+ bank wi that donnie chief yonder, and III
be before handed VII him, or my names
' nae Duncan? ?"
So the bargain was agreed to on the spot
a and the old Seotchman, with spade and
basket, accompanied Rose back to the
. place where grew the dahlia, and carefully,
as though he were digging up buried
treasure, removed the plant with the earth
I undisturbed about its roots.
Q "Hech, sirs p said he, with chuckle,
y "but it's the Teddy O. Mount Joy wull win
the prize this time; an I'd gle anither hin
|, dred dollars a'maist to see how Madame
| Harmon xyull omen her bi0 black eyne When