The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-07-22

dressed. Others, and Miss Fortescue was
a noticeable instance, meagre as may be
their toilet, and slight the care bestowed
upon 1t, win at once our admiration by the
fitting and harmonious adjustment of their
apparel. No part of it seems incongruous,
nothing is out of place. The effect
wrought seems something more than the
accomplishment of mere art
We have said nothing Of the antecedents
of our heroine. An instance cited by
Frederick Stanley was in nearly every par
ticular the counterpart of the experience Of
Alice Fortescue. She had been tenderly
reared; until the death of her father she
had enjoyed alIthe advantages wealth could
bestow. The best of educational privileges
had been hers, and she had not sighted
them, nor had she neglected those graceful
accomplishments which lend such charm
to the female character. All her life, until
the shadow fell across her path, she had
mingled in what is somewhat ambiguously
styled "the best society"-society in
which it is very doubtful if Miss Gates
would Detolerated.
In an evil hour her fathers fortune sud
denly disappeared. A commercial crisis
swept over the land, leaving in its wake
wreck and ruin. The tempest burst when
Mr.. Fortescue was prostrated on bed of
sickness. The blow fell upon him with
crushing effect He was not in condition
IN cacura n rouauaof nf h;v l,o ,f7I,, 4. .oo,,;,o1
property for his wife and child, and he
died leaving them wholly unprovided for.
There was no singularity in his case. There
have been untold numbers of such misfor-
tunes in the past-they are of daily occur
rence-and there will be continual sad rep
etitions of them in the future.
Fortunately, Mrs. Fortescue possessed
limited fortune in her own right-a neat
cottage-like tenement in suburban town,
and small sum of money, mere pittance,
but sufficient for the time being to keep
the wolf from the door. To this compare
lively humble abode she removed soon after
the death of her husband The change
from the palatial mansion, her late city
residence, was indeed great, but she ac-
commodated herself to her altered circum-
stances with an unrepining spirit. On her
daughters account more than on her own,
she regretted the changes that had taken
place. For herself life had but little to of
fer. A few more years and she would be
relieved from all worldly care. But the
thought Of leaving Alice unprovided for,
at times cast shadow upon her spirits.
At the time of her fathers death Alice
was just entering her seventeenth year.
In her grief for her loss, she was scarcely
conscious of the reverse of fortune that had
befallen them. When, however, in course
of time, the sad truth gradually dawned
upon her. instead of yielding to desponden-
cy she aroused herself to meet the exigency
with an unquailing spirit. The occasion
brought into action the latent forces of her
character. From the pampered pet of the
household she suddenly developed into
noble, self-sustaining, energetic woman,
willing for any sacrifice and prompt for any
required duty. She insisted upon assum-
ing tasks from which her mother would
fain have relieved her, and she entered
upon their performance with such n cheer
fulness Of spirit and such ready aptness as
to immeasurably tighten her toll and dispel
its irksomeness. That she felt the change
in her condition, and keenly, too, at times,
cannot be denied; but with strength of
character remarkable in one SO young, and
so delicately nurtured as she had been, she
forced her thoughts away from the past,
and with brave fortitude disciplined her.
self to submit without a murmur to her
lot.
A time soon arrived which put her reso-
lution-to the test. Their scanty means
were nearly exhausted, and with gloomy
forebodings Mrs. Fortescue looked forward
to the period when actual want would stare
them in the face. The good woman now
reproached herself as she surveyed her
scantily furnished dwelling, and thought
how this, that and the other article, pur-
chased before she fully realized her i'm
poverished condition-before she had learn
ed the full value of money-might have
been dispensed with. It is true that their
separate cost had been insignificant, but the
aggregate amounted to sum she now felt
she was lily able to spare. To one who
has had the command of unlimited means
there is no lesson more difficult to learn
than that Of rigid economy.
She sought counsel of her daughter-in-
stead Of burden she had begun to look
upon Alice as q support-and snp0astad