The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-05-13
Edith Grantly's Hero.
CONCLUDED.


IL Miss Edith Grantley should feel an
noyed at any questioning one might choose
to make concerning the affair limited at in
her solioquy. Simply told it was as fol-
lows: The train upon which she had been
a passenger had met with one of those ac-
cidents which are of quite common occur
renee. Something about one of the wheels
gave way, and, as the train CHANGED to be
passing curve, the cars was thrown from
the track, and some of them badly de-
molished, and a large number of the passen-
gers more OF less injured, though none it
was thought fatally. The shock had stun
ned Edith for moment, and there was
now faint discoloration on her arm and
in the edge of her hair just above the
temple, and both places were still very
tender.
It would seem the most natural thing
in the world that she should mention this
accident the first thing upon meeting her
friends, the more especially as she had been
expected the day previous, and one after
another had made comments on her disap-
pointing them. She made some careless
evasive answer, but was very careful to say
nothing of the accident, which had been
the real cause of the delay. And because
gentleman sitting opposite her had the
misfortune to have his arm broken, by
holding it with admirable coolness and
presence of mind over her head when the
side of the car was steven in was certainly
no reason why she she should be so reticent
about the matter. 1t would seem the more
reason why she should mention the cir
cumstances, not only as showing her own
narrow escape from probable death, but as
revealing the bravery and chivalry of this
stranger. 1t seemed almost uugrateful,
this strango silence; and wc1 only another
proof Of what an iihsolvable enigma is a
woman's heart,
Mrs. Grantley, according to appointment,
went to drive with the Mordaunts after
tea. The Mordaunts were dashy sort of
people, lived luxuriously, dressed in' the
most elegant manner, and kept up style
quite astonishing to ordinary people, as
were great majority of the dwellers in
Carleton. But if the Mordaunts had no
peer, they had plenty of imitators in all
the different stratas Of Carleton society I;
people who with incomes less than one
twentieth of that of the Mordaunts, strove
to ape their style and extravaganza, weak
IL fancying people could not see through
the shallow device, and that they might
thus climb the social ladder. There was
another class who were more admirers
than imitators, and to this class belonged
Mrs. Grantley. Now one may object to
being aped aud initiated, but who, ever
heard of ones disliking to be admired ?
You and /, dear reader, perfect as we are
in other respects, have undeniably spice
of this common weakness about us. Don't
we feel better and happier to our very mar
row when we find that some one likes and
admires us? You know we do and you
know also that this liking and admiration
kindles little glow of grateful feeling in
our own hearts, ,andwe feel a sort of instinct
i've tenderness toward them which we do
not toward others.
l am at loss whether to accredit it to
art or artlessness on the part of Mrs. Grant
ley, the way in which she had revealed to
! the Mordaunts her admiration of them.
Enough that it had been revealed most un.
equivocally, and that in grateful return the
Mordaunts patronized the pretty, airy,
volatile Anna Grantley, very much to hel
qualification, and to the envy of her neigh
bors.
Edith was sitting in the long pleasant
drawing room. The faint moonlight
struggling with the crimson tints of sunset
fell through the long window in waves o
pale rosy silver light giving a soft mellow
atmosphere to the room, and bringing ou
in soft relief the finely-cut and daintly-eol
ored faces of Alice and Effie Grantley a
they rested, one on either shoulder of thei
elder sister. Near the window, but will
his face in shadow, sat Mr.. Grantley. Their
was faint air of nervousness about him
though he talked easily and lightly, evel
gayly at times. Suddenly he sprang ava
from the window, with half uttered i'm
precation on his lips and strobe hastil
out at an opposite door.
"It's mamma and the Mordaunts," sal
Alice, looking out. "Papa dislikes them
think" 1
There was the sudden sound of ga
voices, interspersed with little ripples {
light laughter, and then the who
party came into the house. There as NJ