Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-12-16
A LUCKY ILL WIND.
BY ETA MANNING.

oAO anu IDeTe are
few persons between the cradle and the
grave, are not caught in the hurricane
/ Whether the result of accidental cir.
cumstance or the outcome of human
passions, it is certain that tempestuous
events overtake most men, and that
skies bright and serene will change
their silver light for darker, and OTTER
vengeful, hues.
Such was life to Alfred Hargreaves
The i'll of poverty attended his birth,
and shadowed his early life and while
under the cloud, he, with the reckless
lmprovidence of youth, became engaged
to pretty Anna Blake. Anna was 9
| governess, and then resident at Stam.
ford Hall.
Young Hargreaves visited occasion.
ally at the Hall, but Mrs. Stamford
ignorant and purseproud, paid sparse
attention to him. Indeed. as visitor.
he was merely tolerated. Her daughter,
Augusta, inherited her mothers regard
for wealth, and built castles in the all
stored with gold and ieweled ornaments,
and furnished with all the lavishness OF
vulgar profusion. Augusta, too, was
handsome and fashionable, and like hei
mother, despised Alfred Hargreaves be-
cause of his poverty.
But to Anna, Alfred was the one be-
ing in whom her affections centured.
and around whom her hope of every
happiness clung. Annals love was of
that jealous, sensitive character which
is the inevitable source of the burning
to its possessor. A new world of light
and happiness dawned upon her when
Alfred Hargreaves told her he loved
her. What cared she for the poverty
of which he complained
81 am poor and homeless already" "
she SAID, 'but l will be rich in your
love-"
The marriage was to take place in a
few months. The sky was clear from
the zenith to the horizon. The sweet
bloom of a first love was waited to
Anna, upon the soothing winds Of
Hope.
While Anna was still thus happy, O
telegram was put into Alfred's hand
one evening as they strolled beneath
the beech trees of the park, announcing
the sudden death of his uncle, Sir
Gilbert Hargreaves. A fortune and
title had thus fallen TO him, neither of
which were expected in the ordinary
course of events. He was called away
hurriedly, but there was something III
the parting which brought dismay to
the heart of Anna. Mrs. Stamford, on
hearing of the change in Alfred's for
tune, had invited the young baronet on
a visit, after his uncle's funeral, and
Augusta, for the first time, ploBunced
Alfred handsome. Anna meanwhile
asked herself. Would lie really give
mp the brilliant prospects which his
new position opened up to him by
marrying her?" Thoughts ike these
burned slowly into her brain and created
there a world of jealous, anxious fore
bodings.
In these circumstances, her proud,
passionate nature revolted more than
ever against the annoy ances of her posi-
tion. The daughter of a benefced
fined and luxurious home. Up to six
teen, all had been happiness to her
Sorrow then came. Her father had left
a cheerful fireside upon a dark wintry
night and had riden miles through the
snow TO visit a sick friend. On his re-
turn, his horse took fright, and he was
precipitated into a deep ravine, where
he lay unconscious for hours. When
discovered he was taken to the parson-
age, and only lived to say to his afflicted
wife:
Dearest, We shall meet again"
He had made no provision for his
widow or daughter. So Anna, after
year, had to face the world and earn her
own bread. The position of teacher
in gentleman's family was uncongen-
ial to her because of the humiliations
attendant upon it, but it was her only
resource. and she accepted the post OF
Stamford Hall.
1t was quite evident that Mrs. Stam-
ford had invited the young baronet to
her house with a view of giving him an
of cultivating the acquaint-
ance of her daughter Augusta, and pos
sibly to Augusta means of cOHquering
Alfred's affections.
These were days of special torture to
Anna. She was aSsidIously confined to
the schoolroom, and when not there ; |
was carefully kept out of the way on /
some pretext or other, and this from 1
early morning until long after sundown. |
Even when Mrs. Stamford's ordinary [!
stock of excuses were exhausted. she I
feigned illness, and kept the wretched /
Anna by her bedside. Thus Alfred 4
could seldom obtain more than few /
conversation with his be-
trothed. while the brilliant Augusta
kept him prisoner by her side. Fancy
the feelings of Anna when seeing her
lover arm in arm with Augusta on the
parterre in front of the mansion. The
lowers shone brilliantly in the glorious
sunlight of an autumn morning. Au-
yusta had tripped on to the grass
through the low French window of the
drawing room, and was soon joined by
Alfred.
Anna trembled with fear and vexa-
ton on seeing them pluck flowers for
each other, as she had done the previ-
1us evening when they.strolled.. into the
by twilight. But her emotion
became heightened when, returning to
he drawing-room, the new friends
mingled their voices IN a passionate
ove-song from the Ballo i'll Maschera.
Yet she concealed her feelings by put
ing on an outward show of coldness,
With slight tinge of disdain.
She was the rose frozen over. From
hat time forward she did not seek
Alfred, and during their hurried inter-
views she maintained a dignitied de-
neanor altogether foreign to her sweet,
simple nature. And when Alfred left
Stamford Hall to go to his new estate,
he parting with Anna was cold in the
sxtreme. But there was much tiutter
md excitement in the hall, when Mrs.
Stamford and Augusta saw Alfred into
lis carriage.
A week passed without any letter for
Anna. Troubled and anxioas, she
more than once opened her writing
.ase, in order to write for Alfred. Bat
he could not find words. She did not
wish to reproach him, nor yet to write
n guarded language. In this difficulty
he strolled into the drawing-room, and
here found lying upon the table an