The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-10-06


village never suspected the long and in
innate acquaintance existing between
them. Hence Benson was never called on
to answer any annoying questions respect
ing Saunders standing in society, as would
doubtless otherwise have been the case.--
Squire Carroll was quite prominent man
in that little community. Possessing con-
siderable real estate and realizing there
from something nice in the way of an as
sured income, he was one of those men
who are considered by their city acquaint-
ances-well-to-do by their country neigh
bors-immensely rich. Beside a supply of
this worlds goods, the squire was the for
tunate possessor Of an interesting family,
of which, the only daughter, Miss Jennie
Carroll, is the sole person claiming our
present attention.
Miss Jennie was eighteen, and vivacious
Her complexion was clear and beautiful,
her form 1.-THE and well developed, and her
hair curly and golden. She was generally
understood to be the Squirrels favorite, and
the lucky man who succeeded in securing
her for a wife would be esteemed fortunate
in more ways than one.
True to his word Robert Saunders in
troduced his friend to the CAROLS the fol-
lowing day in his usually grandiloquent
style. Miss Jennie frankly extended her
hand and expressed herself pleased to meet
Mr.. Benson. The squire claimed to have
met him before, and invited him to a
socable smoke and quiet chat over matters
and things in general
"Sensible chap, that" remarked the
squire after the friends had taken their
leave. "Why don't you hook on to him,
Jennie? He's worth dozen such chaps
as that Saunders fellows"
&C. know it father" answered that dam
sci, demurely.
squire. "And how did you find that
out P''
And Jennie told him of the conversation
she had overheard, and went on to say:
al had intended to spare Mr.. Saunders
the humiliation of refusal, but I'll have
no mercy on him now. He intends to offer
himself soon, and then I'll let him see that
l know how to rate him at his true value"
The announcement soon came-just one
week from the day she had played the
eaves-dropper. Robert Saunders confessed
to Jennie that he loved, adored and wor-
shipped her, protested that she was the
queen of his heart, tie dream of his life,
the daystar of his existence, insisted that
his mansion on the Hudson would be un-
furnished and incomplete until she became
its mistress, and great deal more to the
same purpose, to all of which that damsel
listened in silence, carelessly remarking
when he had finished:
Really, Mr.. Saunders, you said that
very nice. had no idea you were so tai
ented. You ought to go on the stage-you
ought indeed"
You are pleased to be facetious, Jen-
ME-" protested Bob. "But tell me, m ay
not hope that you will love me littleP'
And he placed his arm around her waist,
and would have drawn her to him, but she
freed herself so decidedly that he had to
release her; and rising, she exclaimed
haughtily
We may as we'll bring this interview to
close, Mr.. Saunders. have but one an
swer for those who would WOO me for the
sake of money with which am supposed
to be-
"Why, Jennie, interrupted the elegant
Bob, in an injured tone, "you surely can
not be in earnest of accusing me of lner-
cenary motives. You forgot that am
myself-ahem." Che half choked but sur
vived it) fortunately tolerably we'll pro-
vided for; and, so, could have no-could
be actuated, mean, by no other motive
than the purest-"
Z" Mr.. Saunders" said the sarcastic girl,
"before troubling you to draw any further
on your vivid imagination, would merely
state that was sufficiently near on last
Thursday afternoon to oyerhear little
conversation between you and Mr., Benson,
in which you were gpleased to make some
remarks concerning me. Try and recol-
lect it-it was the day you were fishing"
Robert Saunders despite his usual al
lowance Of cheek, was so taken aback by
this unexpected revelation, that he ayerted
his face and said something sayoring
strongly Of profanity. M
"I---I guess LII go, I" he continued look
ing for his hat and conscious of feeling a
great deal meaner than ne ever recollected
feeling before.