The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-10-27

ming seemed to have forgotten theunpleasant
conversation Of the previous night
Mary, true to her noble nature, forgot
her slight, and did all she could to aid her
cousins and enhance their pleasure CON
tented to draw her own happiness from the
happiness of those around her.
Dinner hour came and passed, and the
girls, after hundred twistings and turn
ings before the glass, to be sure that every
ribbon was smooth, and every silken fold
right, made an early start for the scene of
attraction. Mary watched their graceful
movements out Of sight and though a
smile of borrowed joy was still on her face,
she was startled by the falling of a tear
upon her hand as it lay upon the window
sill--startled, as we sometimes are at a
drop of rain, and look all around the sunny
sky and wonder whence it came.
Mrs. Curtis had already gone to visit a
friend, where her husband was to meet her
at tea and spend the evening, and so Mary,
with the exception of two little boys, at
play in the yard, was left alone to enjoy,
to her, the real luxury of solitude. Her
heart was like desolate field, all unoulti-
waited, yet showing here and there great
clusters of native flowers surprising in
beauty, richness and fragrance all that the
hand of art could ever boast. She little
knew how soon another was to enter, to
claim and cultivate. True to female in
stinct, as soon as she was left alone, she
proceeded to "dress up'' in her best attire.
1t was brief task. Her pretty calico
black apron and plain linen collar were
soon adjusted. They were all the ward
robe she had outside the kitchen, and had
served her on extra occasions like this for
more than year. Fashions had changed
two or three times; but like the birds and
the flowers, beauty and simplicity, left to
themselves, are never tired of each other.
Mary had just finished her toilet in the
kitchen, where her seven-by-nine looking
glass was large enough TO reflect all her
pride, and had hardly seated herself in the
parlor with book, when she was startled
by knocking at the door. She opened it
and confronted William Belts; whom,
though she had often seen, she had never
spoken to in her life. r4
He bowed, and said, "Good evening"
and waited to be invited in while she
waited to hear his errand. At length she
said, with embarrassment,
"The family are all gone out"
al know it,'' replied William, "and
that is why am here Can't you say, come
in p'' he added, with smile.
Mary repeated the words mechanically
after him, half ashamed of her awkward.
ness, and half amazed at novel emotion
which at that moment flashed through hel
heart for love needs no bugle to announce
his approach. William followed her in
and took the chair offered him by tremb
ling hand. He was a noble-hearted, ingen
uous young man, and had long INDUCED
an affection for Mary, which the cool treat.
lment he had received from the aunt and
his suspicion of its cause, had not tended
to abate. "Love hath Thousand eyes, y
and he had discovered the present opportu
nifty of finding Mary alone, and determined
to improve it,
We shall not go through with the de.
-scription of love-making scene it ought
never to be soiled with printers ink and
besides, everybody understands the pro
cess already, either by experience or hear
say. Suffice it to say, after few minutes
of ordinary conversation, William who had
filched an hour from his business, had nc
time to make regular approaches" as
the military men say, but came with the
intention Of storming the citadel at once
After little pause, therefore, in the con.
versation, he turned his handsome eyes
full onhis s'timid hostess, and said,
"MaEy, came to tell you that love
gou," and without waiting for any reply,
and to save her embarrassment, he went
On to narrate the history of his Affection
where he first saw her-how he had found
out her name--how he had tried to resist
his feelings, and cOuldn't-hOw he had en-
deaNored to get introduced to her-and
much to hersurprise, how he had learned
all abGut her unhappy and neglected con-
dition Gn her uncle's family.
Marys pretty face, as in nature bound
was covered with trickling tears, not of
Affection, Gr mere sentiment, but prompted
by an indefnable mixture of emotions, the
most prominent of which was tremulous
joy that she feared Was too excessive.
What wonderf Her ears had never listened
to such professions before, aud her heart,
which was made up of yearuing amiabili-