The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-11-03

the care of an old friend, took his own
little property and departed for the city,
where he Immediately commenced his col
lege studies. The new family arrived at
the rectory and bright young faces were
seen at the windows and graceful figures
occupied the rector's pew in church yet
still, children went by the gate with a slow
er step and pause in their mirthful talk,
and many matron wiped away a tear as
her eye fell on the new white stone which
marked the good old rector's quiet grave.
About four years after these events, Miss
ormond sat in the parlor of her niece, Cor
nelia, (who had been married several
months previous to Lieutenant Frank
Courtney of the United States army, read
ing newspaper when she suddenly ex-
claimed -
"What strange advertisement ~ and
Immediately read aloud, "'Any person
who can give information of certain
Edith Merton, who was several years since
privately married to the late Richard Hard
ing, and who can bring proof of the mar
riage and of the lady's identity, will hear
of something greatly to her advantage by
calling on Edward Weston attorney and
councillor at law No. 72--Street, Phil
adelphia."
"Strange, indeed" said Mr.. Courtney,
and turning to his wife he added, "Corne-
liza, was not Mr.. Harding an acquaintance
of yours,a lover of Edith's, or something
like it, before you left Halifax?'
"Yes-no," stammered Cornela, " "that
is, he was our fellow passenger from Hal
flax, and my sister liked, or rather he liked
Or" and blushing and confused she
stopped abruptly, for just then Edith ell
tered the room, and noticing the wondering
looks of her aunt and Mr., Courtney, and
the confusion of her sister asked anxiously
what was the matter. Aunt Ormond inn
mediately handed her the paper, point
ing to the advertisement, which she had no
sooner glanced at than her brain reeled and
she sank fainting on a sofa. All was now
confusion and anxiety. The secret which
the sisters had so long and faithfully kept
was revealed, and in the family council
which followed it was decided that Mr..
Courtney should proceed Immediately to
Philadelphia and learn all Mr.. Weston
could tell him of Richard Harding's death
and of his wife too, for, from the hour OF
his parting with her at the church door,
his young wife had received no intelligence
of him, and until she saw the advertise
ment was of course not aware of his death.
1t was strange the name should be Edith
Merton, they thought, but perhaps Mr..
Weston could explain it, SO they wisely de-
termined to say nothing of the affair until
they knew all he could tell them. Mr..
Courtney found Mr.. Weston very ready to
impart all the knowledge of the case he
possessed, which was, briefly, that about q
received package from the United States
consul at Cuba, containing letter from the
honorable gentleman, informing Mr.. Yves.
ton Of the recent death of Richard Harding,
his last illness, earnestly desired that the
will and letter accompanying might be
conveyed (as soon after his decease as pos
sible to Mr.. Weston.
Harding and were old school-fellows
and friends, and was not surprised to find
myself named executor of his WILL though
the document itself excited no little aston
ishment and seemed to promise some diff
ficulty in its execution, since it expressly
says in due form, 81 bequeath all my es
tate, real and personal, of whatever nature
and wherever found, to Edith, wife of my
late son Richard Harding, now residing, il
she be yet living, in parts unknown to me
and if she cannot be found within five
years from the date hereof, devise the
same to James, the only son of my brother
James Harding, of Boston, Mass, U. s. Ii
the letter which accompanied the will h'
writes, "Soon after we arrived at home
after our last visit to the United States, my
son was seized with the fever which ter
minated his life, and as watched anxiously
by him one day, he told me of his marriage
with beautiful and portionless girl. ant
besought not only my forgiveness for hav
ing acted without my sanction, but alsC
my permission TO return as soon as he wal
able to Massachusetts, and claiming hi
bride, to bring her to our luxurious home
or to allow him to remain in America witt
her. was beside myself with rage, ant
forgetting the weakness of my boy, load
ed him with reproaches, swearing in my
wrath that he should never again leav'