The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-24

ing to ma them. must have left them here or
on the cars How annoYIngi
The DoCToR-Here are your books, Professor.
noon. We all very much obliged Haven't
you got any more you can leave3
"BKRTHA's ENGAGEMENT
"For the sake OF my school girl days. said Fe-
lcia, from the depths OF ner armchair ~ was
beguiled into reading this new STORY OF Mrs. Ann
,. stephens, Bertna's Engagement Ct. b. Peter
son Bros.)
Mss RAoHEI-well hope you were repaid FOR
FELIoIA-Yes, think I was. / do not know
that would care to repeat the experiment but
/ must confess to having been interested In the
story, melodramatc as II Is. The opening scene
discovers q gentleman anc three ladies' on horse
back.
Miss RAcHEL-Not "a solitary horseman.u tnens
FELICIA-Before two OF the ladies rode up tho
gentleman had proposed 70 Bersna Canneld the
heroine OF the story, TO whom she replied III
human love were the growth OF human will, Eg-
bert Fletcher, you would not have asked for mine
twlce.u With this poor consolation she put him
on They are resting at the top OF HILL a food Is
rising In the valley below, the bridge that sepa-
rates them from home Is t0tterng 10 Its 1all. Two
OF the girls put the whip to their horses and dash
across. Bertha and Fletcher hesitate.
MISS RAcnEL-The man. or woman eitner' VINO
hesitates 10 losk
FELIoIA-Tnese two came very near It, but
were not as you snail see. They start Tor the
bridge, get nalf way across when the tlmoerS give
way. Bertna's horse sank into the chasm,
Fletchers leaped II and at the same time ne drag
ged Bertha across his saddle and they were saveo.
That Is only one OF the many adventures related.
Bertha is so grateful to Fletcher for saving her
cept it now, thinking that she is only moved BY
gratitude. he goes away telling ner tnat ne Win
loves him, they will be married
Miss RAcHEL-A dangerous experiment;
FELICIA-So 1t proved. At this time they Were
staying at Berthas grandparents, house, Bertha
and her mother and two school friends, cara
Anderson and Mary Noel. The former was oeautl-
full and high strung but poor and took IN sewing.
The latter was the daughter OF a rich Southern
planter. Clara lived In the netghborhood ana was
loved by the son OF Judge Lane The Judge and
and CLARA was TOO proud to exert her power: Al
last she retired TO her country home, and mary
goes back 10 the South. And now the
Villain appears in the person OF Russell Walden,
poet, politician and man OF the world. He has bus
TO look at q girl TO make ner love him, ana 10
read her one OF his poems to bring ner nuttering
to MS feet He Is sent by young Lane TO plead his
wins her, and leaves her broken-nearted. Ho
sees Bertha In the street and addresses her, but
30 politely that she cannot take offence. Later
on ne is formally introduced by Lane, and he be-
gins his ove-making IN earnest. Alter he makes
1nst sns nas and
Is announced lie really seems 10 love
this girl in way. peculiar to himself. Time
rolls on. Bertha ia invited South TO vIss
Mary Noel, and Walden improves the opportunity
10 visit friend VINO owns a neighDorlng estate.
lie soon finds out that Mary Is immensely
wealthy, ten times richer than Bertha; 50 he sets
his cap for her. sue - poor Tool and Is nattered
Walden one day and makes a confession Bertha
Is not Legitimate child; mere Is loop
hole; the villain denounces the mother,
but promises TO do nothing until six weeks
have passed, during which time the wretched
woman takes cold poison ana dies. Walden knows
that he Is murderer but that does not trouble
HIM long anu ne seeks consolation with Mary
Noel and breaks his engagement with Bertha. lie
marrles Mary, and Bertha visits the bridal cnam-
Der while the newly welded pair sleep, takes
dagger from her hair and IL about 10 plunge IL In
Waldons heart, but thinks better or II and goes
away. duel Is fought between Fletcher aud
Waldon in which the latter Is wounded. The sto
ends with the shooting and killing OF Walden by
Bertha's yed waiting maid, VINO browns ner-
self In consequence. After tnls everything moves
along as peacefully as rose leaves before a SUM-
mer's breeze.
Miss RAcHEL-Have you learned anything by all
that spun out twaddle, my Felicia
FELICIA-Yes, several things, among them 10
beware OF love making poets, 10 appreciate the
advantages OF cross-eyed waiting maids and not Va
venture into tnIs path or literature again.