The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-07-22
A GIRLS ROMANCE.
CHAPTER I.
BY F. W. ROBINSON,

CHAPTER I.
GOLD wRAYFoRD."
He was called Old Wrayford be,
fore he was seven-and-thirty years Of
age. His habits we're old-fashioned
he was an old-fashioned, stud;-
ous-looking man, and what else
could be expected? The people of
Greymoor had no fine feelings Of their
own, and did not profess to under
stand fine feelings in other folk they
were not great judges of age, perhaps,
and Abel Wrayford was older than
his looks, hence it was always "Old
Wrayford" in common conversation.
He did not like the title-he had
been heard to express himself a little
querulously at it by one who bright
ened his home and him; but the
name had been bestowed as if by
general agreement. and there was no
changing it in Greymoor. Greymoor
was place where nicknames clung to
one.
Well, he looked "Old Wrayford,"
especially from a few yards distant,
when he was proceeding galongthought-
fully with his head very much craned
forward, as if the weight Of his new
ideas were a triAe too much forit. He
did not resemble man of seven-and-
thirty then-his steps were slow and
measured, and he had q habit of
walking, pantaloon fashion, with one
arm crossed behind him, as if to prop
his back up during his progress; he
was high-shouldered with hard study
Of chemicals and books, and with
much ''writing-work" for scientific
periodicals in London, where he was
better known than in this wild Corn
ish village that he loved; he was
gray-haired even. He was tall and
thin, and his face was lined beyond
his years only his eyes betokened
light and life, for they were clear,
bright gray eyes, full of fire and pow
er still. He had studied all his youth
away; he had stepped aside from
youths frivolities, and given himself
up to science which ages its true
votaries early, as rule, and to this
rule Abel Wrayford was no excep-
tion. He was very young at heart i;
an earnest, simple-minded, clever,
blundering creature, knowing nothing
of the world itself, and but little Of
his fellow-beings "a man who thought
the best ofevery body, and dgave every
body credit for the best intentions.
He had lived at Greymoor almost
all his life. Friends had told him
long ago that in London he would
find prosperity and fame; but he had
a horror Of cities, and his was a mind
which was contented with q little.
He had been to London fifteen years
ago, and the place had unsettled him,
and made him ill-he had suffered
from fever there, and when his
strength returned, he had been glad
to get back to his Cornish home. It
had been his fathers home before
him, and here he could study in
peace, with nothing more to disturb
him than the wash of the sea against
the rocks in the cove, hundred feet
below him, and not hundred yards
away. His father had died poor,
and there did not seem any probabili-
ty Of Abel Wrayford becoming a
rich man. He was fond of expert
ments, and the money which he earn
ed in writing treatise or expound.
ing a theory for the Scientific Register
was sure to be spent in new apparatus,
or in following out new idea-very
often fallacious one, despite his
cleverness. Had it not been for his
ward, he would have drifted into
debt, after the fashion of thoughtless,
dreamy beings as he all the world
over; but she ruled his house and
home, and was a practical young WON.
an in her way.
| Of this ward it is necessary to
speak ere we commence our story
proper; Grace Edmonds became hii
ward, housekeeper, and general man
ager atthe early age of nine. Her faith
er had been the senior Of Abel Wray
ford by three or four years, and Abe
Wrayford, who had left his father
home early, went into partnership
with his friend Edmonds and livec
with him at Launceston until Ed
monds, who had married early il
: life, found children increasing rapid,
about him. Wrayford went onc'
more to Launceston to help his frient
and be Of comfort to him, when q ter
rible epidemic, which had raget
, through England, swept away Ed
mond's wife, and three children out
-four that had blessed q happy bu
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