The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1875-06-24
Sci eCt Tale
The MISTRESS OF WOODLAND.

$50 good of you, Paul" and The
widow smiled sweetly as she hello
out her hand.
"Only my duty" was the response
81 hope everything is settled salts
factorily, for | must take the even
ing s train"
The widow assured him that il
was, and he went away, to be absen,
for an indefinite period of years.
Paul Woodford was u young man
of some twenty-eight years of age
lie was a gentleman OF means an
leisure" which, translated iuto plain
English, may be understood as nm in
dependent fortune and no profession
He complained as much of eaDui as
any lady of fashion and now, being
tired of his native country, deter
mined to make prolonged tour OF
the old world.
Meanwhile chance threw him into
the vicinity of distant cousin. whom
he had met but once in his life lie
determined to call on him, aud upon
doing 50, was shocked to find that
he was dead, and that his widow and
two daughters were living in shabby
genteel poverty.
Paul Wood ord hated the sight OF
poverty and the widow realizing
that, began to dilate upon the hor-
rors OF her present life
Besides she said, plaintively, 81
have an orphan niece of Mr.. Ray
mond's to support. She has lived
with us for years, and cannot turn
her out.
"No indeed, madam :" exclaimed
Paul. and then for a moment he was
silent. II think I have plan which
will be to your advantage he OBJ
served. II am going abroad, and
intended to shut up Woodlawn. In
stead, if you will honor me by going
there and taking charge during my
absence, you will honor me-
A new light shone in the widow q
face at that proposition.
II will make provisions that your
two daughters and niece shall be
kept at a boarding school until they
are educated. Then you eau receive
them at Woodlawn and remain their
until / am married.
He laughed as he said that, for be
believed marriage n bore. and did
not intend to indulge in the "yoke
and chains"
"You are too good the widow re
sponded.
mo will write q letter of in.
structions to my steward. He will
be ready to receive you at your
erliest con venience. Also, your little
income that You have now must be
allowed to remain untouched, and
for the emergency mem
toned
He had babe Mrs. Raymond fare
well, and he wrote u long letter to
his steward.
Seved years passed before Paul
Woodford turned his face homeward
Meanwhile he had received occa-
sional letters from Woodlawn.
The widow informed him that the
three had graduated and returned
"home;" the steward that he paid the
allowance promptly, and
that the estate was in furnishing
That was all the news
he received-all he cared for.
Late one afternoon in spring, he
his way leisurely, on foot,
from the village depot to Woodlawn,
n distance of some three miles. He
did not mind the walk, for he had
become accustomed TO pedestrianism
during his long sojourn abroad He
had travelled almost all the Old
World over he had even gone to
Australia aud into the diggings; but
vet he was the same fastidious Paul
Woodford as of yore.
lie was enjoying the scenery, and
that, after all, the world
held no fairer spot than his own
domain, which was now beginning to
bloom like second Paradise.
He stopp,d short before the foun.
tain, when 10 caught the first glimpse