The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-06-15
THE EDEN OF WILDWOOD.

Paul Renford was thunder struck.
For once in bis life he was aroused to
something like consideration of SUBJ
ject in hand.
Paul was four-and-twenty. At the
age of eighteen he had been left an
orphan, and heir to an estate worth O
million and his uncle-his mother 8
brother had been appointed his
guardian, This uncle was Anson Bet
terman, an enterprising merchant, and O
true hearted man. After Paul came of
age, and became master of his property,
through the advice of his uncle he en-
ployed a lawyer named Lovett to act as
his agent-to look after rents, and so
on-and gradually this Lovett, who
proved to be an apt and ready man of
business, had gained into his hands the
entire control of the whole property !;
and so implicitly had Paul trusted ulm
that he had not even demanded vOuch-
ers for his bank transactions.
In fact, Paul Renford had degonera-
ted into listless, ainless being. His
natural abilities, of the very highest
order, had been prostituted to the most
useless of all pursuits-the mere seek.
ing of pleasure for the purpose of kill
ing time. At first he had lived moderate
ly; his youthful vigor had held him
aloof from the need of stimulants but
of late long continued round of dissi-
pation-partios, balls, clubs and billiards,
in which night was appropriated to
wakefulness aud the day to sleep-had
50 reduced bis physical vim that with
ont stimulants he found no comfort.
And now Anson Betterman had come
to inform him that Porter Lovett had
lett the country with every available
scrap of his property.
"Do you mean," gasped Paul, when
he could breathe, that he has taken
all"
"Yes-everything. You had allowed
him such unlimited sway that he found
no difficulty in getting every dollar into
his hands"
"And 1 am penniless 2"
"You know best whether you had
any of your property invested in bust
ness"
"Not a penny"
"Then 1 fear that you have little at
hand which You can call your own."
"In Heavens name, Uncle Anson,
what shall do 2"
Really, Paul, see but two ways
open to you. You can lie down, and
wither and die under the stroke, or you
can do as thousands of others have done
in misfortune-arouse yourself, put on
the armor of true manhood, and fight
the battle bravely."
81 must earn my own living 2"
"It would seem So"
"And how 2"
81 can give you place in my store"
"No, no, l cannot commence the
battle here-not here in the city, where
I have led the van of folly and dissipa-
tion. Let me have time to think"
"Al right, my boy; and meantime I
will be thinking too"
On the following day Mr.. Betterman
called again; but Paul had not thought
what he would do.
"What have you thought, uncle 2"
"I'll tell you what 1 have thought,
my boy. Back in the country-and yet
not very far from the city-are the mills
owned by my friend Sargent. They are
in a quiet, secluded village, the inhabi-
tants of which are mostly his own opera
tives. Mr., Sargent will give you clerk
ship there, and the pay will be ample
for your sapport.
"But," said Paul, may we not find
Lovett?"
GAS yet we have been able to gain no
clew to his whereabouts. He is a man
not easily to be entrapped. But we can
try further, if you please"
81 will go up and look at the mills"
And so Paul Renford went up to Wild
wood, as Mr.. Sargent had named his set
Element, and he found it rural and re-
tired enough. But it was beautiful
spot, nevertheless, and he had strong
inclination to accept the proffered situa-
tion. He returned to the city on the
day of the evening of Mrs. Spuitenstin-
gers grand party. He was wondering
if he had better go, when he learned
from servant of the house that no in
vitation had been sent him. On that
very afternoon he met the Misses Spuit-
enstinger on the avenue, and they did
not acknowledge his salutation.
$50, SO I" he muttered. "And that
is all 1 am worth to themI"
For little time his heart sunk, but
he rallied.
"Come, come, my boy" he exclaimed,
shifting himself upon the breast, "there
may be something in life yet. Be
brave"
And on the very next day he accepted
the clerkship at the Wildwood mills,
and entered at once upon his duties.
For time he found it dull, hard work;
but gradually his health improved, and
the vigor of youth came back to him
aud under simple living his muscles
grew and strengthened, and his whole
frame came into perfect tune of manly
beauty and elasticity. And now his
duties became light and cheering, and
he sung and whistled at his work.
The oyerseer of the mills was Mr..