The Osceola times., 1876-07-08
THE EDEN WHo6 OF WILD

Paul Renford was thundersttuCk. For
once In his life he was aroused to some
thing like consideration Of a subject in
hand.
Paul was fotr-and twenty. At the age
Of eighteen he had been left an orphan,
and heir 10 an estate worth a million !;
and his uncle e-his mothers brother -
had been appointed his guardian. This
uncle was ADsoD Betterman, an enter.
prising merchant, and true hearted
man. After Paul came of age, and be-
came master of his property, through the
advice of his uncle he employed law
yer named Lovett TO act as his agent -
to look after rents, and 80 on-and grad
ually 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 50 implicitly
had Paul trusted him that he had not
even demanded vouchers for his bank
transactions.
In fact, Paul Retiford had degenerated
into listless aimless being. His natural
abilities, of the very highest order, had
been prostituted to the most useless of
all pursuits-the mere seeking of pleasure
fOt the PURPOSE Uf killing tiins. At first
he had lived moderately; his youthful
vigor had held him aloof from the need
OF stimulants but of late long contin-
ued round of dissipation parties, balls,
clubs and billiards, in which night was
appropriated to wakefulness and the day
to sleep-had 80 reduced his physical vim
that without stimulants he lound 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 yeu mean" gssped Paul, when he
could breathe, that he has taken all 81
Yes--everything. You had allowed
him such unlimited sway that he found
no difficulty in getting every dollar into
his hands,"
"And am penniless?
"You know best whether you had any
of your property invested in business, y
Not penny"
"Then ! fear that you have little at
hand which you can call your own"
In heavens name, Uncle Anson,
what shall i DO
Really, Paul, see but two ways
open TO you. You can lie down. and
wither and die under the stroke. OF YOU
can do IA thousands of Others have done
in misfortune-arouse yourself, put on
the armor of true manhood, and fight
the battle bravely."
al must earn my own living?"
1T would seem So"
"And how ?"
81 can give you place in my store. "
| "No, no, | cannot commence the ba.
tie herc-not here in the city, where |
have led the van of folly and dissipation
Let me have time to think"
"All right, my boy, and meantime |
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 ?"
"Pll tell you what have thought, my
boy. Back in the counlry-and yet not
very far from the city--are the mill.
owned by my friend Sargent. They arc
in quiet, secluded village the inhabit.
ants of which are mostly his own opera.
tives. Mr.. Sargent will give you clerk.
ship there, and the pay will be ample for
your support"
"But,' said Paul, may we not find
Lovett2 ?"
" As yet we have been able to find no
clue to his whereabouts. lie is man
not easily to be entrapped But we can
try further, if you please
al will 90 up and look at the mills. +"
And so Paul Renford went up 70
Wildwood, as Mr.. Sargent had named
his settlement. and he found it rural and
retired enough. But it was q beautiful
spot. nevertheless, and he had strong
inclination to acceTt the proffered situa-
tion. He returned to the city on the
evening of the day of Mrs. Spuitenstin-
gers grand party. He was wondering it
he had better go, when he learned from
n servant of the house that no invitation
had been sent him. On that very after
noon he met the Misses Spuitenstinger
on the avenue, and they did not acknowl-
edge his salutation.
$50, SOL" he muttered "And that is
all am worth to them
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 -Dce upon his duties For
time he found it dull, hard work but
gradually his health improved, and the
vigor OF youth came back TO bin and
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
wbistled st his work.
The ovcrseer Of the mills was Mr..
Grayson, and with him Paul found a
home. Mr.. Grayson's daughter Della
was healthful, light hearted. true spir-
tied girl of nineteen. She was 'one of
those blonde beauties whose whole pres.
ence is sunshine, and her merry laugh
riPpled like the music of dancing waters
in the pcbbly brooklet. The student of
human nature who heard that laugh
would unhesitatingly declare that only a
heart of native purity and gentleness
could underlie it.
At first Della Grayson, when she saw
that Paul Renford was weak and de
iectcd, sought to cheer and entertain
him. She had heard the story of his
mat In and nha ritia1 him Sh~