The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-09-07
THE RED LANTERN.

think AIN safe in saying thatPaul
Stanford hated me from tile time we
were little boys at school together up
to the period of which am going to
tell you. ussti-I1t zti1st suo iHa &
Unfortunately we had always been
in some sense rivals. We were near
ly OF the same agc-ourb tastes W ere
somewhat similar-our circumstances
in life much alike, and we were I'M the
same classes and studied the same
books. trta ruHH -3si t5AG hHE q
Probably it was more because L ap.
piled myself closer to my studies than
he did that outstripped Paul, and
upon all circumstances where scholar
ship was concerned bore of the palm
Naturally, he was quito as clever as |
was Ia little more brilliant indeed
but he lacked application, and we all
know that to become a scholar re-
quires time and patience and hard
study, even if one is the genius in
the beginning. i14 ~ 'A5.1 -
Paul had one decided advantage
over me. He was handsome aud
graceful, ana all the vicinity made
HIM aware of il. lie was self.con.
ceited, naturally; ana the admlaiion
he received made him vain. Nothing
makes fool of Il man any more speed.
lily than to have the women make too
much OF him. --'t t.' 2'.- j" t''
Gay, and gallant anu courteous he
was TO them all-but he coveted the
lovo of only one. Florence Wasne
was sweet little brunette of two or
three and twenty, and all the Young
men in town were in love with her.
She had only lived in Marler two
years. Her native place was Phila-
lelphia, but her fathers health re-
4uiring change of air they had come
10 Marley and established themselves
IN pretty cottage out on the Pownall
road. <ha a. H- II i''. sac ia''ii
Florence was accomplished in an |
ordinary degree, and she had travelled
l great deal, which is after all, the
pest way of educating ones self. -
In Philadelphia she had moved in
The first society, but she did not hold
herself above taking part in our rus
lie merry makings, and at the husking gs
and apple bees she was the life of the
s9fAlr 80 t7. no f-"it-i /
To do Florence justice, she enconr-
aged none iofnher suitors kind !
and courteous, nothing more. +a~ t"f't
AS for me, had been a beauty wor
shipper, and when 1 saw Florence
Wayne met for the first time nv |
ideal woman. Ny heart went out |
from me and never came back. In
my widest dreams l never imagined
ever so family that such a glorious
vision could come upon me in dull, |
prosey old Marley where nothing did !
happen year in and year out. .''il"
had seen very little of the world |
and was shy aud awkward, and the
passion felt for the beautiful Flor.
cncc did not tend to make me less
in her presence. The
fact of it was, the sight of her con
fused me 10 such a degree that l was
always making myself ridiculous be-
fore her. and ii she had not been the
zindest hearted girl in existence, she
would have INDUCED in many a hear
W lay,Uh ,f, ,nu
Once l summoned up enough cour-
lge TO invite her to take ride with
ne. l had as fine horse as there
vas i'll the country, and good buggy,
md might have enjoyed myself if 1
lad not been SO awkward.
AS it was, 1 trod on Florence's
iress, and struck her bonnet with my
elbow in getting into the carriage,
the whip in her face, and did
! score of other things which would
lave died to prevent. t.t-.,,l
She made me SO terribly conscious
hat had hands and feet that must be.
disposed of in some way, and how
his disposition was to be accom-
'lished was the question. ..s lal1bs{
Paul Stanford loved Florence also, ;
,ut his love made fool of him as
nine did of me. lie was always just
% brilliant, and could say his wittiest
hings with the dark eyes of Florence
ull upon him-just as well as ii she
lad been thousand miles of. o,
low envied him his easy, quiet nom
balance and how irritated l was by
he patronizing air he assumed toward
ne. rfi 'H 'i' '''" "*''
But at last fate gave me a chance to