The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-09-22
ADELAIDE'S DOUBLE.

The absence of Adelaide Munthrope
had grown into mysterious disappear
ance the evening that Roland Mitchell
dined with the Bullens, land, retiring to his
bed in distant chamber of the Grange,
found himself unaccountably interested
i'll the questions and surmises started by
the young ladys probable fate or where
abouts. He knew Nathan Munthrope,
Adelaide's uncle, well, and had casually
met her IN society, making her acquaint-
ance in an rninterested sort of way, and
regarding her go indifferently that really
ne could not determine whether he was
in company with her twice or thrice
after introduction. The family was
nothing more TO him than merely friends
OF the Bullens-one of whom had mar
ried his aunt, and a younger one, n col
lege chum. was to marry his sister. So
very slight was this bond of union, that
Roland lay awake full two hours, won
dering why his mind should be so en-
gagged with Adelaide Muuthrope's affairs,
and why he should lie awake consider
ing them.
MISS Munthrope was slightly built,
pale, feeble-looking creature, with GER
tam prettiness of feature, the chief
charm of which was large, liquid, blue
eve, almost gray, fringed with long,
black lashes. Her forehead was too
high for woman, and combing down
her black, wavy hair, to contract it's
area, only served to make her angular
sunkeu cheeks all the paSer by contrast
She had wonderful possession. an
lndomitable will that never would brook
contradiction, and fervid imagination.
whose vagaries often tended, ut once, to
amufe, delight and shock her mother
aud the companions of her youth. Her
hasi's were oil precise she was method
cal, taeiturn, quiet azd determined. and
hii a knowledge of men and motives.
rtS aud events, far beyond her years.
1t bad become SO generally understood
that she was cut out for an old maid that
the announcement OF her marriage and
departure for Europe gave everybody
tue utmost surprise. People in general
Thought 1t singular that no hint of mari
tai intention should have got abroad; but
Nathan Munthrope gave such poitive as
'surances, and as there were no grounds
Tor objection, contradiction or dispute.
tue MISTER was acquiesced in for six
whole months. At the end of that time
no word had come from Adelaide to rela-
tlve3 or acquaintance, and Gossip shook |
her head, while Rumor let all her tongues
loose at once. This was the situation.
when Roland went up from New York to |
the Grange on a Saturday afternoon in
January, 1873, and heard the theories
and queries called up by the very singu. |
lar aspect of Miss Munthrope's case.
1t was IL o'clock when Roland retired. |
He heard the clock strike |. as he |
tried, for the fiftieth time, to discharge
his mind OF the gossip's stuff, and then |
sat bolt upright in bed.
Luck is against me, or have eaten |
too much dinner said he to himself. |
&c In either event, / wish there was a
fire Ill the CRATE, Oh that the ghost-voiced |
winter wind would stop soughing under
the caves and around the corners. Ugh! |
there it goes again. OF course that |
and tapping is the result
of those COMPOUNDED boughs sweeping !
against the pane, but the result is as
Sleep destroying as though it were a
veritable Fox family rapping seance.
LII only had q cigar, and if | could
only take a turn or two across the floor
l wonder what has really become of that
Munthrope girl-oh dash her and dash
her disappearance. I'll dress in shake,
or rather succession of 'em with the
thermometer below zero and the fire out,
and rout Bob Bullen out for company"
de prepared for his venture, with that
pause, lacking courage, that any warm
piooded Christian, outside Eskimoland,
before barring his devoted
icy fang
And churlish Guiding OF IN. xiotar,s ,.,.s
WHICH, when II bites and blows upon The bodv-p
Is deucedly apt to raise goose flesh and
swamp good resolutions. In the pause.
the WIND being momentarily hushed and
nus breath bated, he heard a footsten
coming along the hall, which ended with
his apartment. "-''i
'"Fcrestalled, and pleasantly. too"
said holland, aloud. Come in, don't