The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-09-21
RIDGWAY, ELK COUNTY, PA. Thursday

mo SANDER allowed You are on the
point of breaking it.
"I'm sure it's no slander, but the
TRUTH" pouted Emily. "There are
plenty of girls as handsome as she is
that he might have for the asking"
Chorus of ladies' "Plenty-plenty-
shoals of them"
It was pretty Leila David'5 turn to
speak.
eft seems to me that in small,
nineteenth century sort of way, this is
cutie Benedict and Beatrice case. Two
people affect to hate each other, and yet
are longing to rush into each other
arms, and here are we all, friends of
both parties, continually plotting and
planning to throw them together. ]
wouldn't be surprised any time to hear
him say Against my will, I'm sent to
bid you come to supper"
Radcliffe reioined: According to
the rules which we twenty men and
women undertook to observe when we
ali met here for mutual amusement, she
must ride with him to morrow but how
are we to get him to believe she has
consented willinglY2"
"That's easy enough, replied Grand
father Sapderson. "I'll hatch up some
thing for the occasion but don't any of
the rest of you say word-for he's so
sensitive that he half suspects why she
treats him so uppishly, and the first
word would make him fly the track"
"H-sh I" said every one. In the
adjoining parlor Kate had struck the
first chords OF a popular song, and as
H., =, III H. LII.
air, the ex-athlete strolled up to the
merry party on the piazza, and like them
listened spell-bound to the tones he
loved so well.
The song ceased, and aftera moments
pause she began a duet, expecting, no
doubt, that Sam Williams, vino usually
sung with her, would take it up Outside.
Instead of which he nudged Blake, who
Immediately, as if ilresistibly, began in
round, rich voice, the like of which the
disdainful maid had never heard before,
but supposed it was Sanderson, or one
of the rest. How exquisitely their
voices blended only hers was unframed,
while his had all the culture of an opera
singer. Indeed, many OF his hearers
wondered if ever he had been q profess
sional singer as well as athlete, and
thought what a loss to the public was
such voice.
Every one enjoyed the singing, and
was especially amused at the thought
that Kate wasuuconsciously pouring out
her whole heart in united melody with
the man she proessed to despise.
Did she1 OF all that group Of young
men, California's finest, freshest sons,
l,f-o
Adonis. Although in reality thirty two
years Of age, his exceedingly fair com.
plexOn and light brown hair made him
look years younger. There was not a
line Oh the broad, white forehead, nor
/ crow foot around the limpid violet
5yes. "Where did such low fellow
get such heavenly eyesf" Kate asked
herself the next morning, as she drew
On her riding gloves.
He was over six feet tall, and might
nave been just a trife heavy for the
ing, but for everything else his pro-
portions wero splendid. All that the
proud beauty and belle, Miss Winstan-
y, urged against him was true, except
hat he Was Glow" Nature made him
u gentleman, though of low birth and
non fortune. Ten years prior to the
,pening Of this story Blake had come to
california with circus troupe; he was
5ignur Francesca Sellterino, the "strong
man OF the company. He vaulted
with the rest, bat his speciality was firing
Il cannon off his breast, lifting a dozen
men ut once, and other immense weights.
He was of an old circus family, and
never thought to leave "the profess
sion," but having some money when he
reached the Pacific slope, he was seized
with the mania for dabbling in stocks,
and to hisl Joy and surprise, by one of those
sudden rises in stocks possible only to
California, he made almost a fortune
without as much trouble as turning a
handspring would have given him. This
lucky stroke determined him to retire
from the sawdust, and he soon devel-
uped business talent which, in few
wears, made him prominent and infu-
"ntlal man in Frisco, while his character
rs man, and his exceedingly polished
manners, won him the respect of every
body except the wayward beauty on
whom lie had set his heart. Itremained
FOR her to drag up and tauut him with
the old trade, never alluded to by any
body now, except as bit of personal
history, and never to his discredit.
When, the morning after the CONVEX
sation on the balcony, the party of
twenty assembled, sunrise was tinging
the red woods and the wild flowers.
They were soon in the saddle. AS
Kate glanced disdainfully at her com
panion, her heart fairly ached as she
thought that he was too handsome for a
man, and if he had been anything but
low circus creature, even a respectable
hod carrier-but she would die before
she would marry such fellow.
And he thought, she looks more like a
goddess than mere woman. l would
lay my body down under her foot, and
let her crush my life out, if she would
but smile on me.
She had on previous occasions snub-
bed him so terribly, that they rode
long time in silence before he ventured
to begin a conversation with her; but
when they reached the crest of the hills
overlooking Santa Cruz, and he glanced
across the bay, and saw the fieecy, sun
tinted clouds lowering over the Monte
rey range, an exclamation of delight es-
capped him, and he said with enthusiasm:
"Look, look, Miss Winstanly is
not that picture painted by Gods own
hand2"
"Oh, yes," she replied, in an ungra-
cious and contemptuous tone; "but I
never gush-it is not good form.
The insolence of the spoiled beauty
stung him to the very hearts core, and
the pangs of despised love and sudden
anger caused him to forget himself, and
he retorted with restrained passion: