The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-03-06

delieacy of the strangers attention but
though gentle and refined, and well born
as many of her sex's paragons on whose
fair brows gleam the ieweled coronets
of rank, she was portiOnless orphan,
over whose opening youth hung the
dark and threatening cloud of poverty;
or, in more expressive phrase, she was q
poor relation, accustomed to sights and
neglect, too trifling to be made a matter
of complaint, and yet sufficiently palpa-
bic to have marvellously depressed a nat
urally sensitive heart. No wonder, then
that she sensibly felt his deferential
manner, when she reminded him that
the train by which he desired to reach
-, was on the point of starting.
=" l can wait another hour for the
neXtl" he exclaimed-"such delay
would be very unimportant, compared
to that from which your confiding good
ness has saved me-"
But his politeness-or that something
better, of which politeuess is only in
tended to be the outward sign-was
spared the test; for at that moment q
servant hustled into the office in which
they were waiting, and after making
some short apology to Miss Marston for
his negligence, led the way to a carriage,
into which the stranger handed her, re-
naming himself uncovered until it turn
ed corner, and was hid from his view.
The eyes of eighteen, however bright,
are apt to see matters through lens
peculiar to youth and if the truth must
be owned,t them the shady side of thir-
ty appears the very sere of life, but
though the stranger had evidently passed
that bright barrier which divides gilt
tering, from golden decade, the outline
of his noble figure, and finely moulded
features, was more firmly impress ed in
Mary's memory than that of any other
hving person.
Midwinter had passed away for though
snow lay on the ground, the day had
heightened, and II bright sun cleaned
upon the icicles which hung from the
veranda of Mrs. Lawford's drawing
room retained probably in their fantas-
tic pendules by the keen easterly wind,
which seemed to penetrate through ev-
cry crevice. In an easy chair, drawn
close to the blazing fire, the old lady sat
knitting, while her two daughters were
busily occupied with the many tinted
Berlin woods. At table near the bay
window stood Mary Marston, in the
midst of her morning duties. She had
conferred with the cook touching the
state of the larder, she had combed the
poodle, and busted the china, and now
she was tending some rare hyacinths,
much priced by Mrs. Lawford, who had
q passion for Horticulture. But sad ac-
cident had happened-one of them had
slipped from her cold fingers (she had
not been near fire that morning,) and
the flower had snapped from the stem.
A bright drop stood in each of her soft
dark eyes,-for she had been chidden
somewhat harshly for her carelessness.
Her heart was too full of regret to make
excuses, and she only murmured, 81 am
most unlucky."
"Now do not think you are" said
Matilda Lawford, who was good-na-
tured girl, and wished to bring round
the mind of her mother, most irritable
tempered woman, to a pleasant subject.
&C. know we all thought you very lucky
to have present of the splendid bou-
quet the very night of our ball. Was
not it piece of sheer luck to come so
appropos And you were dear girl to
divide it between us. Every body thought
the flowers were from our own conserv-
atory."
. Surely you were not so silly as to
undeceive them, " chimed in the matron-
ly lady; who, besides being ill-tempered,
was one of those weak and dnarrow-mind-
ed mothers, whose children, if they have
good qualities, possess them in spite of
evil culture; " we should have had quite
as fine a show" she continued, ''if that
stupid Ellis had not let out the fires on
Christmas-eve; and there is no use in
proclaiming ones notifications.
"I think the greatest piece of luck was
getting back your sovereign with the
flowers ~ exclaimed Hannah, in tone
which proclaimed her to be a great deal
more "her mothers daughter" than
Matilda. 1 am sure never expected