The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-12-25
THE TIMES, NEW BLOOMFIELD, PA, DECEMBER 25 1877

saw you"
"You are miserably poor, Laura,
see.''
" No matter; my welfare Is nothing
to you, Ralph Marsden; what little /
have | earn honestly"
9 will assist you"
I" Assist mel No I'd sooner die of
starvation In my miserable home than
accept one favor from you"
" Indeedl" sneeringly; "you have
accepted them in the past'
" Before knew you to be n heartless
villain. Then was happy in the belief
that had wife's claim to what / re-
celved. But / was long since unde-
ceived."
" Well, If you do not want help, for
what purpose have you addressed
me ?'
" l saw you enter that house-Jared
Perclval's."
" Well ?n
" You bore in your arms an insenslble
woman"
" 1t was for no good purpose that you
took her to that place. Oh, Ralph Mars
den, If you ever cared for me land once,
/ know, you loved me, though that was
long ago., release her from that accursed
house."
You rave, Laura"
"Oh my knees, Ralph, beg this one
boon ~ and the wretched girl sank at
his feet and grasped his hands In hers.
Laura" he said, raising her up,
this is folly"
ooh, Ralph, by your hopes of hap
plness in this world and in the next,
beg you to spare this girl the suffering
which / have endured"
"My happiness in this world is Sc
cured" he replied, coldly I" and / do
not trouble myself about the next"
" There will come an hour, your last
on earth, when you must think of the
future and you will be spared bitter
pang If you have not this crime upon
your conscience"
Laura, it is useless to prolong this
interview"
"Oh, do not say so, Ralph; you sure
ly will not doom this poor creature to q
fate far worse than death!'
Have you done :" coldly.
"Oh, Ralph, say that you will free
her, and 1 will freely, gladly forgive
your baseness to myself, and will pray
for you night and morning"
You will forgive me ~ with bitter,
mocking laugh. "Girl, L want neither
your forgiveness nor your prayers. L
can't wait here any longer. If you
want money, say SO; if not, go your
way, and l will go mine and / sincere
ly hope we shall never meet again.
"Oh false villain 7" the woman ex-
claimed, with sudden energy; "why
does not Heaven, in just wrath, strike
you down, and rid the earth of one
whose presence on its surface is pollu-
ton ~
" care as little for your curses as for
your blessings said Marsden. "But,''
with sudden suspicion, "what do you
know of this girl, in whom you seem so
interested ?"
" Nothing, save that she is woman
for this reason alone have L interceded
| in her behalf"
" No intercession can save her. Per.
cival is faithful, and will consider my
interests now, as he has in the past. In
two weeks time, Laura, two short
weeks, this girl will be my wife have
given her that time to consider my pro.
posal of marriage"
"Your wife ~
Yes-married by particular friend
of mine"
" oh false villain !"
"Laura, you have said enough,
warn you not to go too far with me-"
Coward you threaten ?'
" do not care to be thus addressed by
such thing as you-an outcast from
society; or, indeed to be seen much
longer in your company so we had bet
ter part now."
"My God !" the girl exclaimed, " are
not these words unworthy of one who
calls himself a man He who made me
what am by basest falsehood and
treachery, now taunts me with my
shame All !" tiercely, Ralph Mars
den, there is a power in New York
which could release the wretched WON.
an in yonder house and expose your
vileness. And there are those on your
own hiph level of society to whom the