The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-03-13
MAUD'S PRESENT.

TT WAS rather an embarrassing thing
i to do, but Charley May had done it
well and bravely, like man. He was
nothing but clerk at two thousand dOi-
lars year, nevertheless, he had boldly
craved audience of the portly old MIL
lionaire, and asked him for his daughter,
as he might have asked foc the milliner
girl around the corner.
Ma. Bryant coolly wiped his pen and
laidit in the carved broNzed rack: he
moved back his chair pace or two,
looking Charles May full in the face, as
he did so, with curious, knocking Eight
in his cold blue eye.
So you want to marry my daugsster,
ehY''
&C do sir" said Charley.
Provokingly handsome he looked as
he stood there, with the reddish - Swn
hair thrown back from bis square, white
forehead, the hazel eyes, clear and con-
fident, and the perfectiycut lips little
apart. Somehow, in the midst of his
wrath and derision, old'Richard Bryant
could not help thinking that were he a
girl of eighteen, he migat possibly have
fallen in love with such q young man as
CHARLES May.
SIS there any other little trifie could
let you have?" sneered the caustic old
man. a row of houses, or the lease of
nay mansion, or any either small ia
vor ?n
" You are laughing at me, sir,'' said
Charley, coloring, yet speaking with q
certain quiet dignity. 81 have asked
you simple question surely have
right to a frank answer
Then listen to me, young man, "
said Richard Bryant, with sudden,
abrupt sternness. "Youare aspiring al
together too high-you cannot have my
daughter Maud. Now you have your
answer-gol"
Charles May stood for moment like
one upon whom thunderbolt had fallen
with sudden blighting power; then he
turned and walked quietly out of the
handsome gothic library, where the blue
and gold circles of light from the oriel
windows quivered over the deep Grim
son of the Wilton carpet, and the
puie marble faces of Pallas and Venus
de MElo watched him as he went
Maud, my love, my darling, what
is the matter ?'
The red glow of the November sunset
could scarcely pierce the folds of ruby
velvet that hung over the plate-glass
windew, yet in the odorous twilight Mr..
Bryant saw bis daughter, with her face
hidden in the satin sofa pillows, and the
heavy, blush black curls dropping low
over the carved rosewood.
" Tell me, little daughter, what
troubles you S'' whispered the merchant,
bending fondly over the girl.
Maud had never known a mother and
there was tenderness in the old mans
tones at that instant that was almost
maternal.
She looked up with the stain of fresh
tears on her crimson cheek.
+" He has gone, papa-he has gone and
left me ~
He-who S''
Charley May"
And Maud Bryant, who had spoken
all her life long to her father as If
he had been loving mother also, hid
her face on the kindly breast, and cried
afresh.
Whew-w-w ~ was the merchants
softly-breathed comment.
:" have been trying to convince her
how very absurd all this ISL said aunt
Eloise, portly widow, in garnet silk
and carbuncle jewellery, who sat by, al
ternately quoting truisms at her niece,
and smiling at a gold cassolctte that
hung at her waist.
MAUD" said Mr.. Bryant, gravely,
/" do you mean to tell me that you actu-
ally care for that young snip of
clerk Y''
Maud sat up Indignantly, with light
ming in her black eyes.
"Care for him, papa love him ~