The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-05-24
VEL0RE WERE.

very radiance Of all beauty this is what
Illuminated, for an instant the dark old
hall of the hotel at Westwold ! hurriedlv
touched Sloewick's arm, and the vision
passed.
alt is Miss Nere, he said
And is she stopping here g'
They came IN the stage this morning
Miss We're and her father"
took turn upon the piazza and came
back again.
"Why does a woman hike that come herc,
Slocwick?' ~
Its quiet, healthy, and out OF the way
Of all excitement The cid gentleman has
been ill., and Miss Nelorc is devoted TO her
father"
"Iou know them, then?'
Not much nowadays We used to 10
TO dancing school together when We were
children"
"SIocwick, lexclained, Won don't say
You are dancing man ~
Not emiucntly,' he replied, with
smile and a irown.
He didn't look like it. certainly, with his
gloomy black ewes. his neglected black
hair, and his rusty dreSS. had hecn told
at the commencement of my Acquaintance
with Slocwick that he used 10 I've a great
bean, hut since my association with him he
had been 81 tacitun, unchivalrous, and
negligent Of his toilet, that had quite for
gotten the rumor.
At sunset that evening, Miss We're sat on
the piazza with her father. Sloewick gave
me an introduction, and went away.
wondered at his declining the seat she
kindly Offered him, Vet he looked very
shabby and uninvitinS in aspect. going
away through the trees.
Poor fellow | thought, something
has happened 10 mar his fortunes Miss
Nere looks after him with a glance of per
plexi,y, / presume she used 10 hnd him
agrecAble Well, let him keep his secret.
He has trouble enough, dare say. Ii mus,
he modification that gives him such savage
moods
And 50 dismissed the subject, and turn
ed 70 Miss Nere's sapphire eyes,
We viii stay all summer, il PaPa's
health improves, she said
Her father was iond oi her. She seemed
the light Of his life, She read 20 him. sang
20 him. walked with him, drove with him.
At table She prepared his food, while he
waited like a child, She arranged his
Diet superintendent his toilet, tyrAnuircd
over hliO VITA = l2lEN Nlt4lN-lltr> AAAl h0>
vet beautiful and tender.
Like all other men. loved her. Like all
womanlv women. she was kind 10 me
She did not coquetIe with me. She neither
scorned nor encouraged me. She thought
that by-and. bye ! would understand that il
Was impoSsl bic
We were walking IN the fields one eve
ming, Mr. Nere, his daughter and l. The
. -.
on the river, the ig.le brown boats rocking
on It's bosom, the children playing on lis
banks and among the trees.
Now, papa" said Nelore " isn't this
thousand times nicer than Long Branch -
Her father smiled and nodded---satished
with anything that pleased her.
d" Ii Is - pleasant, papa she continued
that think Helen had better come up
for her vacation
" Very well, my dear
Helen" said beautiful Nelore, turning
70 me, e is my little adopted sister She is
sixteen now, but liule thing---a mere
child---and is vet At school She will like
We>twoli, know
' hope she will come, then, | said; but
| wondered, little uneasily, how her ap-
pearanoe would affect my relations with
Nelore. Would she devote herself 10 the
invalid, leaving Nelore more open to my
attentions or would she appropriate her
70 my exclusion
There exclaimed Nelore, suddenly
'' see 4 white aEalia in flower And be
fore | could anticipate the moyemen. she
had hed acrusS the road and plunged to the
recesses OF the dark wood there.
Shall l stay with ven, Mr. Nere, or had
l best follow her r | asked, turning 70 the
aged man At nv side.
" l think she had rather you would re-
main with ME. he answered. glaneing ner-
vously At heavy country wagon that was
then approaching the bridge " She will
take care Of herself; bur 90, il you like
No l said, giving him the support Of
nv arm, as the wagon thundered oyerl
" She Is coming back alreadv,' | added. as
the dust fell, and showed Nelore, in her pic
tureSque dress, emerging from the twinkling
birch shruhbery. She came up--Pale, agi-
tated, diSrud.
''Velore, what Is The matter % asked her
father.
" Has anything happened TO alarm You,
Miss We're p ! questioned, hurriedly.
d" | am not frightened she answered,
hastily drawing her fathers hand within
her arm. Come, We must 20. Il Is get
ting far too late Tor you to be out, dear
papa
" And YOU did not get your szalia," lie
said.
No, she replied bs. never mind. l
can get II another time
Mentally making 4 note OF the spot, | re-
solved 10 see her safely home with her
father, and then return for the flowers.
The moon vas in the right quarter 10 come
up brilliantly at eight o'clock. ! could
gather the large white clusters OF bloom
easily by Its light.
As we came in sight Of the hotel, Velore
said in a thoughtful tone
" Mr. Derford, how long have you known
Mr.. Sloewick -
Only since last spring, answered.
She was silent for moment, then she
said:
He seems to me to have grown very sin
gular.'
"Others have remarked H." replied.
" but have made his acquaintance 50
lately -
She interrupted me with a slightly ex-
cited manner
:" He used to be a gay, frank fellow. He
is like--he is like - She hesitated, then
concluded with a gesture OF abhorrence--
ghoui r.
/ looked at her with surprise. She said
no more. She was silent until she reached
the hotel. Then going with her father to
their rooms, she bade me good light in her
usual manner
When she had gone, turned instantly
back toward the bridge. The moon was
coming up round and full The air blew
In my face dense and deWy. ] walked rap
idly up to the road, and hurriedly entered
the wood
, The Light fell in broken patches through
the branches upon the shrubs Of Towering
clusters, deliciOusly fragrant ia the dew.
As ] rapidly broke the brittle stems start
ed at sound OF bushes cracking behind me
Turning / saw the dark figure OF q man
gliding off through the trees.
Some poor tramp taking q nights rest
here. l have disturbed him. thought
Ny hands were already full Of the lavish
bloom, and / turned away.
The next morning presented the flowers
TO Velore.
What Did you get them theFe?" was
her first exclamation.
Yes, went back last night"
How kind and thoughtful Of you. But,
Mr.. Derford, did you see no one ?'
No; all was as quiet and beautiful ar
a scene Of enchantment. Yes" interrupt
ed myself " An old straggler stole of
through the bushes a. ] was gathering the
flowers"
/ saw her shudder as she turned away.
Four days later little Helen We're came.
She was a petite thing, but very pretty,
with a torrent of bronze broyuy ~, I'd IA az