The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-01-18
VOLUME Y.

who promised laNy q squire ami SnphN
a lorl all for shilling apiece, Then
the two fine ladies' from town paid us d
visit Lazy Blarncy and Miss Caroline
Wilhcimiua Sktggs' and though Mr..
RuWheN turned his back. and cried
" Fudge" at the end ot each sentence.
We wero vastly pleased with their high
life couvtrsatlou, and my wife struck up
notable plan Of sending our two daugh-
tiers g. toxin as their companions, az sup-
ends ol thirty pounds aud twenty-five
guintas year, Tins they very cundc-
seemingly approved, only requiring, as
mere form, Mr.. Ihoruhllls recon-
meUdauon. This he readily gave, and
the expedition to town WAS speedily re-
solved upon. though Mr. Burchel very
presumpuously sought a. dissuade us
from il,
As We were now rising i'm the world
We determined % sell our old colt, which
had no tail. and buy better one, My
san Moses went "a the fair with HIM, in a
W.listcoat of goslng green. fell into the
hands of prowhug sharper, and brought
hack only a gross ut green sPectacles
Then ] to0k our other horse, old Black
berry. and sold HIM myself ta u most
venerable appearing gentleman, who
gave me an order ON nsighbor Flam-
borough. for five pounds, But when
my honest uojghbor saw the name
Ephraim Jenkiuson he exclaimed ;
The gryatest rascal under heaven ,
This is the very same rogue that sold
thesSpectacles e.
went home detected, hut found my
wife and girls in tears over greater dis
appointment. for the two fine ladies, hay-
ing heard reports Of us from some ma
hcious person, had set ont for London,
leaving us o. wonder who could have AS
persed our charters thus basely. BY
chance, however. Mr. Burcheu was de
tected in the yillainy Of having sent q
warning letter % the ladies 40 Thornhill
Castle. and, when repruached, he showed
such etfrontery that / could scarcely gov
eru my passion.
"Ungrateful wretch 20 | cried, be
gone and no longer pollute my dwelling
with thy baseneSs
He smiled and departed with the ut
most eomposure, leaving us astonIshed
and euragel at his assurance.
Squire ThOrnhill continued his atten-
lions, ba Ill my wife's art could not
bring him to a proposal. Al last II WAS
resolved thnt Olivia should marry, at the
end Of n month, Farmer Williams twho
WAS in easy circumstances, prudent, sun
cere and openly devoted 10 herr, pro
videi the squire did not meantime de-
clare his intentions Instead, however.
he discontinued his visits and Olivia
+ seemed cuntented with the change in her
fate. Four DAYS before her intended
uuptials. little Dick came runniny IN,
F crying:
"Oh. papa. she is goue-sister Liyy
Is gone from Us forever -
Gone, child -
"Yes-with two gentlemen in n post
chaise-and one kissed her-and she
criel-but he persuaded her-and she
said "Oh, what VII my poor papa 10
when he knows l am up3one e.
e" Now then, cried /, "my children.
90 and be miserable. for We shall never
enjoy one hour more. And, oh, may
Heavens everlasting fury light upon him
and his Thus To rob me of my child =.
shes an ungratefUl creature, said
my wife. weeping, "to use MS thus.
"Do not talk hardly" saii |; " she
shall be welcome 10 this heart. though
stained with wees, II / ind but repent
ance.
Nv suspicious fell entirely upon ouI
young landlord. but. when insisted ou
seeing him, he met me with an open
ince and seemed amazed at the elope-
msnt, protesting on his honor that he
was quite a stranger - IL. This denial
and some other circumstances soon con-
vinced me that the real culprit was no
other than Mr.. Burchell / followed
some clews % his flight with my poor
daughter. but IN vain. Returning sadly
honewurl, / fell in with a very well
dressed gentleman who invited me TO suI
with him, and talked politics at n great
rate: but he proved 10 be only the but
lcr, and the sudden arrival Of his master
and mistress put me in great confusion.
Just then. who should enter but Miss
Arabella Wilmot, who was formerly en-
gagged Ia be married 70 my son George.
She recognized me with JOY, and, ON
hearing my name, the old gentleman
and lady, her uncle and aunt, insisted
On my staying for some days.
The next evening We went 70 see some
strolling players act in a barn. When
the chief performer appeared and per.
ceiyed Mss Wilmot and me. he stood
speechless. 1t WAS my unfortunate
George He burst into tears and re-
tired. / conducted Miss Wilmot home
and we soon had my SON with US; all hi,
travels had brought him no more for
tune than a stick and a wallet; but
faucied that ] could discern that Mis-:
Wilmot still looked on him with favor
able eve. Nor was this preference,
abatcl hv the arrival Of Mr. Thornhill
who, I learned, had already made hcl
some oFerturcs. He seemed surprised n
seeing me, but Was very friendly, anl
procured for George an ensign's commits
sion in one Of the regiments going to the
West Indies.
Giving my son all I had-my blessing
i took leave Of the good family tina
had entertained me 50 long, and set on
for home. Putting mp for the night at
little public house, l CHANGED to overhea
the landlady berating some one in TIM
room above
Out / say, she cried; "what, yol
trumpery, to come and take up an homes
house without cross or coin 10 bless your
self with! Come along, / say
=" Oh, madam, cried the stranger
pity me for one night, and death vii
so0n DO the rest :"
/ knew the voice Of my poor Olivia
flew to her rescue, and caught her In m.
arms.
Welcome, my dearest, lost one, L
your poor old fathers bosom ~
"Oh, you can't forgive me l know
you clnnot -
"Yes, my child, 1 do. But it sur
prises me how person Of Mr. Burchell'
seeming honor could be guilty of sucl
baseness.
Papa, you labor under a strange mis-
take. Mr. Burchell always admonishe'
me against Mr. Thornhill, who -
"Nr. Thornhill, Can it be p
g Yes. sir. it was Mr.. Thornhill VIII
employed the two ladies, as he calle'
them, who were, in fact, abandone,
women, to decoy us up to town. The
would have succeeded, but for Nh
Burchell's letter, and am convinced n
was ever our sincerest friend.
"You amaze me Ny first suspicion
of Mr. Thornhill's baseness were too wei
grounded
Alas, papa, you are bit little nc
quainted with his villainies; he has bee
married already TO six or eight wive
more, whom, like me, he has deceive
and abandoned. So monstrously did h
treat me that l left him and fled here
only to be at distance from a wretch
detested."
The next day I took Olivia home, al