The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-05-29


bound to the tones he loved so well.
The song ceased, and after a mo-
inent's pause she began duet, expecting
no doubt, that Sam Williams, who usu-
ally sung with her, would take it up
outside. Instead of which he nudged
Blake, who Immediately as if irresisti-
bly,, began in q round, rich voice, the
like of which the disdainful maid had
never heard before, but supposed ii was
Sanderson or one of the rest. How ex-
quisitely their voices blended only hers
was unframed, while his had all the cul-
ture of an opera singer. Indeed, many
of his hearers wondered if he had been
professional singer as well as athlete,
and thought what loss to the public
was such voice.
Every one enjoyed the singing, and
was especially amused at the thought
that Kate was unconsciously pouring
out her whole heart in united melody
with the man she professed to despise.
Did sheY OF all that group of young
men, California's finest, freshest sons,
George Blake was beyond cavil the
Adonis. Although in reality thirty
years of age, his exceedingly fair com
plexion and light brown hair made him
look years younger. There was not
line on the broad, white forehead, nor
crow-foot around the limpid violet eyes.
"Where did such low fellow get such
heavenly eyes 2" Kate asked herself the
next morning, as she drew on her riding
gloves.
He was over six feet tall, and might
have been just trife heavy for the
ring, but for everything else his proper
tions were splendid. All that the proud
beauty and belle, Miss Winstanly, urged
against him was true, except that he
was "low" Nature made him gen
tleman, though of low birth and iron
fortune. Ten years prior to the opening
of this story Blake had come to Califor-
MIA with circus troupe; he was Signor
Francesca Sellterino, the " strong man"
of the company. He vaulted with the
rest, but his speciality was firing can
non on his breast, lifting dozen men
at once, and other immense weights
He was of an old circus family, and
never thought to leave the profession,"
but having some money when he reach
ed the Pacific slope, he was seized with
the mania for dabbling in stocks, and to
his joy and surprise, by one of those
sudden rises in stocks, possible only to
California, he made almost a fortune
without as much trouble as turning a
handspring would have given him.
| This lucky stroke determined him to
retire from the sawdust, and he de-
veloped business talent, which, i'm a
few years, made him a prominent and
influential man in Frisco, while his
character as man, and his exceedingly
polished manners, won him the respect
Of everybody except the wayward beauty
on whom he had set his heart. 1t re-
mained for her to drag upand taunt him
with the old trade, never alluded to by
anybody now, except as bit of personal
history, and never to his discredit.
When, the morning after the CONVEX
sation on the balcony, the party of
twenty assembled, sunrise was tinging
the red woods and the wild flowers.
They were soon in the saddle AS
Kate glanced disdainfully at her COM
panion, her heart fairly ached as she
thought he was too handsome for q
man, and if he had been anything but a
low circus creature, even respectable
hod carrier but she would die before
she would marry such fellow.
And he thought, she looks more like a
goddess than a mere woman. 1 would
lay my body down under her foot, and
let her crush my life out, if she would
but smile on me.
She had on previous occasions snub-
bed him so terribly, that they rode a
long time in silence before he ventured
to begin conversation with her; but
when they reached the crest of the hills
overlooking Santa Cruz, and he glanced
across the bay, and saw the fleecy, sea-
tinted clouds covering over the Monterey
range, an exclamation of delight escaped
him, and he said, with enthusiasm:
Look, look, Miss Winstanly is not
that a picture painted by Gods own
hand?'
"Oh, yes" she replied in an un-
gracious and comtemptuous tone; I" but
never gush, it is not good FORM"
The insolence of the spoiled beauty
stung him to the very hearts core, and
the pangs of despised love and sudden
anger caused him to forget himself, and