The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-08-09
BELLS MATCHMAKING.

my Dear El0ra,n wrote Miss Ray
nond, ~ "It Ia q long time since we
have met Why can't you pack your
trunk, and make up your mind TO
spend the summer with me In this
green and quiet corner of the earth ?
You shall diet upon locusts and wild
honey, II such be your pleasure; you
shall put In an appearance at parish
picnics, or sit In the arbOr and en-
broider while somebody reads Tenny-
son aloud-in short, you shall do as
you please, IL you will please to come
to your rural friend BELL"
Miss Raymond regarded it rs wise
and far-seeing policy that she had for
Clarence Gascoigne-a poor but prom
over the psrish Of Haphazard, whose
welfare she hsIichiefy ia view In is
suing this Invitation to "dear Flora"
who was nothing less than an heiress
and beauty. Miss Raymond herself,
being neither, naturally set q greater
value upon these things than they de-
served, and devoutly believed that
Flora would carry all before her at her
own sweet will She remembered,
when they had been at Madame Bulbs
finishing school together-before adj
versity mad visited the rRaymonds'
rOof-that Flora had been the oynOsure
Of all the neighboring eyes at DIR.
Creed's theological seminary, that she
had been deluged with valentines, sur
feited with b0nb0ns, and embalmed in
sonnet and song In the poets corner OF
the local daily. But apparently these
things had not awaited. Miss Flora
had already survived several seasons,
and was vet Miss Flora, and untram.
meled. Whether, she had fiirted too
hard, her heart had remained an
touched, or she had never inspired her
lover with any thing stronger than
passing fancy, nobody but Flora knew.
Miss ,RaYfn0Dd's family consisted
merely OF herself and q widowed aunt;
and as her income was small, she usu-
ally filled the roomy Old homestead
with summer boarders. But since the
new rector of the parish had taken up
his abode under her roof-tree, and
Aunt Milly was In somewhat falling
health, she had decided not to add to
her cares, but to her pleasures, In beg
ging Flora to spend the season ut Hap
hazard. And Flora was nothing losth.
She stepped from the numbering old
stage late on one summer afternoon.
with the most killing Of hats perched
upon her shabeIy Read-a very be-
witching picture Of O girl Of the period,
the soft fluffy curls upon her white
forehead, the dark eyes shining with
mischief, the wild rose blushing upon
cheek and chin and o ready smile
about the mobile lips. Bell felt sud-
denly old and faded and dowdy beside
her, and upbraided herself smartly for
the sensation . She went up to her
guests room with her, threw open the
blinds, pointed out the views, and
helped her unpack.
81 do h0ps you won't flnd Il stupid
h@s, FlosA. y She said :. tkssv time
will not hang heavy upon your hands.
smSe S IN, IL - tl,f' sYs.
TFf suppose; there isn,t suef an ,arti-
kle as 9 gentleman within ten miles,"
"XAfs&ey its not: plenty = I
fc0uM 3Fehni Tor your oako, 4 6Rntees.
pasterS ~ Pine I'm VII setss md
Sbdangt or gionotoi VI c13i see
tffo.towerf0f the man616n M65n this
wind0NVstdere. behind that belt Of
pines; but no prefers Che gay world.
And then there's our rector; he Is very
"Oh, spare US! : I had theology
enough, thank YOU ~ Madame Buh'S.
Say. Rsi1 Hkdi Inc apIendid appari-
ton coming In, At the gateT' 80
That ~ laughed Bell-"that Is the
aforesaid rector .N-''
as he coming to give you shostly
counsei O. Il shall be getting o change
of heart, depend on'tYnana yGss
He, He's .coTping home. 70 tea He
There lis "a divinity, ." quoted
r Flora II thought, to be sure, twas
no less than the master Of Pine Hill
coming to his estates Just In the. nick
OF tippe.,s How long has his Reverence
been here, may I ask 2" sftit
--"0 Only three months.n
i, I I'VE 4 wcsp'sasf ssr haven't fallen
~ HTf. whst would be- the 'Eoodqp
ssEWhp eyerstOps to think Of, that ?''
"At least one must have q, little en-
cQuragement I'd begin with.n -.
Z land hasn't he given you 4 particle?
: You just hand oyer p my. tender
, sYou shan,t tlista With him, Flora
think you in eafhes 80 f. .,.....e I
sShan't Is In the mi ma d Hood,
fbelieve. Are yQ9 we Gnardian Of
Dis young aftecti plItf ~ c.,.-,s -
And then they al Cvodl i 20 the tes
table, and Flora aud cIoYn0e 0as-