The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-02-19


morning, very beautiful bouquet; ac-
companying was note much more
tender in its tone than usual and signed,
=" Your true lover, Alaric." Both note
and flowers were triumphantly exhibit
ed to Bessie in less than ten minutes
after they were received and coupled
with Alaric's devotion to Jenny on the
island, spoiled Bessie's pleasure for the
evening; for, in spite of her aunt's
warnings and watchings, she had given
her whole heart to the handsome young
doctor
Jenny Burston was very careless
young lady; If there was nail, splin-
ter, or thorn within six feet, she was
sure to tear some of her numerous ruff
ies or flounces and SO it happened this
evening. She wore delicate blue
organdy muslin, and while waltziug was
unfortunate enough to whisk her volu-
minous skirt over plank in the musi-
clans stand, and tear the lower founce
half way off.
Summoning her aunt to her aid, she
repaired to the cottage, to repair the
damage as well as pins could do it,
Alaric saw her as she went through the
brightly lighted doorway, and threw
himself down on bench ON the porch
to await her return. Unknown to him
self or to Jenny, he had chanced to sit
close to the open window of the dressing
room, and, Jenny's voice being rather
loud, overheard the following CONVEX
sation:
Dear me, Jane, you are the care
lessest girl You tear every rag you
put on your back. Here's this span new
organdy just ruined ~ said Mrs. Burs-
ton.
"Oh, confound the old thing" replied
Jenny, sharply. "Who cares /? When
1 am Mrs. Warrington 1 won't wear
any such flimsy trash as this, you may
bet your life on it!''
=" Has he proposed yet 20
"No, but he's been awful spoony;
will lead him up to the scratch before we
go home. But just think how mad that
Reiling crowd will be when the cat is
out of the bag! They snubbed War
rington, and run after TotterdelI,in such
public way, that it will be an awful
blow when they find what trick those
fellows are playing !"
Totterdell is in love with Camilla
evidently.
Yes, and she with him. That little
Bessie Purviance is just dead in love
with Warrington, although she really
believes that he is poor. You ought to
have seen her face when I showed her
Al's note this morning! Didn't you
see how red her eyes were at dinner
time? Never mind; they'll be redder
yet when she finds that the money is
his, and he is mine. Do hurry, Ann,-
you are the pokiest thing! ~
dare say it was very dishonorable in
Alaric Warrington to listen quietly to
the above, but he did it. Then, rising
quietly, with a smile on his face. he
turned his footsteps toward Messy
Spring, about dozen yards back of the
cottage, where Bessie Purviance was
sitting, listening to the strains of music
from the band, the cricket's melancholy
chirp, and the solemn croak of some in
visible frog. In spite of the gayety
around her, her heart was very heavy,
and her eyes were suspiciously bright.
SIS this Miss Purviance or is 1t some
fair dryad to whom all these fire-fiies
are paying homage?" said AIaric, sud
denly.
80 Dr. Warrington, how you startled
me- / did not hear you coming"
answered Bessie.
Then, as you are Miss Purviance,
and not dryad, why are you here in
solitary stateY 1t is cruel in you to
leave your partners desolate," said,
Alaric, seating himself on smooth
stone near her.
might answer your question,
Yankee fashion, by asking another:
why have you deserted your partners 2"
II came in search of you.'
Nonsense ~
You didn't know was here!"
But / did though You slipped
away from your cousin about ten min
utes ago. L was watching you. Do you
think 1 fail to know your where
abouts ?"
Alaric's tone brought blush to
Bessie's cheek, and emile to her lip.-