The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-08-05

taplS' Ile rehu ~ tnrOuBh, Will ulhinhy
and establishment.
"Poor little creaturel' he exclaimed,
"who could have been capable of so
cruelty decelving herY / did not think
she had an enemy, her life is so blame
less and noble. What shall tell her ?
How shall explain matters to her 2"
He read the letter over again, and was
impressed by the modesty and gentle
ness which pervaded it.
Walking up and down the room, per-
picked at what had recently occurred,
and vexed at being in such false posi-
tion, DIR. Ashley suddenly thought of
Gertrude. This was the night he had
set for calling on her, and deciding his
fate He had little doubt that her reply
would be favorable one, aud yet here
he stood as good as engaged to poor lit
tie Miss Hannah of Rose Cottage
He drew his handkerchief from his
pocket and, as he did so, piece of
crumpled paper fell to the floor. Think
ing 1t might be of Importance, he picked
IL up and opened 1t.
AS he read 1t, his face grew very grave
and sad, and his lips were sternly COM
Nl>ressed For an instant he could not
remember where or how II had come into
his possession; and then he recolected
the sudden gust of wind that had
hurled 1t into his face the night be-
fore.
Was 1t fate, wonder, which made
the wind blow from the open window
of Gertrude's bedroom this scribbled
sheet, and fling it into the DOCTORS face
For on the paper was rough draft of
the love-letter Miss Hannah had receiv-
ed, and on the reverse side, scribbled
with many quirls and flourishes, the
names of the two young girls who had
planned to mortify the little old
maid.
"And to think, but for this crumpled
piece of paper, and what it contains, that
/ might have married that girl ~ unused
the doctor. 1.-THE whole plot is clear to
me now; and, instead of loving Ger
trude Lorrimer, thoroughly despise
her. How could she stoop to this ?"
Then he threw himself into an easy
chair, and abandoned himself to
thought.
The result was, that he rose to his
feet an hour later, with a smile on his
face, donned his overcoat and hat, and
left the house, going in the direction of
Miss Hannah s cottage.
Gertrude saw him from her window,
where she was keeping watch but she
did not know his thoughts, or she would
not have laughed and clapped her hands
so gleefully.
Poor little thing !" thought the doc
tor, as he saw the light in Miss Han
nah's parlor window. "She is expect
ing me, of course. Well, her tender,
generous heart shall not suffer through
me, and / shall do all can to make her
happy"
Miss Hannah opened the door for
him, and then shrank timidly back
but he put both his strong arms around
her, and drew her to his breast.
"My arms are your shield, and my
breast is your resting-place forever, dear
Hannah he murmured.
go, Leonard ~ she replied, eff 1 can
only make you happy. But L am so
old and so faded"
You are mine now, and won't al
low my property to be deprecated, was
the doctors answer.
The surprise and chagrin of Gertrude
and Nettie can well be imagined but
they had only themselves to thank for
the strange result of their heartless, un-
maidenly, wicked hoax, that might
have resulted in driving so sensitive a
soul to lasting shame or even death
ITSELF
They never learned from DIR. Ashley
or his wife that it was surmised who had
written Miss Hannah's love-letter for
the doctor never spoke to either of the
girls again, but passed them with only
cold and formal bow; while his wife
never knew, to the day of her death,
that her love-letter had not been a gem
uine one. That cruel knowledge was
kept from her by her husband; for
DR.. Ashley had learned to love his wife
most tenderly and truly, and under his
care and kindness she grew rosy and
bright again as in her youthful days
She no longer denied herself nourishing
food and beautiful clothes, for she was
surrounded by peace and plenty.