The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-08-26

the cool shaded room, and Archie, Jack,
and lastly her husband "a fresh English
looking youth, came lounging in.
What is it, Gerty 2' cried Archie.
Certainly uncommon must be to pay"
What a low expression ~ with lit
tie air of disgust. "Shut the door; you
will not laugh when you hear my
news"
They clustered about her; her hus-
band presented her gallantly with %
bunch of violets.
"Oh, what nonsense, Harry-I will
take them, though" catching them
hastily and putting them in her belt"
"when sword is suspended over our
heads. Papa is going to be married J"
Archie tumbled off his chair in very
evident and boisterous manner; Jack
started up with smothered, angry ex-
clamation; and her husband looked
crest fallen. Yes, there is no other
word to describe exactly his expression.
How do you know? Has he writ
ten ?" exclaimed Archie, recovering his
equilibrium.
Nina Montgomery has written me.
She is staying at the same place, in the
very house with papa's inamorata. I'll
read you her letter:
"' DEAREST GERTY:
CO Doing precisely as I'd be done by,
1 write in the greatest hurry to tell you
that, unless you can prevent it, your fa-
| ther will be married to fascinating, in
| triguing kind of cousin of mine, who is
doing all in her power to make him and
| every one else III love with her."
"What scare for nothing !" inter-
rupted Jack. "He is only in love; 1
thought it was all fixed"
"Wait until you hear MORE" solemn
ly replied his sister:
"She is a widower, and fatally, dan
erously charming; hate her, but am
forced to acknowledge this. Every
creature, except me, whom she looks at
likes her. She has light hazel eyes,
wonderful hair, an exquisite white skin,
| and, whether she walks or sits still Jocks
up or down, is irresistible. Her voice
would charm the bird off the tree. L
hate her because L am jealous of her,
and, although she purrs over me, will
not be friendly. Very well, I'll come to
the point. l heard your father entreat,
beseech her, to marry him. listened !;
yes, / was so base even as that-sat near
q window-they were on piazza. He
told her he'd settle million on her, al
luded to all of you, and seemed to think
no one but William would like it.
There is no use in my saying more.
Come on in full force. She's coward
ly little thing-has scruples. l think
you can prevent it.
"' Yours, with much sympathy,
SO NINA MONTGOMERY"
Mrs. Grant laid the letter gravely
down on the library table, gazed at the
three with a questioning glance, and
languidly inhaled the perfume of heI
blue violets.
How can father be such fool 2" ex'
claimed Jack; che is seventy year;
DID,"
Poor father ~ said Archie. How
devoted and kind he was to mamma !
Let him marry if he pleases."
" You little know what you are say
ing I" shrieked Gertrude. "Let hin
marry !" with sarcastic air. eth,
woman is an artful, designing mink
Do you suppose she'll be content will
her million? By no manner of means
She'll never rest until she has put u
out of the house, and out of his heart
and out of his will. She'll take posses
sion of him. I've heard too much o
rich old fathers and young step.moth
ers. Mrs. Brooks made her husban,
leave her every bit of his property, cut
ting off his daughters with shilling
When the'poor man wanted to retract-
said he had had an attack of paralysi
in the mean time, and was incapable
Actually, when he wanted to alter il
with death staring him in the face, h
: couldn't. 1 feel awfully sorry for pa
pa,n added Gerty. Sc He has had YER
gloomy life, and if he were younge
man But how long could he live wit
his pert young widow Threescore year
and ten, the Bible says, is the limit, an
he has attained it.n
"I wish William were here" eS
, claimed Archie; "he'd tell us what t
J do"
He'd tell us just to make the best
f it," cried Gerty. William woul
let father cut his (William's) throa
cheerfully if he were so inclined. II
, doats on papa. So do we all, !" she adde
, x,;th n s;oh Uonlv we don't want hiI