The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-04-15

newly betrothed to blooming lady
greatly his junior, such an awakening
was peculiarly trying. He thought rue
fully of the early visit he had promised
Mrs. Vance.
Should these pains increase, he must
defer II indefinitely, or limp into her
presence on crutches-an alternate too
suggestive of advancing age. Flattered
as he was by the widows acceptance, he
could not deny that it placed him in a
position In some respects irksome. 1t
admonished him that he had no further
right to inflrmities that henceforth it
was his bounden duty to be as young as
he could.
The reflection wearied him, the
clutching pain wearied him. Mrs. Dubbs
afterward said she had never seen him so
out of sorts as on that evening when she
took in his mail. Among the letters
was one that caught his eye at once it
was as follows:
DEAR FRIEND = My poor, dear
father is at rest. He was seized with
paralysis the morning after you left us,
and passed away painlessly in few
hours. How little L expected this event
when we talked together My hands
were full then now they are very
empty. My work here Is done. If you
still think L could make happy the
kind friend who has always been our
benefactor, l should be glad to see you.
Sc Yours, sincerely,
"OLIvE WAYNE"
Mr.. Phoenix read this missive, re-read
it, shut it into the Book of Job safe
from prying Mrs. Dubbs, and drummed
uneasily on the closed Bible. What
predicament! Must he thrust back upon
Olive this gift for which he had SO late
ly sued Must he thus humble her p
He writhed at the thought. Must he
thus humble himselfp Bitterer than all,
must he relinquish this tried friend of a
lifetime? Having reached life's autumn,
must he reject its mature and appropri-
ale fruits for the rhubarb and greens of
spring timer Alas yes; he must full
fill his engagement, for was he not an
honorable MANI" He would write at
once to Olive q candid statement of the
case.
But while he idled at his desk on the
morrow Mr. Torrey came to ask the loan
of horse till his own should be in run
ming order, and the deacon laid down
his pen with sigh of relief.
Feeling that he ought to tell his
brother-in-law of his contemplated mar
riage, at dinner he led the CONVEX
Ion IL %.
Vance.
"By-the-way, L met the widow this
morning riding with John Vance," re-
marked Mr.. Torrey, casually. You re-
member him - the brother next to
Charles He's just come home from
California with his pockets full"
"Ah z"
"Yes. Shouldn't wonder if he took
the widow. Some say they're engaged
already"
OF course the deacon knew better than
that; nevertheless, he delayed his ten
der confession. And he did not write
the letter. Time enough for that after
he had paid Mrs. Vance the promised
visit. The latter lady had certainly the
first claim upon his attentions.
Unfortunately several days of tor
menting pain ensued, during which the
deacon's patience was put to a pretty Sc
we're test but he was at last able to seek
the object of his hasty choice.
He found her in the door-yard play
ing croquet with a tall, welLdressed
gentleman.
" So happy to see you, Deacon Ph@-
nix!" cried she, with voluble embar-
rassment, " and so glad to introduce Mr..
Vance, dear Charles brother. Do come
| in."
81 hope my tardy coming does not
seem discourteous, Mrs. Vance," said he,
with affable formality, while the stran-
ger hastened to a suddenly recalled en-
gagement. 81 have not"
"No-oh, no. broke in the widow,
nervously.
"I have not been we'll. Otherwise,
our present interesting relation"
"Oh, Mr.. Phoenix 20 interrupted she,
throwing herself upon cricket at his
feet "Do you know, 1 am so afraid I
am not the one to make you happy P
And my friends say that the discrepan-
cy in our ages is too great. Ought to
marry against their wishes 7"
"You must decide that question, dear
madam, y responded the deacon, with
suppressed eagerness. The finger oi