The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1880-08-21

Gueu Tue NlStI amazingly.
She listened to the epistles, which
her companions did not hesitate to read
aloud.
She even helped one Of the girls to
answer hers, and she retired by the light
Of the long wax candle, to read herself
asleep over piece Of literature by some
French author.
She awoke the next morning to find
the young lady in the next bed up and
dressed, and to hear her declare that she
had been "flirting out Of the window
for an hour with the splendidest fellow. I"
So dawned new life upon Helen
White life her mother little dreamed
Of.
Weeks passed.
She also flirted she also received
love-letters from strangers.
She was naturally silly girl, and had
no strong principle to sustain her.
Guided by her companions. and the
easy prey Of circumstances. she behaved
most foolishly and forgot all of the old
ideas Of propriety which had once been
her guide.
To one OF the admirers, who signed
himself Carlos" she wrote as a girl
ought scarcely to write to her betrothed
lover.
And she forgot how guilty she would
once have felt had she kept secret from
her mother.
Mrs. White was delighted with Helen
progress.
Miss Minerva gave her volume, ..l'he
Guide for Young Ladies'" as prize for
fine department, and nobody had any
suspicion that her head was full OF non
sense and her pockets full Of lovc-letters
from an utter stranger, to whom she had
told all the particulars of her life, and
the full extent Of her fortune, and to
whom she had given VOWS Of eternal
constancy; not exactly in black and
white. for black ink was voted vulgar at
Miss Minerals. but in purple.
Al last the climax arrived.
Something bcfell her that had not be-
fallen any Of her room-matcs As yet
She read the letter aloud to Emma,
Rose, Grace. and Maria. and, all in a
hutter. begged their advice in the mat
ter.
ale says he's Prince" said Helen
with glow on her cheeks, "you know
Of course, I'll be a Princess il l marry
him and Of course, we shall invite you
to our castle. Last night met him-I
coaxed Biddy to watch and let him in
and he was all wrapped up in cloak;
but he was splendid. He has foreign
accent and a black moustachc."
"Oh," cried Maria, II love a foreign
accent"
"And I've promised to run away with
him tonight" said Helen. ale says
ma will be sure to forgive us and he's
awfully rich. And oh, how feel,
girls"
"Of course you do. But it will be so
NICE" said Maria.
"1'hey never have bridesmaids on an
elopement," said Rose-"oh how !
would like TO CO."
And while Mrs. White, sitting with a
dear friend, who also had grown daugh-
ters, but who kept them at home, con-
graduated herself on dear Helen being
safe at school, this affectionate daughter,
from whom she had just received
charming epistlc, corrected by Miss Mi
nerva and touched up by the writing
master, was packing her bundle in pre-
paration for flight, aided and abetted by
four young ladies to whose example she
owed so much.
At twelve OF the night she slipped
down stairs with her little parcel in her
hand.
All in the house were asleep save the
four friends in the first-class dormitory.
Bridget had left the key in the lock. II
was dangerous. II she were not the first
one up in the morning it might lose her
place.
Out in the moonlight hurried the
young girl.
The white beams showed her pretty,
foolish face, pallid as that Of ghost.
She had never set foot in the street
alone at such an hour before.
4 terror seized her-a sense Of her
own wickedness.
Perhaps she would have turned back,
but that dark figure in 4 cloak came
at that moment from the shadow Of 4
porch and seized her by the arm:
"Ah, my own Hslen," said voice.
II was Carlos-Prince Carlos-her
own Prince.
Romance came to her aid.
She forgot her fears, and entered the
carriage, waiting around the corner with
him.
Away they drove, 10Y far Helen did
not know.
Suddenly the arm :h:.t encircled her
was Withdrawn, and voice said:
"Iook here, young woman. No
noise. Pllchoke youif you try to scream.
You have your watch and jewelry with
you, | hope, and the money you promis-
ed to coax from your mother. Hand
them all over"
"Oh, il is not my Carlos :" cried
Helen. "Oh, what shall l do"
alt is Carlos-at least il is the man
you've been corresponding WITH" said
the voice under the hat. ''But I'm no
Prince and husband for you. Hand
over the money and jewelry and I'll not
hurt you. haven't much fancy for a
bread and butter Miss, and an idiot who
would run off with a man she didn't
know to boot. Hurry I'm waiting"
Poor Helen! She felt as though the
sudden end Of the world would be a
comfort.
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