Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1880-02-20

/ every sense OF the VI
height, with dark hair
clear, pale complexion, and fine
features. His manners were more
than pleasing, he was self possessed.
with a certain appearance of diff,
dence which became him; he added
an eager desire to please, which won
the hearts of ALL
Life flowed pleasantly on with the
| gifted young man; universally popu-
lar, he readily gained practice, and
was cOurted by all. He was essen
tial a Ladies man, paying due atten-
ton to every pretty woman with
whoOm be came In contact, without
committing himself to anyone in par
ticular-going as far as he could
without getting, as be used to say
caught; and when his poor victim
rebelled he would say, 81 only ment
friendship" About this time there
came to bis boarding house a young
lady, an orphan, whose object it was
TO remain in the city if she could OBJ
tain employment. She had been
tenderly reared, but her father,
poor manager, reckless, and extrav-
agant, had left little for Ellen's sup
port. Having no particular vOca-
ton, she found it hard to obtain her
wished for object. 1t was winter,
severe and icy, with a never ending
amount of sleet and rain; therefore
she was forced to spend much of her
time within doors. The Doctor and
she were theonly unmarried people in
the house, and as Mrs. EVsnson's
boarders spent much of their time in
their own rooms, the young people
were much together. Ellen was not
handsome, a tall ungainly girl, with
dark hair and eyes, and irregular fea-
lures; but her disposition was most
lovely. She possessed with good
sense, great intellectual gifts, a pure
and tender heart, trusting, gentle,
loving. She was an easy prey for
the Docter. At first she shrank
from the eager, handsome suitOr, dis
tTustful of her own charms, arguing
that one so endowed, SO gifted, could
not admire one so unattractive as she
mOdestly considered herself.
'sHow can he love a poor solitary
girl like met homeless, friendless, al
most destitute. What can l offer in
return? Nothing but an undivided |
heart; All mol such a union would be |
to brilliant for me. Unjust not think |
Of it.
But when Albert ignoring as it
were, all other society, eagerly per-
sued her, in spite of all efforts to the |
contrary, her heart was touched. She
loved deeply, tenderly, as only true
womon can love. On arising in the |
morning it was he whom she sought |
first; if he was nnkind, then the
prospect seemed dark and dreary;
was he tender and affectionate, then
how light and sunny dawned the
day! How light to Ellen seemed the
present! How happy, in spite of all
her misfOrtunes that had lately sur
rounded her.
But clouds were already gathering
over her bright sun. When the
spring came, with its buds and bios
SONS, its pleasant evenings, Albert
complained that an increase of pract-
ice forced him to absent himself from
her pleasant society. She was often
weary and lonely, but to doubt him
was impossible. Mrs. Evanson, the
lady with whom she boarded, sharp
practical woman of the world, in
spite of all her hardness was touched
by the friendless condition of the
lonely girl, and not having much
faith in the Doctors devotion, argu-
ing that he had TO many lady friends
to be constant (besides admired fick-
le, artful women, are not the kind to
an appreciate a large
hearted, noble nature like Ellen's) |
to warn her of the dan
geroRs chasm opening before her.
Ellen took this as a serious reflection
upon Alberts character, and resented
it with such indignation and pain
that Mrs. EYanson was sileneed.
One morning Albert called Ellen
to him saying:
'sWe are finding it fearfully dull
here, are we not, Nellie %
She was silent.
Snow see" ," said he, in half apol-
Ogetic way, 81 have found the house
tedious lately, and have induced a
particular friend of mine, the be-
Mrs. May, a charming
Young widow, to come and board
here. You will love her, she is so
beautiful, so gifted, so kind hearted
and loving"
Ellen's heart beat quick and fast.
"You are too sensible girl to
friendship, and l am
sure attribute any little demon
stration on my part as a sort of
brOtherly interest. / shall be a
friend of yours always. Love the
widow first for my sake, then for
her own. This evening she will be
with us, and we must do everything
to prevent the house from being
stupid"
Ellen retired to her own room and
there, whilst the binding tears chas-
ed each other down her cheeks,
fought with her grief.
IN the evening, Ellen, with a
strong effort, dressed herself with
care, and entered the drawing room
TO meet the fair stranger. She was
tall and graceful, with deep blue :
eyes, dark hair, and exquisite fea-
lures. Added to this, there was an
easy, graceful, childish manner-the
perfection of ART, and yet with the
of the most perfect sim {
plicity. She approached Ellen, and
in the most bewitching manner
begged they might be friends.
"Alasp' thought Ellen. "What
is friendship like this but a pre-
teDceF