The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1880-07-23
THHE END or ii RHvALR "
RY A BACHELOR.

i towlfs Which dot the magnificent and bolt
/ landscape Of Western Pennsylvania, ant
which are miniature cities in the energy
/ progrcssiveness, education and cultivation
i Of their inhabitants, and models Of adyanc-
ed municipal regulations. 1t was revisit
| to the place, for | had lived there for q
| year. several years ago, attached to the sin
| gle newspaper Of the town. which news
/ paper has, III the meantime, advanced from
a somewhat uncertain weekly publication
! toning down Of the pictorial advertising
columns, which rrsenbled nothing so
much 1s ;t haif-slieet circus poster, and Il
corresponding advance III its news and
general reading features. | found that
change, the eptaph Of AL the years every
where, had been busy with the people here
Us elsewhere, and one of these changes.
completing a romance Which was well ad-
vanced when quilted the town i'll 1873,
enables me to tell thc story entire.
During my residence there. my most in
innate friend, and the one whose house
most fIequented, was DR.. Thomas Wood
who had moved to n. from Philadelphia
upon the death Of lis wife, ten years be-
fore, bringing Will him his little daughter
Belle, WHO, 1T the time of which write,
ha1t grown mp to be the acknowledged
beauty Of the town. The house they occll-
pied was an old=E.siioncd, brick mansion
III the centre of the town, which Dr. Wood
had modernizcd by the addition of q huge
bay-Window, which WAS always filled with
gcTlnitlms, myrtlcS and roses, that with Il
couple Of small orange trees, were the adj
miration Of the ncighborhood. Not that
DR.. Wood had any horticultural tastes. On
the contrary, he was very severe on the
devotion Of minds to such tritlcs as flowers
fancy-work, music and dancng; but then
buc-cycd Belle Wood differed with him,
and plainly told him so, in the sweetest,
s:tlcicst and most lovablc manner
Upon the opposite side of the street there
had just been completed, at the time Of
which speak, u row of houses Of All unit
slallr imposing appearance, and which
were djgnilicd by the higll-sounding name
Of ''Maplc 'Eorracc, that being the kind
Of tree which was most conspicuous for its
absence in the immediate locality They
were all to let although the last finishing
touches had been put on them in the way
Of paint and paper, and they wanted uoth~
ing save furniture and human beings to
make them ;ssitlnG a civilized and respect
able appearance.
Calling one afternoon ut the doctors
house, | saw evidences OF life in the ter
race, and upon inquiry Of Belle ascertailled
that two of the houses had been taken.
Para is quite pleased she said, ''fUr3
you know, he looks upon those twelve
houses ;ls twelve new PATIENTS ---
But" said [, shave you not read the
advertisement, healthy and airy situation,
imposing neighborhood, and only one ply
slcian3'"
80, YES smiled Belle: ''but sickness
] am sorry to say, is very apt to run about
at some time Or other, even in airy situa-
tions. .5 -...
Two days ;tterward another bill was Ia
ken down, and in my strong interest in the
terrace, which had seen grow up under
my eyes, Immediately called to coneratuz
late Belle. "
so, yes /" She exclaimed, with unusual
cagerncss, land | think by a family that
will prove a valuable addition to the neigh
borhood, for 4 very handsome and distin-
g1lished-looking young gentleman drove
mp there this morning and spent al hour
looking over the house, and suppose he
has taken it.
1t was several days before | saw her
again, and then she caught lie by the
hand, drew me rapidly to the window, and
with a scmi-tragic expression, pointed to
the house over the way. | looked, and, tt}
my astonishment, say Gil the shutters two
signs, painted in large, gold letters, Ed
mund Rand, VI. D..
"a rival, indeed said |, promising
Montague and Capulet state Of things.
But perhaps I; Romeo and Juliet may be
found 10 terminate it.
''Don't laush," replied Belle, gravcly:
papa is ycNcd and indignant. Imagine
two physicians i'll this ocality,' It's ali
the fault Of that advertisements Some
schelning young man lias seen it, and,
finding 40 hope of practice elsewhere, has
come here | suppose he is rs poor rs q
rat.
Al this instant three wagons full of new
ftrnitur" stopped III front Of Or. tsantt'
door, and Belle absolutely turned pale up
on discovering that il was Of the most elc-
gaDt and costly description.
''lhc wretch has gotta young wife, too"
she exclaimed, as a piano and harp came
to view; and then she added, rising. stl,is
will never do; they must he PET down 1t
once; they are strangers III tic ncighbnr-
hood; wn are we'll known. | have a plan
Which think will etfectually dispose Of
the interlopcrS. will give an evening Ie
ccption and ball, and will at once prepare
list Of all the people we can invite.
Laughing at the wicked ingenuity Of the
plan hy which the enemy was to be crush
ed by tic mere force Of numbers Of her al
lies, assisted i'll preparing the list. which
had already become very long one, WHEN
Miss Wood said, after i few moments Of
deep reflection, Cone name more must be
added: they must be Invited
"Who:" exclaimed l, in a tone Of ycnsl-
inc surprise.
Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Rand, replied
Belle. iiiunphantlv, while was speech
less from establishment.
The ball took place to the admiration Of
all A. Il was Il splendid affaii.--in fact, it
was the greatest Of the kind which y. had
ever known Mr. and Mrs. Rand came
and We're received with cold politeness br
both father aid daughter. The Young man
WAS gootl-looking, intelligent aud possessed
ct that Kind Of manner which betokens fla
niiliaritY with refined and cultivated socie-
ts. Miss Rand, his sister, was q charming
giri nt twenty, who seemed rather amused
at t?te manner OF Dr. Wood and his.daugh-
ter, but said nothing. Young RAIDS on
" revenge for the coldness manifested by
Miss Wood was askidg her to dance, which
was certainly yeSatious, for his tone was
so pleasing and his manner SO courteous
ftlt Belle could not but feel pleased
When She wanted to be irs.e, distant and
stately.
lhey danced together several times, and,
to the astonis!ment Of many friends Of the
totlng lady, of myself in particular, they
went sieMn u supper the hest Of friends,