The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-11-24
NIlAAINY UNS,lskED.

IhcUatGrcot nay profession bring
Mc IN contact with every description
. o. persons. | have formed through
lis agency many pleasant acqua.nt
aucesnirs. u which my memory
often rcgef,s with pleasure. Some
years ago, i became acquainted with
a Mr. Noryal. 81 wealth merchant
who resided m Vest Fortieth street.
lie was q wiaoweI, and the only
f. persons living with him were two IN
number, % niece and an only son.
Mary NorvGl, his niece, was q
beautiful girl, a5Ca, - years OF age
when 1 FIST ayolme acquainted with
Ler. Size was tail and gracefully
formed, .gg hair was dark brown,
aud Agg eyes a heavenly blueshroud-
ed with long eyelashes, which gave
a dreamy expression to Der lovely,
oval lace. Her complexion was
white as the driven snow, and her
form I,as gracefully rounded Her
neck and shoulders might have
served for a model for scuipt they
were so exqu!sitely chiselcd Wncn
she moved II was with that undulat-
ing grace SO charming 10 the other
sex.
Such was Mary Norval when |
first knew her. Had ! not been
married and possessed Of the best
wife in the world, she would
have been Just the woman ! would
have chosen for q wife, for her natu-
raj disposition, the cultivation of her
mind. and the amability Of her char
acter. fully equaled her physical
beauty. She had so won upon her
uncle's heart that he loved her bet
ter than his own son. This how
ever, might be accounted for from
the fact that Charles Norval was a
most dissipated young man. He
had long ago exhausted his fathers
affection for him by a dissolute life
and was only permitted by suffer
auce to be an inmate of the house.
One day Mr.. George Norval invit-
Cd me to dine with him, l accepted
the invitation, and we passed a very
agreeable hour together at the social
meal. After dinner, being some
what of an invalid, my host excused
himself for an hour while he went
to lie down. | amused myself in
the meantime examining some il
Illustrated works placed on the draw
ing-room table. The apartment in
which 1 was seated was only sepa-
rated from an adjoining one by
folding door. / should have stated
that Miss Norval had also excused
herself. under the plea OF having
some letters to write. LEFT alone to
nav reflections, tell into q reverie,
which ] suppose ended in 4 loze, for
| was suddenly awakened to con-
sciousaess by the sound Of voices in
the adjoining apartment. The even
ing was somewhat advanced, and
the noise in the street
had almost entirely ceased. Owing
to this fact heard distinctly every
word that was said Ii was Mr.
Norval's son Charles voice that
awakened me.
Mary. listen to me, p he exclaim-
ed with peculiar thick utterance
which showed that he had been
drinking: won know | love you
Yes. dear girl, | adore the very
ground YOU walk ON. Your beauty
IS 80 transcendcnt that YOU appear
more like fairy creature OF the
brain than.a human being
Have done with your senseless
compliments, Charles, returned
Marv. why do you persecute me.
so? / have already made known my
decision TO YOU. Ii IS irreyocable. "
Dear girl, do not say that. On,
# YOU did but know how deeply
your image IS engraven on my heart
Nv every thought is for you; every
pnlse of my heart beats for you
anrle-smile on mel
Charles. YOU are intoxicated.
How dare you express yourself to
me in this manner?
Dearest cousin, adore, You, and
bv Heaven, you shall be minel'
Il pity your condition, and | beg,
-ir. YOU leave my presence.
Never, my charming cousin, un-
til vou say that you love me. /
would sell my soul for one kiss from
those ruby lips. | could sit all day
and gaze wonderingly into those
glorious orbs. Dearest-darling-
lovely Mary, be mine-be mine y
1t was evident the young man was
working himself into q passion OF
frenzy.
Mr.. Norval, unless you leave the
room l viii call for assistance.
NO, yon shall not. 1t is true
that YOU have supplanted me in my
fathers love. Ii is true that he has
left Won the bulk of his fortune.