The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-10-05
THE GYPSIES' CAPTIVES.

A T the close of summer afternoon,
n in cozy room of a small cottage
but O few miles from London was seated
solitary person.
The full and rounded chin told of
pride and determination that it would
be hard to thwart; but the soft lines,
that time had formed about the well-cut
lips, told, too, of struggles that had been
undergone, and battles fought by that
resolute character; and the silver
threads closely interspersed among the
heavy waves of dark hair suggested
sorrows that had been experienced and
perhaps not yet subdued.
She sits quietly in the calm twilight,
until the lengthening shadows and in
creasing darkness cast a gloom over her
spirits, and she is about to rise and
strike light, when the sound of voices
falls upon her ear.
Familiar voices too,- those of her
niece, Alice Hall, and her affianced
lover, Edward Barry.
The gathering darkness prevents them
from seeing her, as she stands concealed
by the muslin folds of the drapery cur
tain that partially conceals the window.
They pause within ten PAGES of the
place of her concealment, and Alice fin
ishes the sentence that first fell upon
her aunt's ear:
"Then if that is your opinion of her,
of course you have no longer any regard
for mel'
Edward laughed; a good.natured
laugh that Jared on the excited nerves
of his fair companion.
go Alice, how can you allow yourself
to run on so? You know would never
have said she was pretty if had known
at would make you jealous"
Jealous Do you mean to insult
me2 What woman would not be jeal-
GUS, should like to know, to have her
lover, yes, sir, her affianced lover (but 1
presume you will not consider that bind
ing), devote himself wholly to girl, a
perfect stranger, whom he never saw
before, as you did this afternoon to Ida
Summers, entirely forgetting your be-
trothed, whom you left to take care of
herself the best way she could'
"Now, Alice, you know better. Didn't
Mrs. Summers, my mothers old friend,
come to me and say she must introduce
me to her daughter? AS if 1 cared a
straw about her daughter Come, Alice,
let's make up, and be good friends
again"
He made step toward her and was
about to draw her to his side, but she
held him off with quick gesture.
A" No, Mr.. Barry, can never become
the wife of flirt. 1t is better to part
now than to live the life of misery that
would ensue if we were mad enough to
marry. Miss Ida Summers will perhaps
have no objection to a husband who
transfers his affections to every pretty
face he sees, and then you know she is
an heiress, while am poor and of no
account"
I never heard such nonsense in my
life What do / want of Ida Summers
asked you to be my wife, and you said
you would. 4 have not wished to re-
tract, but if you do not wish to marry
me, Alice, why not say SO at once,
instead of saying such disagreeable
things? Are you tired of your bargain,
Alice know am good-for- nothing
fellow, but you might have found that
out before. Come, Alice darling, don't
you love me any longer 9''
He caught her hand and looked be-
seechingly into her face. She almost
gave way under that tender look, SO full
of honest and devoted love, but she
could not fight down the wounded pride