The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1881-02-18
THE VILLAGE BELLE.

She was very beautiful. No one coulG
conscientiously dispute it,. OF course
there were many who did dispute it
though, more especially those of hel
own sex. Unsuccessful applicants, also
to her hand and heart pronounced
her nothing out of the common
after, not before, you may be sure, they
had met with a firm rejection at hel
hands.
/ Yes, Clara Moore was a very beauti
full girl. Such food of golden hair.
such regular and exquisitely y-chiseIed
features, and such beautiful complex
ion.
She held only an humble position in
life.
Her mother kept the first shop in the
village, kind Of general store, where
you could purchase anything and every;
thing, from ball of string to a box 81
pills.
The village in which she dwelt was
very small but very pretty. Every one
seemed to take o pride in his particular
cottage, and endeavored to vie with Ifs
neighbors In maintaining picturesque
ness and cleanliness.
Through this charming little home3
1 stead ran trout stream, and hither oc|
casionally in the summer months would
resort some lover of the rod and line
an Importation from some crowded scene
of tumult and money making.
In the village inn there was not acg
conmodatiens for more than three Of
four yisitors-that is to say, if they pud
posed staying all night but at seyers}
cottages apartments could be obtained.i |
Mrs. Moore was among those Whk
could furnish comfortable rooms for
/ gentleman; and few summers went 5t
without her apartments being let.
It was on bright morning in thlk
merry month Of May when Francis Coz
knocked at the private door Of MrzE
Moore's residence.
He was a very good looking fellow
first sight just the sort of face his thu
would take with woman. But Wha
/ you came to look into it, it betrayedla "a
/ great amount of weakness and the eyes,
though not unprepossessing altogether
/ in their expression, were settoo closely
together.
/ Mrs. Moore was busy In the shop
Clara had been looking after the house
hold work, and she it was who opened
/ the door to Nj. Cox.
/" Haw!" he exclaimed, in an affected
and somewhat donineering tone of voice,
see you have rooms to let; I wish to
look at then'
g Will you step inside y responded
/ Clara, who was rather nettled at his
manner of address, and consequently
did not say sir, !" which she otherwise
would have done.
"Doocid small, amt they?1 said Mr..
Cox, putting up his eyeglass and sur
veying Clara with half -astonished,
half-indignant air.
"They are naturally small, answered
Clara, this being but cottage
Haw! of course one cannot expect
a palace in an out-of-the-way place like
this, he responded.
The remark as to its being an out-of-
the-way place was intended either to
annoy Clara, or to impress her with the
idea that she was addressing one
who was accustomed to the grandeur
and importance of cities.
It failed, however, in both instances.
There is another thing, observed
4 Clara, (which will probably render
them unsuitable to you-they are con-
nected with the shop"
Connected with the shop?" ex-
claimed Mr.. Cox, in an evident state
of perplexity.
"Yes," said Clara, " the door you
knocked at is the private entrance to
the same building as that with which
the shop is connected.
They were now standing IN the small
sitting room. Clara pointed to the
door at the other side of the passage,
That door," she explained, leads
into the shop which mother keeps
Now do you understand "
sob hawl Yes, / understand
A slight pause followed, during which
Mr.. Cox surveyed the room through his
eyeglass He then said
"lEhat wouldn't matter at all if the
rooms suited What is the figure 2"
Two dollars per week, including at
tendance.
Hawl May Hook at the bedroom 2
Cefta1nly
He followed Clara upstairs.
It's considerably larger than the
sitting groom, " observed. Mr.. Cox.
Yes; it is over the passage al
well.
Exactly and only four dollars {
week, including attendance q
Two dollars, = said Clara, correcting
him.
Two dollars Two dollars only
S Surely you must be mistaken.
No, am mistaken. "
g Excuse me but how on earth car
it pay you Z"
9 Oh, people can live on so little il
an out-of-the-way place like this, an
swered Clara
Haw exclaimed Mr.. Cox, whs
could not repress smile very good
always thought rustic life bluntet
the understanding I see am mis-
taken. ! hope You did not think mi
Intentionally rude.
He made this apology IN such mics
manner that Clara's animosity began t
take rapid fight
Oh, dear, no, she said, aud thef
she conducted him downstairs.
Well, if you'll have me, observed
Mr. Cox, whose different Inannek seemed
to convert him into quite anoyhe1 per
son, I shall be happy to take thl
rooms, The fact Of the mat tell Is, ! an
49, ~, = !. S.|4 f-s. 49,. <s,,S5 -. III