The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-11-10
Fleeing From a Fortune.
BY FRANCES CONANT.

1u6 Sun IOa0 pIOp4tlOuSiy DElShL Ou
Grace Sylvester's wedding morn; the
air was balmy, the sky blue and all naN
ture seemed in sympathy with the hap
py day.
Presently a stir awoke in the house,
hold, that soon sWelled into a murmur
of CONSERVATION. The bride was miss
ing. Some one had gone to her cham
Der, to awaken her, and found it empty.
Immediately q search was instituted,
which proved fruitless. The BRIDE
groom was sent for, be he could offer
no explanation; like the parents he was
distracted with anxiety.
Grace Sylvester was a proud, impulN
sive girl, with warm heart and impe-
tuous temper. She was an only child
and somewhat spoiled, as was natural;
but nothing that could be imagined, or
Rdduced, could account for this unhcard
of freak; she had not even fastened
note on the toilet cushion, as a key to
the mystery, after the custom of he
/ roines.
For a week previous to this now un-
| lucky day, the Sylvester mansion had
continuously opened its hospitable poT~
| tails to arriving guests. Friends and r6n
| lations of Mr.. Frank Howard, the ex-
pectant bridegroom, crowded to do hon
/ or to the occasion, which the Sylvester
lish with their presence.
This singular occurrence, therefore,
could not possibly be preserved a secret,
and the chagrined and distracted host
and hostess had all the added misery of
knowing that their daughters inexs slica
Bile flight was the subject of all sorts of
surmises and discussions, by those who
in set phrase endeaVored to condole with
| them, and at the same time hint at in
! sanity tho univ oClnfiOn nf GI7Nb an nm
precedented freak.
But a special CLEAN was soon destined
to illume the darkness. Grace had not
been unmindful of her dear parents, nor
her devoted lover. letter addressed
to the former had been dropped by her
in the post Office. 1t was brief, and evil
IDENTIFY written under the pressure of ex-
element; but even in its fragmentary
haste, MIR. and Mrs. Sylvester could trace
their daugeter's tenderness; and her low
er, despite the undispelled mystery of
its tone, took consolation from 1t.
Its contents may be rendered thus:.
She had left of her own free will and
unaccomP panied, though she admitted
that she would be met at her journey e
end by worthy guardian, in whose care
she would remain, and who, at the ex~
piration of week, would bring her home
again; until then she begged they would
forgive any pain or annoyance her hasty
disappearance had caused.
This epistile, though gratefully receiv-
ed since it assured them of her safety,
was not, of course, entirely satisfactory
to her parents and lover.
Despite her promise to return, they
could not remain quiet till the expirs-
ton of the time named, but sought heI
in every conceivable place; but, as was
: I ~
Grace did not mean to be found till after
the interval she had named.
One by one, or in small parties, az
they had come, the wedding guests de
parted. They carried to their OWL
houses a charmingly inexhaustablE
theme for gossip and wonSerment
Everyone held separate solution anC
theory, and the subject promis, to be
one of unusual variety and entertain
ment.
But only one of them possessed any
{ clew to the truth-and she, shy, insidi,
| GUS piotter that she was, had laid traiI
| who success promised even beyond he
t hopes. She watched its development il
S silence. 1t was not her cue to speak
= but to wait the fulfillment of her design
and so she fingered, protesting the fnten
e sest sympathy for all, and at the sam,
: time cOntriving to bestoW most of it Oh
Frank Howard, her distant cousin.
This young lady, May Prescott b,
: name, had long been hopelessly in low
= with her Cousin Frank. She knew tina
/ his heart was devoted to another, bu
d had never had an opportunity of seein
hel rival, till the generous and unsuG
pecting Grace, wishing to give both he
and Frank pleasure, had asked her by lei
i tiers to be one her bridesmaids.
@ Mays darling Object was then gained
She had unlimited faith in her own pow
er of creating discord, and had secTetl
resolved to separate the lover and vi
=. Frank for herself, even at the eleyent
= hour.
l. How oddly the gifts of fate are dii
i tributed I'' said she, with a sign, as the
were talking together the night befol
N the wedding. zone would think it WI
% enough TO get a beautiful wife, withol
sr grasping at q great fortune, too; but the
r. Frank always had a keen eye for Il
main chance"
/ Grace's face flushed deep, indignal
10 crimson her full, bright eyes fashC
7 with sudden anger as she looked at MI
Prescott steadily.
''Pray explain yourself, Miss Prescott
10 she said. 81 do not understand you
ct the least"
&c ''Whatl have you never heard of Il
eF will of Franks eccentric old Uncle Pau
ms But am sorry; perhaps / have dol
n wrong in mentioning it. No doubt
IN meant to deceive you-no, no ! dOI
e. mean that mean perhaps he did n
wish you TO know"
Sc She affected TO be overcome with CO
fusion at her own inadvertence. and pI