The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-06-18
HE LEARNED TOO LATE.

1ho sumiieI was Ilhe uO OIucI suluilST
the world had ever known. Never was
June so sweet; never were mornings rosy
and radiant, never were lights so tender.
A young and beautiful girl stood looking
at the sunset, as the last farewell glow bath
ed the blue waves with golden radiance
To look at her face one wodld never dream
that her position in life was not among the
proudest; but glance at her simple dress
would dispel the illusion. Flossy Thayer
had been brought up by her grandfather in
aquiet, secluded country neighborhood The
old gentleman was wealthy. Flossy the
darling of his heart; and great pains were
lavished upon her education. The grand
fathers health was not good and they trav-
eled great deal often spending the winter
in the South. They had been there when
the crash came-Mr. Thayer lost his money
He was the most honorable man alive he
returned home, paid his liabilities to tho
last farthingj sold the beautiful country seat
where Flossy had spent her childhood es.
tablished himself in an old farmhouse by
the sea, with hardly enough money left to
live upon.
So for four years Mr.. Thayer and his
granddaughter had lived quietly enough in
their retreat. So far as the old gentleman
knew, Flossy had been happy, but in truth
she was always waiting for some wonderful
change that was to free her from the hum
drum life in which her life was passing.
But il was nevertheless true that no palace
ever sheltered maiden more royalty fair
than she. And SO thought someone else as
he drew near her with quick, light footsteps
Tall and straight, with dark laughing eyes
and mouth shadowed by moustache Mark
Norton was just fitted to win the fancy Of a
young, inexperienced girl.
$50 you have been waiting for me ?"
Happy man to have won the love Of one SO
fair and sweet.
4 glow of crimson tinged the girls face as
the eyes uplifted 10 meet her lovers told
plainly what was in her heart. While the
young people conversed, Mark took Flossy's
hand in his and told her something which
made the teardrops quickly start.
"Do not grieve, dear Flossy. I,shnll only
be gone a short time, and you know that if
it were not necessary nothing could take me
from you. You are not afraid that absence
could alter my love? Flossy, you do not
doubt me ?" She was young and unused TO
the world,a and t is no wonder that she trust
ed Mark Norton, who,to her,was the noblest
and grandest of men. They parted. Mark
Norton, following his physicians advice,
had come that summer to the quiet country
town by the sea to regain his health, which
had long been delicate. In one Of his ram
bles he had met Flossy, and being shy and
shrinking, il had been the work Of a long
time to establish himselfupon friendly terms
with the girl, whose beauty surpassed any
be had ever seen. 1t was not long before,
with thrill of vanity, Mark could see the
hold he had gained in her innocent heart.
One day, in answer to his whispered ques-
tion. Flossy acknowledged that her heart
was his, and he placed golden band oil be-
trothal upon her slender finger.
For a time after his departure letters from
her lover came regularly to Flossy but af-
ter awhile the. letters came less frequently,
and then when three months had passed the
looked-for letter came. 1t read, oh, how
coldly, and contained his farewell al am
going abroad. shall probably be absent
several years. Our immediate marriage is
now, Of course, an impossibility. could
not ask you, nor do feel it right to hold
you, through an indefinite time, to your
pledge therefore free you"
Once, twice she read the letter through /
then, with white face and fearless eyes, held
it TO the match with steady hand, nor let
it fall until the fame erept so close that it
blaekened tho tender flesh, and the letter
lay singed and eharred under her feet. That
day she went into her grandfather's room,
and laid hSr head on his. "Don't talk 10
me, grandpa" she said, "and don't ask me
any questions, but we will keep house alone,
you and I, and wen forget that we intended
to let anybody else in"
"The sconndrel if you had been rich my
child, this sorrow would not have come up.
on you. But, mark my words, some tune
you will have your revenge"
-Four years have swiftly passed. Seated