Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1881-09-01

y 4 y
boldly, have you promised your hand to
Mr.. Roberts?"
"Nolp she cried, with her eyes fash
ing scorn, nor to any such mercenary
creature"
Then there is hope for me, Julia, y
he said, in low, deep voice "a
month back / felt that it was presump-
tuous to ask you, and that my senti-
ments might be misjudged. It is still
presumption on my part, but I cannot
be charged with sordid motives now,
and am glad that the money I looked
upon as an obstacle is no longer there.
| cannot offer you much more than q
comfortable home, but I will try and
make that home rich, Julia, with the
devotion of life"
She painted and trembled and tried to
speak, but her emotion choked her, and
SO overcome was she by the different
way in which matters had turned, that
in spite of her strength of mind, she
broke into passionate burst of hysteri-
cal weeping, and INCREASINGLY sobbed
herself calm upon his breast.
Luke Morris blessed the thick clumps
of bushes that hid them from the rest of
the company, and he blessed the day
Mrs Hartley's poverty-he blessed her
for letting him draw her INTERESTINGLY
closer and closer to his breast, where
she sobbingly told him that she should
only be burden to him for life. and
finally she walked away with him,
radiant and happy, and with her cheeks
and eyes telling tales.
They passed Frank Roberts soon after
with one Of the Grantby girls, rather
plain brunette, with handsome posi-
tion; and Roberts looked little con-
scious, though he need not have
troubled himself, for the blush on
Mrs. Hartley's cheek was called forth
now, not from meeting him, but on ac-
count of meeting the old doctor, who
looked curiously from one to the other.
May tell him, JuliaY whispered
Morris.
EYES,"
doctor, Julia Hartley has prom
ised to be my wife," said Morris,
quietly.
Has she ?" cried the old man, and
his SCARED, wrinkled face Lit up with
broad smile. I'm glad of it. Julia,
my child, I'm glad of it, for you've
won true, sterling man for husband;
and as for you, Morris-oh, I'm ashamed
of you-you mereenary dog"
"Mercenary? I mercenary," ex-
claimed Morris, Well, come, that is
good. Why, you told me an hour ago
that Mrs. Hartley's fortune was gone"
s;To be sure / did"
=" And it is quite right said Mrs.
Hartley. "At least it will be gone"
"Not it, my dear" said the old doc
tor, chuckling. ssThat was dodge of
mine to try for you which of your low
ers was worth having. 1t was my
touchstone, and you see it showed you
at once that Roberts was base metal,
and Morris here true gold"
"But do you mean to say, DOCTOR
cried the lady. that what you said
about Mr.. Hartley's property was un-
true?"
Every word of it. my dear"
6 Then You are base, cruel, wicked
old man; if my poor dead husband,
whom You called your friend, could
NAo !" AON JOu u6idm6u Hill
s He would slap me on the back as
he used to do, my dear, and call me his
true friend for securing by trick
genuine honest man for his wife, in
stead of a heartless, mercenary scoun-
drel; and, God bless you both, wish
you JOY"
Mrs, Hartley only exclaimed "Ohw
and when the doctor pressed her hand
she evidently forgave him, for she
pressed his warmly in return. But
when Frank Roberts. found out the
truth, he was furious, and called the
doctor bad name, that perhaps it
would be as well not to mention here,
while he said it again for the benefit of
Luke Morris on the morning when he
led the pretty widow to church to
change her name.