The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-02-15
CHAPTER XIII.
sUNFLowER's HISTORY.


sessed of that peculiar pearly, transpar-
ent skin which Is generally found in
combination with chestnut hair. She
was distinguished for many of the
charms and more of the drawbacks of
the style of womanhood to which she
belonged.
AS for her heart she did not know
what the word meant. She was waste
full, careless, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of
love, most capable of hate; unable to be
grateful, most able to return evil for
good. In word, she was one of those
women apparently sent upon earth to
show how utterly thankful we ought to
be that so many women are, as they are
found to be, unspeakably good and mer-
ciful.
She had been the terror and dread of
her parents life. Clever and quick, she
had very early in life obtained knowl-
edge of several mplishments beyond
the ordinary education of those born in
her sphere of life. AS she grew up to
womanhood she had lovers in plenty.
She appeared TO possess positive de-
light in attracting new face, and then
in laughing its owner away.
Langley came, saw, and conquered.
Possibly his stupendous height, his vast
voice, and savage, brutal ways, accorded
more with her nature than that of any
of the youths who had fluttered about
her. 1t is certain that she at once
promised to be his wife.
He was below her in position, and he
was only too glad to marry her; not
that he had any hope of obtaining
money with Sunflower, but because he
knew that once his wife, she could not
escape from him during life.
Those lovers she had Tilted were bit
terly avenged for her cruelty, though
they never learned the facts. Within
month of her miserable marriage she
had ascertained the frightful extent of
her error. She had become his slave;
he showed himself to be a positive incar-
nation of jealousy. She dared not leave
their lodging without him; if they were
out together, mere glance at any man
who happened to pass was sufficient to
enrage him. Finally, within three
weeks of the marriage he had threatened
her life.
Yet he loved her devotedy in his
way, and when she bitterly complained
of being cooped up in couple of small
rooms, as bitterly he hated himself, that
with all his strength he was incapable
of earning more than thirty shillings a
week as carpenter, for that was his
trade.
Before six weeks were over, she asked
for her liberty, to go whittier she would,
and to trouble him no more. He lifted
her from the floor, dashed her down,
and there she lay MANNED, bruised,
moaning. Then he flung himself down
by her side, cried like little child, and
riches she wanted
So Langley became thief-a burglar.
She fell in with this new and criminal
life with great easiness, for it gave her
luxuries and pleasures. But it was an
existence which sooner or later was sure
to be troubled by the interference of the
police. A few months, and Langley
was taken in the act, and finally, upon
his trial, went to Portland in pursuance
of sentence of five years. penal servi-
tude.
When he was taken, Sunflower this
was the name Langley himself had
given herr danced for joy, believing her
self freed from him forever-so it seemed
to her, so long time did five free years
appear to her. She was clever, and
with the few pounds she possessed she
paid for learning to work the sewing
machine. Within week, she was the
lioness of the room of work.girls which
she had Joined, and who had no idea
she was married woman. Within a
month, her word was law, and her
power was not any the less that she was
so clever at her work. But before the
second month was at an end, she sud.
denly vanished. Langley had broken
from Jail, unable to live away from his
wife, and she was once more in his
| power.
During six months, he lived, hidden
away from the police in small village
in Suffolk, where the couple passed 6
strange retired life, which only hal
excited the suspicious of the country
folk. Whether he had obtained thu
money upon which they lived, she
never knew; but in all probability he
stole it between the time when he broke