The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-06-25

be happy to take the rooms. The fact of the
matter is, am reading hard for my final,
and want a quiet spot where there will be
no companionship to take me from my
books, and where can have little solitary
recreation in the shape Of trout fishing. A
harmless amusement that, is it not2'
"The fish do not think So" replied Clara,
smiling. lfyou will sit down moment l
will fetch mother, and you can arrange mat
ters with her."
So saying; having handed him chair,
Clara departed to call Mrs. Moore. That
worthy lady was soon in attendance, aud
before Mr.. Cox had quilted her roof he had
arranged to take the rooms for at least
couple of months from the following Thurs
day.
1t is, perhaps, almost superauous to state
that Clara Moore, being such a beautiful
girl, had numerous admirers. Although the
village-by name Munford--was in itself
small, there were plenty ofoutlaying farmsj
and not more than three miles away mar.
ket town. From these surrounding quart
ers came many and many one to see the
village belle, and many and many.a one at
first sight fell over head and ears in love
with her.
Added to her charms of face and figure,
she had a remarkably sweet voice, and al
though it was not highly cultivated, it was
not altogether unframed. The consequence
was she was in great request at readings,
which, during the winter months, she at
tended with commcndable regularity.
At one of these entertainments she had
met one Arnold Cerew, well-to do farm
er's son, who lived some two miles away
from Munfosd. She had been introduced
to him there, and he, like many another, fell
in love with her.
Of all tho men sho had met she liked him
the best, and, not week prior to the advent
of Mr.. Cox asa lodger at her mothers house,
she had as COOL as consented to be engaged
to him.
1t is unpleasant 10 pick holes in any ybody's
character, and doubly unpleasant to pull TO
pieces the disposition OF one who is in al
external things perfection. But the truth
must be toid-Clura Moore was terrible
fiirt; and, like most hirts, she seemed TO
have total disregard for the feelings Of her
victims. She would lead a man on to be-
lieve at least in the possibility of his one
day securing her affections (indeed, the very
fact of woman tarrying in q mans society
to listen to bis love passages, is in itself an
earnest Of her appreciation of his society,
and then, when it suited her cspnce, would
throw him over and laugh at him.
Clara Moore had tried young Arnold
Carew's patience to the utmost more than
once. Ay, scores aud scores of times she
had destroyed bis pca5s Of mind by her per-
nicous londness for what she called q charm
less Irritation"
And We must give her credit for the fact
that her flirtations were in one sense harm
less there was no vice about her. She
never forgot thIt self respect which renders
woman precious in the eyes of msn.
When Arnold Carew won her consent to
be engaged to hin-ior she as good as prom
ised him to become his wife "some day."
though she expressed herself in sufficiently
indefinite terms to admit of her escaping
from her promise il she pleased to change
her mind, wit&out his being able to affirm
she had ever strictly bound herself to him -
he was well satisfied. lie felt he could trust
her; and even bear her flirting propOnsities
with greater equanimnty than he had hither-
to been able TO do.
There were few evenings on which Ar
mold Carew failed to walk over from his faith
er's farm aui enjoy a pleasant stroll with
"the lady OF his love-"
Happy evenings were they for him.
Through the day he looked forward to them;
they lightened his toll ana made his exis-
tence much happier than it had ever been.
He had a double incentive to work. 1t
was not self that he toiled for only, now he
knew that he was working for her!
Mr.. Cox had not been located in Mrs.
Moore's small though comfortable apart
mcnts more than fortnight before Clara's
evening rambles with Arnold Carew became
less frequent.
Clara had all along been very silent as to
the lodger; and at first it never entered in
to Arnold Carew's mind that that accounted
in any way for her less frequent appearance
at their usual rendezvous.
One evening, however, he ventured to
complain, aud CHANGED in his temporary an.
noyance to say: ooh, suppose there is
soihe attraction about this heavy swell who
is staying at your mothers"
Clara flushed up in moment, and ans
wered, holly! "You are quite welcome to
think what you please in that respect. lie
is perfect gentleman, which IS saying more
for him than one can say for everybody"
al don't pretend to be geutleman," was
Arnolds cool answer "nor do profess tc
be an educated fellow. know you can beat
me hollow as far as learning goes but
learning is not everything in this world
and people can feel and think with only q
little of it,"
Now Clara was very fairly educated, ia
deed aud, certainly, was what is vulgular'
ly called more ofa "schoar" than her sweet.
heart but he was not an ignorumus by any
means.
His words made her feel little ashamed
Of herself; so she answered
"I didn't mean TO insinuato that I'm bet
ter educated than you, or that you are not a
gentleman at heart but l. do consider il
most unreasonable and rnjustifable thai
you should throw out hints against Mr.. Cox
simply because he's gentleman of superior
education"
otis very certain I've seen much less o.
you, Clara, since he came here" answered
Arnold Carew, with melancholy reproach
manifest in his tone of voice.
"Well il you must know the truth" ans.
wered Clara "but you're 50 hot headed and
unreasonable I've never liked To name il tc
you before he's kindly undertaken to teach
3 ma Eroueh auI that accounts C,r tl,v eve.