Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-10-12
FLORENCE'S WAGER.

ANU SO you nave really ana truly
enjoyed this month in the country.
Cousin Clive?"
L have, indeed, Florence and the
only thing that takes the sting from
regret at leaving this dear old place, is
the thought that you are to return with
me, and that I may try my utmost to
make you enjoy the next month as |
have done this"
"To introduce me into society, to
oring me out supposc?" said Flor
ence. But don't you think | am
rather old for that sort Of thing? |
have seen twenty. Cousin Give"
Without one season in New York
said he without one admircr save the
clownist young men of the neighbor-
hood, without single offer of marriage.
If | mistake not, Floy. It is really
shocking to bury your beauty for SO
long in such a remote place rs this"
AS to offers Of marriage, you are
wrong, replied the young lady. laugh.
ing. Il have been honorcd by two
one from Mr.. sam Gregory, who. with
a great deal of bashfuluess and fidgct-
ing about asked my consent to be Mrs.
Sam, and the other from the Rev.
Westrop Dean, poor curate who
couldn't sound his RS. | didn't accept
either"
Mr.. Give Hardinge lifted his hand
with gesture of disgust, and, shaking
his head, replied, dolefully: (which it
will eventually come to. perhaps, if
you are not quickly lifted out Of this
mediocre class into that higher grade
of society to which you are entitled by
birth and position. | am very glad
you are going 10 my mother for little
time; for, although there is not, my
dear cousin, a more perfect lady in all
New York than you, yet the constant
Npht ptAiil'iiNlAi VI tAlin N'-'dll''l upper
class of the village might in time cause
you to forget that your superior birth
precluded the possibility of your ever
choosing husband from among the
young men Of the families you are in
the habit of visiting; for it would i'll
bcsecm the blood Of a IIardinge to
mate with one beneath her"
The hot blood flew up in torrent to
the girls face as her cousin uttered
these words, for she knew that her
mother had been so considered to de
mean herself, when, two-and-twenty
years before, she disobeyed the com
mand Of stern parent and stcrner
brother, and proudly placed her hand
in the strong, warm grasp of man
who had no sin against him but his
poverty, his ambitious day-dreams and
his love for her. She remembered how.
in this obscure spot, they had ekcd out
his meager pittance; how the glorious
productions of art that his glowing inn
agination had viviied into almost liv.
ing creations had passed away. and left
the noble face drawn and sad. and the
large. eloquent eyes, that had fought
30 bravely for them, a closed volume
of blindness and death. Then the
struggle for life, for existence, the long
years of suffering and sorrow of her
early life, and subsequently The one
thousand dollars year that some un.
known relative. dying. left them.
She had never seen single member
of her mothers family until a few
months before. when Give Hardinge
son of that brother who had sealed up
his fathers heart against his sister MI
the days Of his life. came suddenly upon
them in their quiet country home, wa'
struck with the refinement that per.
vaded the atmosphere in which his
aunt and cousin lived, and charmed
with the rare grace and fresh beauty
of the young girl. He hastened to ere
ate an amiable understanding between
lhismother and Mrs. Lysle. which. being
easily effected, - Mrs. Hardinge en-
tertaincd no feeling Of resentment
against woman she had never seen