The Owosso times., 1882-01-06
teresting face, that grew upon me ev-

thoughts of her by day and dreams q
her by night. Her letters 1 awaite
with feverish impatience, and IT OH
were delayed was in torment
make no excuses for my folly, dear 81
or madam; but pray do not forget tina
; / was only one-and-twenty then, an,
had fed myself plentifully with novel
and poetry. And this was my frs
Lowell Coventry Patmore says in OH
of his poems,
Well, heaven be thanked, my first love failed,
As, heaven be thanked, all first love do!
This was sentiment l could not echo
for at that time it seemed to me tina
if were separated from my fair un
seen sweetheart my life would be stale
flat, and Improbable.
The correspondence was kept up al
the summer and autumn; but in De
ceniber there befell what was to me al
awful calamity, Miss. Screven did mo-
write. sent imploring letter aitel
letter, but no response gladdened me.
HAS she Tilted you? said Uncle Dick
heartlessly, when he noted my pale
face. In truth, 1 could not sleep MOI
eat; l was consumed with fear and anx
iety. What could have befallen her?
endured it for just ten days, and
then packed my satchel and went tC
Boston. Bah! what day it was when
L arrived there! 1t had showed lit.
tie, and then thin, cold rain began To
drizzle down desparingly. The wealth
or suited me better than the garnish
splender of the hotel, and l wandered
forth that evening, half-unconsciOusly
vending my way toward the street in
which Miss Screven boarded. l found
myself opposite the house. From an
upper window light struggled faint
| ly between the closed shutters and
thrilled me through and through. Per-
haps she was there, i'll and alone, un-
| cared for, save by the mercenary land
lady, or, worse still, by slaternly SER
want. / went up the steps and rang
the bell. A slip of girl opened the
door and l handed her my card, saying
mechanically, ASK Miss Screven if she
will see me-
| trusted that the name John Bell
would perhaps lead her to suppose that
| was cousin or the father of her
friend.
The slip of servant-maid looked at
the card and then looked at me.
Frances Screven?' she said interrOga-
lively.
Yes replied. Then l took the
card, ran my pencil through the en-
graved name, and scrawled my illegi-
BILE signature below it. The servant
took the card again and skurried away,
leaving me standing there in the cold,
dark entry.
1t was several minutes before she
reappeared, and then it was only to say
in sing-song tone, Three flights up;
first door to the right
/ went up the three flights and rap
ped at the first door to the right.
A voice called out, Come in
l entered a medium-sized, plainly
| furnished room that was redolent of
tobacco, with which was mingled a
faint smell of whisky. There were
two arm-chairs, large table covered
with faded cloth and an old-fashioned
horse-hair lounge, from which, as
entered, yeung man rose. He was
thin and hollow-eyed, and beard of
several days, growth made him look,
to say the least, unkempt. Mr.. Bell,
persume,' he said, offering me his
hand and then drawing up chair for
me.
Il have called to see Miss Screven,
said 1.
Have you indeedp' he replied in a
nasty sneering, way.
1t flashed through me at once. 1t
was her husband! She had deceived
me!
May / ask if you are any relation to
Miss Jane Bell, of DuDdas, Washington
County, New York, post-office box 462
he continued in the same sneering way
1 suffered and stammered, tried tc
lie, and nearly choked myself to death
/ wanted to be diplomatic; 1 wanted
to shield her from his anger.
who the devil are you, anyway ht
exclaimed.
IL am John Bell 1 answered
and 1 have called to see yeur sister
Is she i'll?
Il haven't any sister, said he non
chalantly; that is, / am my own sister
and she has just escaped pneumonia
The truth flashed upon me. YOl
are an impostor, sirp / exclaimed.
Your sister doesn't think sO,' sait
he complacently.
Il haven't any sister, said l, in m,
turn -,-.,-. -...
He wheeled sharply about: who i
| Miss Bell, thenY = - >
Il am all the Miss Bell that exists
answered grimly.
WHAT he exclaimed; you are tn
petted darling who wanted to be poe
and an essayist and Lord only know
what all? You are the only child o
wealthy parentsp You are the Lowell
creature who sits in pink boudoir an
writes verses with gold pen and o.
| perfumed paperp'
Yes said 1 desperately.
Screven dropped into chair an
roared. "A sell all roundp said ht
And then he laughed until he criee
while quietly stole away back to th
hotel, a sadder but wiser rlnan.-Lia
pincotts Magazine.
Martin B. Wood, prominent an
: wealthy citizen of Albion dropped dea
on the 23d inst. Heessss brsther-iI
law of Gov. Cornell, ~ New Y ork, an
was heavy holder of Western Unio
! telegraph stock
Il III. b. Hayes shows = stalk of whea
of this years growth, which measure
; two feet and six inches in length.
Mayor Carleton of Port HurO