The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-02-23
A DANGEROUS LOVER.

A DANGEROUS LOVER.
A pretty, inexperienced girl was Clo-
tilda Fry, daughter of one of the rich
est farmers in Clarke County. Her
pink cheeks, bright eyes and brown
locks, with very attractive expression
OF face, gave her certain right to be
called the little beauty OF Lake Farm.
Tilda knew she was pretty. Added
to this her novel-reading had excited
her Imagination, and her ideas of life
and of her own future were full of roman
tic notions, that only an inexperienced
young girl could have. She tossed her
head at all the farmers boys who sought
her acquaintance, and felt that she
should like to be sought by some ele-
CANT sutton, who, if. need be, would car
ry her off by force, as her novels had
pictured.
OF course, the child-for being but
sixteen she was looked upon by her
parents as hardly more than child
never gave voice to these thoughts. If
she had, she would have been soundly
lectured by her blunt father.
1t happened about this time that two
men, who offered sweet-scented soaps
for sale, had been in town and had
called at many OF the farmers houses.
Their appearance was such that some
of the farmers had suspected them of
being something worse than small ped
dlers
AT this time, too, house in the vii
lage was entered and several articles of
value taken from it. This had ca sed
great excitement in the quiet country
town, and everybody was more careful
that doors should be locked and that
the houses should not be left without
some one to guard them.
One Sunday, Farmer Fry, after a
FAM y consultation, decided that Clo-
tilda should remain at home from
church in charge of the house, and that
new boy he had Just hired should stay
on the premises, so that the house
should not be lie un2uarded. Clo-
tilda's heart gave bound-so DID Jo-
sephs. She would have such ssplen-
DID chance" to read a book she had
secretly borrowed, "The Robber of the
Rhine" while he decided that he
would 60 down to the end of the mead
ow and spend the forenoon in fishing.
Farmer Fry and his wife stepped in
to the new carryall, while James, the
son, mounted his horse, to which Clo-
tilda had given the sonorous name of
Thunder.
If any stranger comes to the door,
you must call Joe,'' said her father, the
reins in his hand
"And you'd better take the KEY out
of the silver-closet," added her mother.
Don let any one run away with
you, sis, laughed her brother.
There loaded p stol in my drawer"
Down sat Clotilda on the porch, the
coveted novel in her hands, a frightful-
ly-ilustrated, paper-eovered volume,
dirty and thumbed, the prospect of rev.
cling in its pages giving her pleasure
OF which any sensible girl would have
been ashamed, Tilda knew that this
was unwholeSome reading, and that it
was also forbidden; but she had become
infatuated BY it, and was rapidly losing
her pleasure in the ordinary concerns
OF life, declaring to herself that they
We're very dull and insipid.
She was just reading in the novel:
-" Isabel, startled by the clash of bayo-
nets, daried frantically up the compan-
lon-way," when suddenly it seemed TO
her that some one was walking in the
room overhead
Perhaps it's Joe," she thought; and
gong to the foot of the stairs, she called
him.
No answer followed
=" Any one up thereP'
All was as still rs the grave.
1t was only my fancy" she said to
hersel!, and for ten or fifteen minutes
became once more absorbed in the vol
ume, when she heard footsteps. This
time well-dressed young man came
from the vines around the corner of the
porch. I Ida let fall the book with a
cry of alarm.
Pray don't be afraid, " said the new
conner, in a pleasant voice. 81 am a
friend of your fathers and have come
to ask a favor
Papa is at church." said the Girl.
treasured j he man looked to her like
a gentleman. He had black eyes and
hair, and the I'd vinest smi' e!''
Indeed. I'm very sorry / was
stopping at the hotel at the Center, and
was robbed OF my money and watch
last night This morning l received a
dispatch that my mother is IL, and
want to get home on tn seaccount. for
fear it's a dangerous illness. If / had
the money, | co Id hire a horse and
buggy to take me 10 Dash, where the
express train for New York is due this
afternoon, | am entirely without
money and hoped l could borrow
twenty-five dollars from your father
lie knows me, and if he has it with him.
am sure he would loan it to me. Now
| must wait, | surpose. till he returns
from church, and then it will be too late
TO catch the afternoon express Though
II ould only get to Dash, possibly
might ma some acquaintance there who
would helPme out OF my difficulty
How sorry am that the horses are
all gone! | could drive YOU there nv
sell ii Thunder was only here" said
1ilda
Thunder! What fine name for a
horse! | wish he was here. And to be
driven by so beautiful young ladyr'
and he stared at her pretty face.
| named him after the colt driven
to death ! y the mad Duke OF Argyle"
said Iilda growing insensibly more and
more confidential
All 1 m ght have known you were
something superior to the farmers
daughters in this reg;on-that is, judy
ING from those have seen"
" And seem to forget that you are
stranger said Tilda, blushing with
pleasure. IF on were not a friend of
my father -.
Certainly, one in whom he has the
utmost confidence. and talkino IF
strangers, | knew a Iii h younu follow
who fell in love only list summer w th
pretty girl in a iug-cabin. He was
hunting. The father would not allow
his daughter to say m ch 70 him. Rut
upon M word il yoil'd believe me. /