The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-05-30
A DANGEROUS LOVER.

Il
pretty, inexperienced girl was Clotilda
Fry, daughter of one of the richest 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 inn
agination, and her ideas of life and of her
own future were full of romantic notions,
that only am inexperienced young girl could
have She tossed her head at all the farm
ers' boys who sought her acquaintance, and
felt that she should like to be sought by
some elegant sutton, who, if need be, would
carry her off by force, as her novels had
pictured.
OF course, the child-for being but six
teen she was looked upon by her parents As
hardly moro than child-never gave voice
to those thoughts. If she had, she would
have been sounaly lectured by her blnut
father.
1t ha opened about this time that two men
who offered sweet-scented Eonps 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
peddlers. E#f
At this time, too, q house in the village
was entered and several articles of value
taken from it. This had caused great ex-
element 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.
On Sunday, Farmer Fry, after family
consultation, decided that Clotilda should
remain at home from church in charge of
the house, and that a new boy he had just
hired should stay on the premises, 80 that
the house should not be left unguarded.
Clotilda's heart gave n bound--so did Jo-
seph's. She would have such "splendid
chance to read book she had secretly
borrowed, 1.-The Robber of the Rhine, VI
While he decided that he would go down to
the end of the meadow and spend the fore
noon in fishing.
Farmer Fry and his wife stepped into the
new carryall, while james, the son, mount.
cd his horse, to which Clotilda had given the
sonorous ma ne of Thunder.
If any stranger comes TO the door, you
must call Joe," said her father, tho reins in
his hand.
''And you'd better take the key out of the
silver-closet," added her mother
Don't let any one run away with you,
SIS laughed her brother. j" There's load.
ed pistol in my drawer"
Down sat Clotilda on the porch, the COW
eted novel in her hands, frightfully- illus
trated, paper-covered volume, dirty and
thumbed, the prospect of revealing in its
pages giving her pleasure of which any
sensible girl would have been ashamed.
Tilda knew that 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 were very dull and insipid.
She was just reading in the novel, "Isa-
BEL startled by the clash of bayonets, darted
frantically up the companion-way," when
suddenly it seemed to her that some one was
walking in the room overhead
perhaps it's Joe," she thought; and
going to the foot of the stairs, she called
him.
No answer followed.
"Any one up there2s
All was as still as the grave.
1t was only my fancy" she said to her.
self, and for ten or fifteen minutes became
once more absorbed in the volume, when
she heard footsteps. This time we'll
dressed young man came from the vines
around the corner Of the porch. Tilda lot
fall the book with cry OF alarm.
"Pray don't be afraid" said the new
conner, in q pleasant voice. az am q
friend of your fathers, and have come to
ask favor"
"Papa is at church, " said the girl, reas-
sured. The man looked to her like gentle
man. He had black eyes and hair, and the
"divinest SMILE"
"Indeed Pm very sorry. i was stop
ping at the hotel at the Centre, and was
,obbed of my money and watch last night.
This morning I received despatch that my
mother is ill., and l want to get home on
T.. T