Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1884-02-21
"pon't 60 of angry, John, . said Janet,


trying the witchery Of her eyes on hel
farmer lover. .'He is SO deeply in love
with me that 1 can wind him around my
finger" she thought.
And it would be very fine to have two
swains signing at her feet, especially two
like John Wentworth, by far the best
catch in the country round, and the sty
lish, dashing Raycliffe, the new arrival
is sure to create a furore among the
maids and matrons of Sunnydale.
John would not soften, spite Of the
moonlight of Janet's appraised eyes
shining under the fair curly lashes.
81 will come back when you can trea
fellow decently, Janet. am not going
to be fooled to the top of my bent t.
please you any longer. Good evening.
This was the last Janet saw Of John
But she had little time to think of him
while Mr.. Raycliffe devoted himself 81
entirely to her amusement. He painted
her portrait, and while she sat for him
beguiled the time reciting, in tendel
tones, yards of tender, sentimenta
| poetry; they went on sketching tours
they eat on the piazza in the twilight
and sang together; Janet had sweet
alto voice, which the boarder was moi
long in finding admirably suited his own
Things went on until Janet's mother,
with many nod and beck and wreathed
smile, intimated that there was an
understanding between the two young
people. John Wentworth was well
enough in his way, honest, sober and in
dustrious, and shrewd as need be. but
she looked higher for Janet. Janet had
been to boarding school, she had the
education of lady, she could sing and
play the piano. and Mr.. Raycliffe praised
her drawing more than little. And,
by the way he hung around (his time to
go back to the city was up, but he had
engaged the room for another month";,
she was sure something would come Of
it. She could sniff weddings in the air,
and went SO far as to ask Mrs. Browns
opinion as to the most fashionable way
of making dresses, very nice one, suit
able-and then Janet's mother hesitated
smiled and looked very wise-suitable
for wedding. dress. Of course Mrs.
Brown knew at once that the dress was
for Janet, and through Mrs. Brown, who
was sometimes called "the Sunnydalt
daily tatler." the rest of them were in
formed without the loss of precious time
The report came to the ears of John
Wentworth. Like sensible fellow hs
concealed whatever feeling of disap
pointment and chagrin the announce
ment aroused from the prying busybod
les. He did not stay away from church
or from any of the social village gather
ings of young people because he met
Janet and her devoted adorer there. Not
he; he danced and laughed the more,
although the pain in his heart, which he
determinedly hid from view, was in
reality long in dying out.
Janet had been his first love, and how.
ever lightly she had loved him, he, at
least, had been sincere, and could not
forget her in day, try as he might.
Time, however, is great healer, and
when one hazy October day Janet rode
over in her little phaton to ask John and
his sisters to go berrying, he looked her
straight in the eye and wished her a
''happy future" without a tremor in his
hearty voice or quiver of his eyelids.
Eugene has gone to Boston," said
Janet, Ticking the flies off her gray pony,
and leaning forward. eve should have
heard from him yesterday. feel alittle
worried. He had good deal of money
with him. We sent to the city by him
for things we could not get here, and
several of the neighbors-Judge Jordan,
Squire Ellis and others-paid him in ad-
vance for portraits. 1 dreamed last night
of his being robbed and killed. Ugh
it makes me shiver know I'm foolish,
but 1 can't feel easy"
Bills began to fall due, and Mr.. Eugene
Raycliffe was still like the unknown
quantity represented byx. People began
to talk. Janet's mother took to bed
with an illness sudden, and of nature
unexplained and obscure.
Janet grew pale waiting for letter.
Finally, one bright Sunday morning Sun
nydale, Individually and collectively, wa:
agape over startling headline in Bos-
ton paper.
d" Arrest last night of Joseph Rsymon,
otherwise known as 'Dashing Joe,' and
having for his latest alias Eugene Ray,
cliffe. Several well-to-do residents Of
sunnydale viotimized by the accom-
rlished and gentlemanly scoundrel."
The affair was a nine days wonder
But after month or two had passed
away and the excitement had quieted
people began to wonder if John Went
worth would take up with his pretty
early love-"
Encouragement for him to do so wa.
not lacking $50 the matrons of sunnydals
will tell YOU from Janet's mother. Jane
herself wrote a little note on perfumet
paper to John, and this was the closing
part of his reply:
81 don't want to reproach you for YOU
throwing me over as you did. You hav'
been punished quite enough. But for .