The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-05-27
OLD BULLIONs BRIDE

l1CN LAC Sc "eS
first met her? Oh, yes. it was unde
the superb arches Of High Bridge
boating by moonlight. A globe o
reddish pearl slowly ascended on
of the East-tbe shadows of th'
great bridge resting softly aa to.
mirror ike surface Of the Hudson
river; the sound OF a flute PLAYED
softly afar of, and all OF q suddeI
the keel of nv boat came sharply IL
contact with somebody else's oars
Halo, you cried out a cleai
incisive young voice. Where ar,
you going to? Why don't you lock
which way you are steering p
Charley Dresden y cried out /
little needing the torrents of obloquy
he was beginning to heap upon me
''0ld Mattimore," he responded
joyously. Why, who Oh earth
would have thought of finding you
on Harlem River. Here
come into my boat; hitch on your
old craft behind, and let me intro
duce Won to Miss Sophy Adriance.'
l looked as sharply at Miss Sophy
as the moonlight and nv own mod
esty would let ne. for | knew tlai
she was the especial admiration Of
my friend Charley Dresden.
She was pretty, slight round and
rosy, with china-blue eyes, a dimple
in either cheek, and golden brown
hair worn in long,loose eurls. There
was something fiower-like and deli
cate in her prettiness-something
unconsciously imploring in her way
Of lifting her ewes up TO your face
We rowed home together-or, at
least, as far on our way home as the
Harlem River would take Us. So
ply sang little boat ballads. Char
lev roared out tenor barcarolles. i
even essayed q German student
song which / had learned in Heidle-
berg no one knows how long ago,
and we parted the best of friends
A week after Dresden and l met
face to face on Wall street.
Halo, Mattimore T said Charley,
bis honest visage lighting up.
What do you think of her? p
Il think she is a pearl-a jewel
! princess among women !" an
'wered, with perfect sincerity.
Congratulate me, then !" cried
Charley beaming all over, for I am
engaged to her. Only last night
Look here r opening 4 mysterious
silver case which be took from his
inner vest pocket. What do you
.hink OF that for an engagement
-ing?"
a 6ne diamond said l. putting
nv head critically on one side +; ~and
ancifully set"
Were to be married in October, "
'aid Charley, lowering his voice to
he most confidential tones. 1T
night have been sooner if / hadn I
that business in Europe
or our firm. But | shall be sure to
De back by October, and the money
shall make will be acceptable to
ward fitting up and furnishing ocr
lew home. Because, YOU know
I'm no. rich
l spent an evening with her after
ward At the genteel boarding house
where she and her mother-a nice,
oright-eyed little woman, the full
blown rose TO correspond with So
phys budding loveliness-dwelt in
he cosiest OF apartments. furnished
IN dark blue reps, with a turnup
Dedstead, ingepiouslv disguised as a
high lacked sofa. and canaries and
.eraniums in the windows
1t Is so kind of you to come,
aid Sophy. with a gentle pressure
1f tie hand when / went away. L
lm 40 glad to welcome Charley ;
,riends."
And | felt that could cheerfully
1T through another evening of COM
chit chat and photograph
albums for such a reward as that.
Well. Charley Dresden went away,
md as he didn't particularly leave
sophv Adrianee in nv charge, |
iidn't feel called upon to present
nyselfat the genteel boarding house.
supposed, naturally enough, that
II was going right, until one day /
'eceived a note from my old friend.
Bullion, the banker, a man of sixty.
Who wears wig and spectacles. and
counts his income upon the double
igures.
Bullion wrote from Saratoga,
where he had gone because he didn't
.now what else TO do with himself
q the dull season. He asked me TO
,e bis groomsman. Bullion wss go
pg to be married
-Of course you III think II iooilsn
hing for me to do" wrote Bullion
but even at so man has not en-
irely outliyed the age Of sentiment ;
md when once you see Sophy Adri-
,nce you win forgive any seeming
inconsistency on my part"
l went straight to the genteel
boarding house. It was possible
hat I might be misled by a similar
ty of name, although even that was
is Miss Adriance at home7" l
Isked of the sla.ternly servant girl
sho answered the bell.
mo. sir. Miss Sophy's spending
few weeks with friend at Ssrato-
IA she answered promptly. That
vas enough l vent home and in
:losed Bulhon's letter in another en-
Ielope, directing it to poor Charlie