The Penn's Grove record., 1888-03-24
NUMBERS "a.


Ever body ndeT why Flora
Knight ala not make a brilliant match
There were many suitoEs tor her hand.
but she was cold to them all and thr5
accused her of being a ieartless co.
quette. She was now twenty four and
her cousin, Kate Belmont, had married
a rich man, but she showed no sign
of following her dearest friends ex.
ample.
The outside world lid not know that
she had once been engaged to q young
man named Wllfred Benedict. whom
IN a moment of plque, size threw yel
because he objected to her drifting with
a rich broker.
He had gone away and she hal not
seen him III years. Bitterly lid She
repent her hasty words and would have
gladly called him back if she knew
where he was.
One night Flora attended q ball with
her cousin Kate, given in honor f the
Grand Du6e Of Russia. She had
dressed herself 80 prettily for the occa.
sion that her cousin exclaimed:
FLO, what have you done to your
selfp You look like "a fairy princess. -
Out of IL cloud of fluffy creany-col.
ith lthSC lo'b ~ ca VI BblCoI wv y Out-
lines; the dimplel cheeks aud chm autl
the red smiling mouth, the magnificent
dark eyes AMI tile wealth of glossy
hair, out of VIII CT scintillated the iri-
descent light from aquivering diamond
spray (Kate's gift formed a picture
worthy Of an arJiSt's admiration.
Flora was a favorite of the hostess,
who kept near her through the early
part OF the evening, so that she was
among the first to be introduced to the
dis .ingulshed guests.
One tall, ~fine-lookiug officer, after a
time, devoted himself almost exclu-
siyely to her. He was bronzed from
exposure to the sun, and his heavy
beard and mOustache completely hid
the lower part of his face, but his com
manding forehead and large, brilliant
eyes, his stately form, decorated upon
the breast with a glItteriDg token of
his sovereign's favor, made him an
object of interest second only to the
young Grand Duke.
In the confusion of hearing so many
strange, unpron0unceable names Flora
had caught but the sound OF the mill
tary title-General. So she addressed
him by that title alone.
They conveTsed for a time in French,
as Flora knew it to be a language la
millar to every educated Russian.
after a time, however, with a sud-
den smile in his dark eyes, the General
said playfully, relaxing from the
courtly gravity of his previous man
her:
Let US descend once more into the
commonplace world Miss Knight, and
talk over old times"
As Flora looked at him In amaze
ment, he continued evidently enjoying
her justification:
st is evident that my memory of
faces is better than in your OWL. Let
nc reintrodnce myself. l am Wilfred
benedict. viii you give me "a flower
from your bouquet in token that there
Is peace between us?"
Without a moments hesitation Flora
selected the only rosebud in her nosegay
and gave it TO lin.
. With a pleasant look he fastened it
in his b~uttonhole.
With a little tremor iu her voice,
Flora said:
II did not know you. You are very
much changed"
YES; the husk has grown pretty
brown and rough, but the kernel is
still the same"
"His low, deep tones gave a peculiar
significance to his words and made
Flora's color rival the red, red rose"
but she was not displeased. Ola mem
Dries were busy at her heart. She lad
always loved Wilfred, even when, angry
at his supposed neglect, she had sem
him from her so coldly and proudly.
All was soon explained. While trav-
cling In Russia with his pupil it had
been his good fortune to do a service to
a member of the royal family. and had
thus come under the notice of the
Car, who seemed specially attracted
by Wilfred. lie had been offered a po-
sition in the army; and. as the time
with his pupil had expired, accepted
it. Rising rapidly to his present high
rank, he had been honored by being
chosen to accompany the royal youth
on this visit to England.
Flora listened with shining eyes to
the Generals story; then she said:
| always knew You would succeed in
life and l am as glad as though you
were my own brother"
The General cent and whispered:
81 am very grasplng. y sisterly iu-
terest will not satisfy me. Flora" and
his manly face grew intensely earnest,
Il have been looking forward to this
meeting during AL my years of exile.
VIII you not promise to become to me
that nearest and dearest of all rela-
tions-my witeI'
YES" WIlfred," said Flora softly,
''for l too have loved you through
all"
In this, the supreme moment of her
life, Flora felt that her lover should be
answered simply and truly, as his loyal
heart deserved.
And the gay fashionable throng
surged by. smiling at the supposed fir
tatIon between the uobl, looking young
officer and the beautiful girl, little
thinking they were spectators Of a re-
Cancellation between long-estranged
lovers.
1t was not many days, however, be-
fore Madam RumOr learned the truth,
and with her thousand tongues whis-
pered 1t about broadcast, so that Wien
a brilliant wedding-party gathered to
witness the nuptials of Wllfred and
Flora. each heart among this guests
beat with a throb of that universal
sympathy which makes the whole
world kin" on such occasions.
S~trychnine for Drunkenness.