The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-05-03

She decided upon paying brief visit to a
| certain remote village, best made known
by q sentence copied from q previously
mentioned note of Mr.. Richard Oxfords:
II shall often think OF him. far away in
that quiet little village Of Drifton in Penn
sylvania.'
Informing her aunt that she had heard
great deal about the coal mines and the
unique scenery Of the mining district Of
Pennsylvania. she declared her intention Of
| immediately inspecting the region around
about Iazietoa. in Luzerne County.
Under assumed names, they registered ut
little hotel in the village Of Upper Lehiah,
within two miles of Drifton, in Pennsyl-
vania
Prof. John Fairfax, dignifcd, gray
haired old gentleman, was in charge OF fe-
male seminary in the town. He was well-to-
do ONLY in the size of his family, consisting
| OF several daughters and two sons. Arthur
| and Dana Fairfax.
MIR. Arthur Fairfax was absent no one
knew where. Still this fact, although not all
| reassuring was by no means conclusive
proof Of his guilt So my Lady LYDIA re-
solved to profit by his absence.
Ere her departure she had learned much
| about the town. more about the Farfaxcs.
and. most Of al, about Mr. Arthur Fairfax.
She heard, too. the history of his disappoin:-
rents and his present unhappy state of in
| decision. But. the more she learned about
him and the more she saw Of his fathers
| family. the more she began to think that it
was impossible that he should be any thing
else bat innocent.
| Lydia was what might DO called prac-
| teal dreamer: and. to be candid. many Of
her musings lattcrly were chiefly upon one
- al. fill
ordinary vein;
| Her estates were large: her tenants man.
fold They, Of course would vote for tho
man of her choice. should he offer himself
as Parliamentary candidate. How much
better would be her life could she marry
man whom she might thus help. How much
happier than il mated with some rone. her
equal in wealth and station. perhaps, but
tired of life and in bias; whom was no am
bition and no apparent interest in the world
at large.
These. and thoughts like these. constant
~ fioated through her mind. Can she be
blamed il they were in connection with but
one man,
Her very mission, together with the ex-
tremely satisfactory results Of her investi-
cations as to Fairfax's character and ante
cedcnts were such as could scarcely fail to
interest the coolest and most fastidious
woman. Lydia found her interest growing
SO warm that she. at last. allowed herself
to come to a definitely shaped resolve, nj
though somewhat staggered at first, by the
very boldness and unwomanly nature of
the latter. In character 1t was somewhat
| as follows:
When she should eventually find this man.
Fairfax. he and fate together with little
assistance from me-" SO she naively told
herself must once and for all decide this
natter Us she was pleased to call it.
But deep down in her heart was the con-
viction never uttered, yet all powerful, that
for what she gave she must receive genuine
coin in return.
Let the reader pause moment before
uttering his hastily formed opinion as TO the
somewhat remarkable course adopted by
this equally remarkable young woman, and
allow the writer to repeat certain facts al
ready given.
She had always been accustomed to hay
ing her own way She had lived long
enough in her own country to realize the
false and mercenary spirit Of most Of the
men whose rank would allow them to aspire
to her hand Something in her heart told
her that when she esteemed this Fairfax,
she was estecming genuine man. But her
! very rank ana wealth.. SAc tnOugnt, would
be apt to hold him aloof, even if he were to
fall in love with her; perhaps most impor-
tant-their respective homes were in widely
different continents and events might never
again throw them into each others way.
Thus reasoned Madamoiselle Lydia, and
il she reasoned oddly and somewhat diff
ferently from the conventional ways of
precise society. She at least, reasoned cor
rcctly and naturally, and followed not
form, but her own heart. As Emerson has
1t, she had written ION the lintcls of her
door-post, 'Whim'"
But where was this Fairfax to be found!
His own family did not know. She was at
her wits end to discover some means to
learn his whereabouts and to meet him, 30
that the meeting might appear accidental.
Fortune helped her, as it always helps
those who help themselves.
Ere leaving the village she made part
ing call on the Fairfaxes. The family was
in great joy. A letter had just that mo-
ment been received from the missing son.
Mrs. Fairfax was reading 1t aloud, and her
caller, taking kindly interest and begging
/ her to proved, sho continued,