The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1889-08-15

val came TO an abrupt end at far earlier
hour than Miss Blrton's accustomed bed
time.
How short the evening has seemed,
Mr.. Monroe" she said, as she gave him
her hand Mt parting, 'and have you to
thank for it, Will you not call on me
tomorrow afternoon or EVENING" Some
thing tells me VIC are TO be the best of
friends. viii you GOMEZ"
al shall be delighted to do so," said
James. Squire Hurtom coming up at that
moment, the young man reluctantly left
the heiress and proceeded to seek out his
deserted and till then forgotten be-
troihed. He found her seated near the
entrance to the grounds, having with her
an old lady whom she had prevailed upon
to remain with her until her recrcant
la--' made his appearance. She was very
qu:R and as they passed near the large
lantern at the gateway leading from the
scene Of the fcs,ivity, James noticed that
she was dcathly pale and that there was
an ominous glitter in her jet black eyes.
The evening was wonderful one. The
stars shonc brightly, the moon was at the
full, and coOl breeze musically rustled
the leaves and famed the brows of the
moody lovers as they silently wended
their way toward the home of Mary,
which was near by. At last James broke
the irksomc silence with the query:
GLOW have you enjoyed yourself this
evening, Maryl"
every well, " was the reply; 'it would
be superfluous for me to repeat that ques-
tion. for saw you were enjoying your
self immensely. You doubtless found
Miss Burton u very entertaining com
panion."
~ did," replied James. "She gave
me u very cordial invitation to call on
her tomorrow afternoon preventing" or
"Do you intend doing sol" asked
Mary, in II scarcely audible voice.
~ do was the curt reply.
"Then,n said the young girl, "you
need never call on me again. We will
hcaccforth he as strangers. Here is your
ring And before the dumbfounded
James could reply she hurriedly drew
their engagement ring from her finger,
thrust it into his hands, and, as they had
arrived at her fathers gate, ran up the
gravcled walk and into the house without
a word Of parting.
"Littc spitfrc, - said James to himself
"The idea of acting in this way just be-
cause | convcrsed with Miss Burton a
short time"
lie did not seem to realize that he had
spent nearly the entire evening in Miss
Burton's company, neglecting his be-
trothed TO such an extent that even the
dulcst took cognizancc of and comment
ed upon it,
On the following afternoon after max
ing Il more than usually elaborate toilet,
James presented himself at the door Of
Squire lIurtom's staring white house and
inquired of the trim maid Of all work
who answered the summons Of the bell,
il Miss Burton was in. The maid replied
in the affirmative, ushcred him in to the
''best room" where he found the haress
deeply absorbed in the latest society
novel. She closed the book at once, and
rising from her scat greeted him very
warmly.
They were soon conversing as AMIGA
bly, and apparently as intimately as
friends of long standing.
When Mt the end of two hours (Which
seemed but rs two minutes to the infat-
uatcd James, he arose to take his depar-
turc he was warmly invited to call again.
He did so on the very next day, when he
was treated with greater kindness if pos
sibIc than on his former visit. They
played several games of croquct together
during the course of which it was arranged
that on the following afternoon they should
take boat ride on Lily Pond, small
lake in the neighborhood, noted for its
white and fragrant water lilies. He also
took her ont riding behind his span of
blood bay horses, and on one occasion
escorted her To church where the heiress
created an immense sensation as she swept
down the central aisle in her trailing,
rustling silken gown, while he with head
erect, silk tile in hand, and curled mus
tache, was the envy and despair of all the
young men OF GAINESVILLE. Even the
gray haired old minister was visibly dis
concerted at the sudden and unexpected
appearance of so much style and elegance
and lost his place in the chapter he was
reading, for be it known, Miss Burton al
ways mado it point to arrive late Mt
church us well as at all other public gath
erings.
In less than two weeks it was whispered
about 10y the gossips that James Monroe
and Mary Murdock had quarreled, that
the engagement was broken, and that
he was excepting steady company with
that stuck-up, red-haired city girl at
Squire Hurtom's."
And il must be said it was all true I;
James had become infatuated with the
fair Imogene and danced perpetual at
tention upon her. Her dainty ways, her
city bred airs, her varying moods, and
above all the thought that she was al
ready wealthy and destined at no distant
day TO become still more so, wrought
such havoc in the heart of the unsophis-
ticated youth that he resolved at the
first favorable opportunity, to use a
phrase much in vogue in those parts, to
"pop the question"
Accordingly one pleasant afternoon
when he and 1mogene were seated on n
rustic bench in the very grove where was
held the memorable ice-cream festival,