The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-08-01

paper that lay within, and when ha
done so these words lay spread befor
my astonished and Mortified eyes:
"Good bye-good bye foreverl Scor
me, hate me, never think or speak O
me again-for have promised to MARI
Melville Lottner.
"FLoBENcE LANE"
For few moments after reading Chi
brief letter fancied that was dying
Then said to myself that it was al
April fool trick. Unfortunately it wa.
not the first Of April. Finally decided
to see Florence if l were Obliged tc
break the door down in order to do SO
L telegraphed to my place of busi
ness, ct was no falsehood to say that
l was ill., and hastened to Mr.. Lanes
residence.
A servant was sweeping the front
door steps; l rushed past her and
entered the front parlor.
From the back one came sound of
sobbing, I invaded the room, and there
was Florence prone upon sofa, weep
ing bitterly,
"Florencen l cried, sinking on my
knees beside her, "here am-that
absurd note frightened me-but am
sure"
l put my arm about her, but she
lifted herself on her elbow, gazed at me
with countenance of utter despair,
and gasped;
"Oh, Edwin-Edwin, you only break
my heart. You must not embrace me.
l am engaged to Melville Lottner. 1
shall be his wife in less than month
and II must see you no more"
"Hour father has forced you to this.
Florence" said Remember, filial
obedience has its limits; will resist if
you do not"
But her answer was this:
"Dear father knows nothing about it,;
l have not told him yet. He is away
from home. 1t is all my own doing.
and here is your ring, and it is all
over between u.s."
Then she sobbed again, and at the
end of two hours had gained nothing
more.
l left the house as nearly a madman
as could be, and few at once to the
Lottners' place of business.
I irsc,t1irnI fov, M, 49, i
that he was absent in Albany on bust
ness.
I inquired for Melville Lottner, and
he received me in a gorgeous little
office, where he sat smoking a cigar.
1 presented my card, he bowed, 1
looked at him, he looked at me.
II suppose" said he, you've come to
know why she did it? You need not
speak. 1t is embarrassing, of course,
but all is fair in love and in war, I'm
the lucky one, and if you hate me for
it l cannot help it."
81 am assured that there is some
thing under this" l said Florence
Laue is not one to jilt man in this
cold-blooded manner without reason"
'The reason that she likes me best
ought to satisfy you," he answered. l
had great desire to murder him, but
refrained-the days of dueling are
over.
| departed, feeling that the next best
thing was suicide. However, any sane
man hesitates to escape from his
troubles in this fashion, and in tn end
resolved to bear the burden life.
though joy had fed from it forever
However, 1 could not endure existence
where it was possible that nigh meet
Florence, see her perhaps with her
husband. l must leave New York,
felt, before her wedding daY,
Some one had lately. offered me
position In Washington. Ihad refused
it, but if it we're still open I resolved to
accept it.
Accordingly / took my way along
Broadway with my hat tipped over my
eyes and my hands in my pockets, after
the manner of miserable men, when
suddenly the air was filed with
cries of:
"Extra, extra Awful calamity
Burning of the Albany night boat!
Full list of dead and woundedw
What did care for the Albany boat?
! enyied those who we're rid of all life's
troubles-but what were scalds or
bruises, or even broken bones, com
pared to the tearing of bonds that
bound two hearts togetherY 1 kept
upon my way until at last ran into
somebody who caught me by the
shoulders.
81 see you've heard the news, Meade" /"
he said, ''and that you are terribly cut
about it. Too bad; such valuable
member of society-and l suppose it
has nearly killed poor Florence"
looked up and faced an intimate
friend Of the Meade family. in Jones,
who held paper in his hand.
"Perhaps you have not seen the
Daily Shout extra9" he said. "The last
particulars s-"
] gFasped the paper-there it was,
sure enough. Amongst the drowned
we found the name of the Lottner
Brothers esteemed book-keeper Joshua
Lane.
"Good Godl' cried.
dreadful ~ said Jones, 'Poor old
Lane, liked him-but suppose you
are In hurry to go to Florence"
groaned, did not go to Florence
Of course, but / went home. l entered
my room and cast myself on the bed