The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-03-20
THE BRIARFIELD TRAGEDY.
BY EUGENIA DUNLAP.

Pretty, rosy little Fiossie pouted CO.
quettishly, and drew away her hand
from her black browed suitor.
mo, William-for the last time, l
won't So there!'
A sudden pallor oversprcad the swar.
thy face. and u dangerous CLEAN shot
from the small black eyes as he ruday
seized the tender round arm of the un.
suspicious girl and Kissed in a voice she
had never heard before:
"By the Eternal. you shall! You shall,
or I'll murder you'll"
With II shrek the terrified girl sprang
past him and fled into the cosy sitting
room where the other members of the
family pursued their homely avocations
before " ide, old fashioned wood fire.
"Oh, auntie!" she exclaimed, "I do be-
lieve William is crazy!'
All we're startled ut the sudden and
violent interruption, but not even the
genuine alarm on the girls face pre-
vented an annoyed rebuke from the
elder lady.
Crazy! What do you mean, Florence?
Get up from my side, and do leave off
th,s tragedy airs!'
With eyes wide oren in wonder ut
such a tone from her usually kind pro-
tectress the girl slowly arose, and in
tears left the room.
"Mother, you were very harsh, re-
monstrated Margaret, the eldest daugh-
ter of the house.
II wonder what William could have
said to her. spitefully added Eliza, the
younger sister; Its always William!"
"Tut. tull" said the father. resuming
his paper. "The boy is too rough. He's
put her out somehow. Wife, you've no
call to be vexed.
perhaps / was harsh, said the old
lady, ~but you don't know how that
word crazy horriiies me- My only
brother went crazy and took his own
life. We never got over the shock. Will
lam sometimes has look of Linn. and
! am in continual fear. He's always
been strange. I'm sorry hurt the POOR
child's feelings "
"Oh! her feelings are to, easily hurt,
said Eliza.
Il shouldn't wonder il Lynn Graves
could comfort her." said Margaret,
meaningly, and the deep flush of an.
noyance OH Eliza's face indicated the
cause of her evident spleen toward her
fathers orphan niece.
$50 ho!" said the old gentleman,
again diverted from the daily news
"The winds in that quarter, is it? /
thought William rs sweet on her. F"
Nonsense, Daniel" said Mrs. Be-
ford
"Well now, wife. don't know about
that, and l. for one. shouldn't care if lie
was. The lass is comely and we'll man
nered, and besides, she will have right
snug little fortune Of her own. Our
boy couldn't be doing better"
swell, well, we've no call to meddie.
Daniel" cautiously replied the old lady;
"and the Lord is sure to take care of his
own, she piously added, as she picked
up dropped stitch in her knitting.
Before retiring for the night kind
hearted Aunt Bedford sought her dis
tressed charge, and in words which the
affectionate girl never forgot told her
of the grim skeleton SO long hidden in
the closet of the peaceful farmhouse
"Don't cross him, dear, If you can
help it," she said as she left her; II
don't want him to annoy you, but be as
patient AS you can.
The summer passed, and William Bed
ford had ceased to persecute his cousin
save by a jealous watchfulness which
gave her constant dread. The warm
days had been spent by the young
people of the adjacent village and
vicinity in pleasure parties to the
woods and numerous excursions to the
blackberry thicket which gave the name
of Briarfield to Uncle Bedford's neigh
borhood.
Flossie Denton was ever the leading
spirit, ever the center of attraction. Her
childlike nature, whether in dimples or
frowns, in sunshine or shower, asserted
itself, and many gallant heart fell vic.
tim to her charms.
Lynn Graves did not care to conceal
his allegiance, but Flossie could not tell
him of her Cousins stormy wooing and
terrible threats The only shadow her
young life had known since the hour
which made her an orphan was the ever
darkening presence of this morose and
unhappy man. To the world he was
moody, i'll conditioned fellow, and her
innocent spirit could not fathom him.
Thus were matters shaped ON the
night of grand political harangue and
torchlight procession. In the enthusi-
asm of triumph glee club had been
formed ly 40 young vocalists, and their