The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1897-01-22


parturo young Mr.. Moore, perhaps .
more Jealous than his companion, had .
evolved q plan Of the future, wherein /
little Miss Blount would play no small /
part. Ho confessed 10 all 10 Martin, /
and tho proposition he made was as 70.
mantle as 1t was honorable and gener. |
Gus. he suggested the plan TO pay I
for the education OF the girl IN n fash. /
ionahle seminary, and TO trust in time /.
TO win her woman's heart and her fair .
band for his own. Moore was wealthy !.
enough TO carry out his plan; Martin 7.
admitted "a much, but further than
that he displayed no enthusiasm for
the proposition whatever.
Moore sat down With Johnny Blount
one evening and very frankly aud
honestly told the tavern keeper Of his
plan, and he urged and he coaxed,
and he opened up bis life to Blount,
and his heart rs we'll. Johnny Blount
was honest and blunt aud poor, and,
after looking at all the lights and
shadows OF the future, he saw rare
chance for Edith, aud an education
worthy of her grace Snd beauty. He
consented finally, and Moore climbed
on the down stage the next day salts.
fed with himself and the world-even
with his friend Martin, who, somewhat
chagrned, joined in the chorus like q
sweet bell out OF tune.
In the autumn Edith and Der father
went down to San Francisco, taking
with them q small leather trunk filled
with the modest frocks of the noun
tain maid, together with dried ferns
from the gulches, and pressed flowers
from the hills around Big Meadows,
aud her bundle of childish love letters
from John Phillips back in Name, and
many other memeutos OF her girlhood
days at Eureka Tavern.
There was an honest welcome for
them in the city by the sea, and Mr..
Moore's elder sister took Edith home
and soon learned to love her as n sister
should, and though there were tears
in the blue eyes OF Edith when her
father started back for Big Meadows,
she was quite content with the golden
promises of the future, and what the
world of books had IN store for her.
/ Across the bay in Oakland she found
new friends in Miss Marks's school,
and met with new delights in the COM
partnership of her books. The winter
passed away much more quickly than
it had the previous year at Big
Meadows, and when the summer vaca-
tion came she again saw the hills back
of Eureka Tavern that she had learned
to love so well. Then another winter
passed even more quickly at the Oak
land school, and third winter, and a
fourth, and then CINE her graduation
the browning epoch of girlhood
days.
At nineteen Edith Blount was in the
fulness of womanlY perfection, her
childish beauty rounded, the deep
yellow of her hair n queenly golden,
her modesty and her grace retained
and rarefed. Quite in harmony with
the fate IN store for her, she followed
then to the altar the man whose love
and generous heart had made her "A
simple mountain maid-his social and
intellectual equal.
Moore was no longer in trade, fol
in Pine street, in the Stock Exchange,
he had become power, and his for
: tune had grown until he could well
afford the beautiful home he made fol-
Edith Blount on the brow OF California
street hill, in the midst of the palaces
built by the gold and silver kings.
score of years they lived peaceful,
J happy life, with old friends and new
ones to share their joys and the goot
: things a kind world bestowed Cpo1
} them.
A bachelor, with gray in his hair,
was Henry Martin, and although h
never forgave his friend Moore foi
plucking the reddest, prettiest rose il
/ the Golden State, he was frtquen
and welcome guest in the house il
California street; and Moore, prout
a of the woman who bore his name
5 often chided his friend, with an i'll
concealed chuckle and poke IN tn
3 waist coat, on his religious adherence
= to bachelorhood.
''Sam Moore, you old rascal" Mar
a tin would say to him with shake o
Q the finger, "when / find a woman i
this world who is the counterpart @
3 Mrs. Moore l viii marry, but not be
t FORE"
I One afternoon il February, 1887
+ Samuel Moore entered his home j
r California street with a chill upo