Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1903-05-20

No one who had happened to Oh
serve the figure Of Mr.. Bromley Brown
wandering round his garden on Ger
tain mild April morning would have
Imagined him to be suffering from an
acute sense of regret for his wasted
opportunities.
From / . top Of his bald head to the
toes of his shiny boots he might have
stood for a model of middle class pros
perity. His gray suit, if 1t iaccentuated
the round proportions of his f1gure'
was of fashionable cut, and he held q
panama hat of frest straw in the
square hand on which diamond gilt
tered in the spring sunshine. Behind
the terrace, over which figures OF i'm
possible animals in stone kept watch
at each corner, stood his new and elab-
orately furnished bungalow. aggressive
and much decorated. Mr.. Bromley
Browns room in the tower overlooked
q stretch. pine woods-a small
lake, which shone with steely bright
ness under fringe of larchcs. and a
far-away range Of rising ground. he
did not often glance ct the view, put
it pleased him to know that it was un-
deniably finer than even that COM
manded from the windows Of his neigh
Dor, General Compton, whose family
had owned acres OF surrounding heath
er and frs for generations past.
Mr.. Brown took one ast stroll on
the lawn, and as he slowly ascended
the steps of the terrace, the parlor
maid laid the newspapers son "a table
outside a bow window. A girls figure
leaned out, and young voice called
to him:
"Why do you look so solemn, papa,
dear? What perfect day it is! Warm
and sunny enough for June!"
The lines on Mr Bromley Browns
face relaxed. &c..
81 was thinking" he said, impress
ively. t,of hoW%yery little material COM
>zss.ssess-zssez1 .Asss.aEe
satisfied.
81 don't in the least, agree with you
there, dear, a-said Valentine, who was
eminently practical so -
81 have built this bungalow" con-
tined Mr.. Bromley Brown, "as a place
to rest in after a life spent in the
dullest of all occupations-money max
ing. But I am aware that thousands
of men would both have enjoyed the
occupation and welcomed the peace of
this beautiful spot l do neither. |
was destined by nature for something
widely different"
. "You say that because you have done
nothing lately but read those foolish
novels.'-here she pointed small.
scornful finger at book lying open on
the table-"since you had influenza,
papa, dear"
81 beg your pardon, Valentine-1
know I may not look it, but since my
earliest days, as have often told you, I
have had curious, wild craving for
adventure, for some excitement outside
the deadly routine of business life.
1t is hard" and mr. Bromley Brown
raised his voice in querulous exTostu-
lation, that here am, man who has
made considerable fortune in spe-
cial cough lozenge, but who, all
through his boyhood, has yainly wished
to be a pirate, and who now"-hc
waved his hand in the direction Of
the bungalow, then toward the smooth
shaven lawn, would most gladly give
all luis luxury to be successful de-
tective."
Valentine laughed, and leaned still
further out of the window. She, for
her part, was absolutely satisfied with
the fair face worn by the world around
her. She watched fat blackbird as
he shuffied along by the golden border
of daffodils-she rejoiced to know that
the air was musical with the voices of
larks. to see that the sun glittered on
the pool below General Compton's S
house and turned its easements into
twinkling diamonds. A man went
slowly down the green drive by the
pool, his arm swaying to and fro as
he sowed grass seeds. The earth
seemed to sing song of renewal and
hope, of love and sunshine. How good
it was only to breathe and to live!
Other people might have thought that
life would be none the less pleasant
to Valentine because her eyes were
large and gray, and her cheeks rosy
like the bloom on the boughs of. a
cherry tree. But she did not take
much account Of these advantages, nor
of the fact that she was the only child
of the prosperous house of Bromley
Brown.
Her father took off his goldrimmed
glasses-and laid down his newspaper.
"Ha! this is most curious!" said he.
What a splendid chance if one could
only light upon him-the plausible
scoundrel! The shrewd young viii
lain!"
Valentine turned her gray eyes on
bis shining crimson face.
Listen to me-Val," he cried, "you
remember the general told us last
week that the Mumbys and the Jeiii-
Goes had both had their pantry win
dows forced open?"
Did he? don't think was listen
ing"
1.-THE Mumbys lost a lot of plated
things-I know that he keeps his sill
yer in the bank, and let's his friends
use those horrible thick spoons-and
poor old Jellicoe had that hideous CEN
trepiece, given him by the cricket club,
taken. Now it transpires that in all
probability the burglar, or the moving
spirit Of the gang, is young man who
has been sketching houses in the