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THE ATHENS GEORGIAN: MARCH 2?, 1877.
MY FLIRTATION. -
I hud plenty of beaux when I was
young, and liked that very well.
However, I had heart enough at
bottom, and when Stephen Lasldey
a-ked me to marry him, in the end, I
consented, though I kept him in sus-
pense along at first.
Neither Steve nor I were rich.
My father had a sufficient income to
keep tho family in a good style of
living, but he saved nothing, and I
could expect nothing from him when
I married. Steve had just begun to
practice medicine, aud was struggling
as young doctors must. There was
a pretty house just outside the town
that Steve and I t:ad our eyes on for
a long time, and I had promised to
become his wife as soon as lie could
call it his own.
By dint of such struggling and
economy as I never eould have
guessed, he had put by enough for
the Inst payment, and was plodding
patiently on to’.vardsitho second ami
last.
I can see now what a selfish crea
ture I was; what a wretch, indeed, to
please myself with- the flatteries of
others while Steve was working so
faithfully for me.
Tnat sounds as though I wasn’t
going to m'a.ry Steve for love, but I
was
Our town was something of a fash
ionable resort for summer boarders,
and many of the people were in the
habit of taking hoarders then. Fa
ther had always objected to our
doing so; but this summer of which
I speak, lie fell in with a stranger as
he was retui ni.ig from a long ride in
country, who having shared his phae
ton with him during the homeward
drive, succeeded in so ingratiating
himself with my father, that he al
lowed him to hoard with us.
The stranger was very mneh in'
my line—distinguished looking, pos
sessing ail eloquent pair of eyes,
nearly the color of my own, and
having a propensity to saying “ pritty
things” that was just dcliciqus to a
girl of my turn. It was such fun to
draw him out, and then laugh at him;
to pretend pleasure, then shyness;
to invite and repulse in the same
breath. It was a genuine flirtation,
as much so to him as to me.
Steve came often to see me, but he
did not see me alone, and he never
stayed late.
Steve’s sister Marian and I were
Intimate, and spent much time to-
gei her. Poor Steve enjoyed my
visits to Marian much belter than he
did seeing me anywhere else, and I
liked it too, us much because of see*
iug him as Marian. It was then a
miserable piece of beartlessness for
me to permit Mr. Fordyce, the
“ stranger,” to accompany me thither,
thus parading, as it were, my con
quest, and the accomplishments and
attractions of Steve’s new rival, in
tile most disagreeable manner possi
ble.
Steve was good-natured, and kept
this disappointment to himself, but
t:e did not like Mr. Fordycc, and he
was quite alone in that. Everybody
liked Mr. Fordyce but Steve He
was an immensely popular man in our
small community, entering as he did
with such genuine zeal into all our
interests, and bearing himself genially
towards all.
When Parson Hammond, who
lived nearest to us, lost a valuable
horse from his stable, and came over
to our house to sec about pursuing
the thief, Mr. Fordycc, though he
had just got home from a jaunt with
some friends which kept him almost
of the night, insisted on being one of
the pursuing party, and, indeed, quite
led it. It was the same-when Mr.
Dudevant’s simp was broken, open
and robbed. Mr. Fordycc went over
and over the ground, and gave
shrewder guesses as to how tiie rob
bery had bueu managed than any one
else. When other thefts of a similar
nature, and also of lesser degree,
continued to vex and puzzle us from
time to time, it was Mr. Fordyce
who insisted on severe measures,
prevailed on the authorities to offer
large rewards for the apprehension
of the offenders, and made himself so
active in’the matter os to win the
oratitude of the whole town, j
He often joined our social gather
ings and became the life of them. I
was quite envied in having his escort
so frequently, and the rumor was
very soon circulated that we were
engaged. Steve and I had some
words on tho subject several times;
and because it was mo nnuMial for him
to insist in such a matter, I resented
it when he did; and the more I sus
pected myself to le wrong, the more
I resolved I would not own it.
I detected Steve’s dislike of Mr.
Fordyce, and taxed him with it.
Steve said nothing, blit he only shook
his head and looked gravely at me
When I praised him. He never said
worse about Mr. Fordyce than that
he did not believe in him. Steve
objected to ray intimacy with him on
rather general grounds, and I an
swered in such an ill-tempered man
ner that Steve, not being ice, and
flint, struck fire and retorted angrily
for the first time in all our acquaint
ance. The result was a serious cool
ness, Steve apologized for his part
the next day, but I listened coolly,
and retained my auger.
I flirted with Mr. Fordyce more
desperately than ever after that, but
the affair had really lost all its relish
for me. I went recklessly on my
foolish course, till Mr. Fordyce, in so
many words, asked me to marry him.
I do not know what it was about the
man that ail at oiice struck me as in
sincere. I knew that he did not
mean what lie said; aud yet, lie wore
a very love-like air, and he ivould
have clasped and kissed me if I had
not shrunk swiftly away.
I answered him, however, as though
he had spoken sincerely, aud told
him, what I do not often acknowl
edge, I was engaged to Steve Lashley.
No man likes to hear “No” from a
woman’s lips when even his petition
is an idle one. For the first time, I
saw Mr. Fordycu’s face distorted with
a sneer of mingled anger and dislike,
and I knew that my poor Steve’s
strange feeling towards Mr. Fordyce
was reciprocated by that gentleman
with equal intensity.
One night there was a party at
Steve’s father's. It . was Marian’s
birthday. Mr. Fordyce took me
over about 8 o’clock. It was a gay
party. We had dancing, which we
do not always have, and the music
and supper were good. I danced
with Steve several times, and, being
in good spirits, found it rather diffi
cult to maintain the distance I had
lately adopted towards him. His
eyes, too, had such a soft, tender
light in them, and his lips such bright
ness
“Come into the garden a minute,
Bell,” lie whispered to me at the close
of a dance; “ I have something to
say to you —and for the life of me
I could not say no.
When we were in the bright
moonlit garden he stopped where a
clump of lilac bushes hid ns from the
houst^ and drew from his bosom a roll
of notes.
“ I shall finish paying for onr
house, to-nforrow, dear,” he said in a
voice that exclusive happiness made
tremulous. “ I drew the money
from the bank to-day—twenty-five
hundred dollars. Ah, how I have
worked for this hour!” ,
• I should have been harder than a
mill-stone if I had not forgotten all
my foolish'anger at that moment, if I
bad not melted rather from my cold
ness; for I was as glad as he was, and
I dropped my head on his shoulder
there in the moonlight, and cried
happy, happy, remorseless tears.
“ Stove,” I said, “ you shall let me
keep the money till . morning. I
shall think I have dreamed if you
don’t.**
Steve lahghed, but let me have my
way. Ah, what a foolish whim it
was! Few women would have dared
to take charge of such a sum of mon
ey ; and fewer men would have per
mitted them. But Steve knew it was
as safe, to all common calculation,
witli mo as with himself.
As wc turned toward the house for
a single instant I thought I .saw the
shadow of a man across onr path;
but, looking back, I saw nothing but
tho lilac bushes tossing iu the sum
mer air.
“ What’s the matter?” said Steve,
noticing mv backward gaze.
“I thought I saw the figure of
man crossing the path,” I replied.
“ Nonsense!” said he; and we
were indoors.
Well, Steve and I were the happi
est pair there that night ; and Mr.
Fordyce saw, and could not quite
keep his eyes from saying, tliat lie
hated us both for it, or I fancied so.
The’ party broke up at twelve
o’clock ; that was latff'Tbr us, and
Mr. Fordyce,jhaving brought me there,
took me home. On the way he told
me of another robbery, tliat haditaken
place the night before at one of the
hotels. A person had been robbed
of five hundred dollars, which he had
just received at tile batik. Perhaps
it was that story that made me, tired
as I waS, bestow some thought on a
hiding place for Steve’s money. I
pondered very seriously as I took
down my hair and arranged for the
night; then with a laugh at my own
ingenuity I tucked the roll of notes
in my Inxiirant tresscs^and drew a
net over to hold all in place. I was
asleep almost the instant my head
touched tiie pillow.
I ought to Jiave slept soundly and
dreamed happy dreams, but I did not.
Some counter influence seemed to
ruffle my slumbers and I awoke.
Some one was in my room. I
knew it as well as thougli I could
see, and the room was too dark for
that. There was no sound either, but
for all that I knew I vteaT'inot alone.
I tried to scream, to raise my voice.
I was^ frozen with terror. 1 never
thought once of the money, or rob
bers, or anything that I know of I
was only frightened so tliat I conld
not move band or foot, or make a
noise. I don’t know but I stopped
br.v thing. I can remember yet hew
cold I felt, though tiie night was
warm.
Suddenly, without the warning of
a breath I was conscious that a hand
was creeping steadily about my pil
low.
I did not think of money even
then. As terror had stolen iny sen
ses, so now it brought some of them
back. I gave one scream and
sprang from tfeg hed^^yied^ to. ^
Two strong hands droppea me; a
firm hand held me, while the mb or
hand vainly sought to loose my hair.
The net, more obstinate than nets
usually arc, would not come off prob
ably because, in iiis hnyry; my myste
rious assailant was uncouscious of its
pliant meshes* He pulled my hair in
his awkward asteinpts horribly. The
pain was like a spur to me. As his
arm lay across my arms, I bent my
head swiftly, and fastened iny teeth
upon it with a vicious snap that only
a woman in my situation would have
been capable of.
The unexpectedness of the attack
dissolved my bonds. With an audi
ble oath let me go, and I darted
away with wiuged; feet,'and met
father in the passage. Of course I
fainted then and there; and by tiie
time anybody got into the room my
robber had made good his escape.
Alas, however, he should not have
allowed himself to swear, and above
all, to a woman of such acute ears ns
I had. I had heard the voice," and I
knew it belonged to Mr. Fordyce.
Father fairly turned pale when I
told him; but he cautioned me not
to b-tray that I inspected any one
present, and he took Steve’s money
under his special charge. We all
met at breakfast. I should have
said that Mr. Fordyce had made his
appearance about the same time as
the rest of tho family whom my
screams had aroused, and in the most
natural manner. He came down
to breakfast now, smiling, and just
interested enough in my adventure.
Father went away into town after
breakfast, and Mr. Fordyce sat in the
garden and smoked. The officer who
oame to arrest him stole upon him
from the hack way Ttnd secured him
before he thought of resistance.
It was a plain case. They found
E roof enough of robberies he had
ecu at the bottom of all along, hid
away in his trunks, and he owned
them at last, with smiling nonchalance
lurtii g back his sleeve actually,
when no one was looking, aud show
ing me the prints my teeth had made
on liis right arm, and kissing them
with the old gallant einpressment.
Of course Steve made his payment,
and wc were married at an early
day.
Rock Bottom Prices.
WORKING ON A CASH BASIS?!
. “ %
/ •
Headquaeters for
.(//.! II 1/ M
It. 'It.
i » .i. : riUu.M.’i
GRAIN, ME AT-AND
if < \ v s7/‘ w .!•
.. ■ .
Tflour DEPOT S
‘ I • * . •
.•uq •..•ij Jfc.U *Uf'.:iiu , «| Mi;' •*>*■■■■■■■ * ' t , 1'
Competition Invited From all Quarters.
Bulldozers Against Rigl
Tt
Cash Against. Time!
AND CASH ALWAYS WINS
£
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T*i. , 4 .
COMB AND SEE HOW WE CAN SELL GOODS.
4 -v Jttf . ? ' Z
•Talm.ad.ge, Hodgson & Co.
fLANTER^^HOfEi;
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.
NEW AR.RANTG-BMES3>JT.
Slates Reduced to $3 per Day.
HAVING LEASED THIS WELL KNOWN HOTEL, I enter
upon its management by Reducing Rates, and asking of the Travel
ing Public, especially my friends of Carolina aud Georgia, a continu
ance of that liberal support they have always given it.
B. F. BROWN,
jan33-5m FORMERLY OF CHARLESTON, PROPRIETOR.
—FOR—
STANDARD ^FERTILIZERS!
THE EARTH MADE T0_GIVE FORTH ITS RICHES
Experiments have demonstrated that of tho ten Mineral Elements which constitute the ashes
of plants, the presence of each and every one is essential to their perfect growth and develop
ment; and, as crops extract thorn annually, no land can be permanently fertile
UNLESS THEY BE RESTORED TO THE SOIL.
ket.
Agency
•pect and price before baying elsewhere:
OLD CAROLINA STONO SOLUBLE GUANO,
SAM ANA GUANO, CHESAPEAKE GUANO,
PALMETTO ACID, STONO ACID PHOSPHATE,
CHESAPEAKE AMMONIATED ALKALINE PHOSPHATES.
COTTON OPTION FIFTEEN CENTS.
fobis-sm s. M. Hunter, Agent.
REMOV.AX. I
THE ATHENS OFFICE FOR THE SALE OF
Singer Sewing Machine
Removed February 1st, 1877, to
Lester’s Building, (Upstairs) Over Taimadge, H. & Co.,
2,000,000 in Use—Sales in Excess of all Others.
THE SI.NGElt BAXU FACTUUIXG COS PAX T, 0. H. HOPE, AGENT, AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.
Ask your neighbors (vhich Maohino is the best; then buy the Singer.
J. B. Toomer, Agent for Singer Sewing Machines,
Lester's Building, (Upstairs,) Athens, Georgia.
joly.4.ly.
PLAIN AND FANCY
; %
JOB WORK.
m PRICES.
Diving Secured the Services of
T'.v f :*•?>; •
• •
H. L. Cranford,
-A. ^IRST-CLA-SS
JOB PRINTER,
We are enabled to turn ont as good
work as can be done
IN THE STATE.
We call the attention of all onr citi
zens to the following
Price List:
\ f ’ >#•■*. {/.>!}(>*} ;
Bill Heads, per Thousand,
Assorted, $5.
* <* - .«/■' •
Canary Colored Envelops,
Furnished to Merchants and
Business Men, with their
cards printed on theca,
At $3 PER THOUSAND
LETTER HEADS,
$4 50 to $5 Per Thousand.
Common 75cper Hundred,
—AND—
$4 50 to $5 per Thousand.
Fancy Work Proportionately Higher.
VISXTXXTG GAUDS,
BLANKS, NOTES,
Poters, Circulars,
Handbills, Pamphlets, etc.,
Printed in any color desired, and as
cheap as can be done in the State.
GIVE US YOUR ORDERS,
SAVE MONEY,
And get good work, and sustain a
home institution. Call at the ATH
ENS GEORGIAN office, Broad
street, Athens, Ga.