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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 £ Ij • 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.