LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2059, 29 September 1880, Page 3

LITERATURE.

THE GOLDEN HAIBPIN. A Modern Romance, by h. s tomes. Chapter I. George Abclphus Clarendon was a young man of pleasing presence, whose age was not far from twenty years. His father had long and successfully conducted a most exemplary meat market at the corner of Market and Ht. Clair streets, in the thriving vil age of Westford, in Central New York, and had amassed a competence by fair and honorable means. Bat the son held the meat business in abhorrence, and steadfastly refused to entertain the thought of following it for a live ihood. He conceived himself to be formed of a quantity of clay quite above the average, and was often heard muttering incoherently in his sleep abont the ‘higher walks of life.’

Old rtf r Clarendon was a stern father, and he determined that if George Adolphus would not sell meat, he should be compelled to engage in the distribution of tracks, with the heels toward the paternal mansion. George Adolphus accepted the peripatetic alternative with cheerful alacrity, and went on an aimless tramp. He said he was going in search of his proper level. Chapter If. Maud Muller was the only child of a banker in the sleepy town of CoupnnviPe, an aristocratic village in one of the eastern counties of Ohio. Maud’s charms, both physical and mental, were the rarest ever lavished upon wiman, and she had been favored with every advantage of education that money could purchase. Her beauty and accomplishments had made her the idol of a largo circle of young men, to not one of whom she had over given the slightest encouragement. They swarmed under her chamber windows on moonlifeht nights, and made the long hours hideous wi h their caterwaullngs until old Muller got tired of it, and stele around the corner of the house with a gun loaded with tenpenny nails, and let drive at the flock, killing thro i outright, and wounding four others, so that they died on the following morning. That was the kind of man Mr Muller was; but he was exceedingly fond of hia daughter, and Lad always been kind to her. One evening as Mand was emerging from her boudoir, where she had been scrutinising a large mirror and dressing for the opera, she was met by her father with the information that Mr Muggleton waited in the parlor. Now Mr Muggleton was an ancient fossil who had taken a great fancy to Mand, and as ha was a man of high social standing and great wealth, Mr Muller had thought best to encourage him as much as possible, hoping that his daughter would have the good sense to offer no objection on account of age, ‘ Mr Muggleton is waiting,’ repeated Mr Mnller.

‘ Well, give him my compliments, and toll him te keen on waiting,’ returned Maud with some spirit. * Bat don’t you intend to go down ? Are yon going to be rude ? * ‘Oh. yes,’ replied Maud, with an injured air, ‘ I’il go down and stroke his shiny old bald head, and ask him about his children and his grandchildren, and I’ll ask him to give me personal recollections of Noah. And, if you like, I’ll go to the opera with him, and 111 ask him if there was better talent on the boards when he and Methuselah were young! ’ •Now, Maud,’said Mr Muller. ‘you are making a fool of yourself. Mr Mnggleton never saw Noah in his life. As to grandchildren, you know ver ■ well that he is a bachelor, and hasn’t a relative in the world, eo far as he knows. I command yon to present yonrself at once, and if yon don’t behave properly there will be a lady about your size begging her bread in the street before she is aware ot it.’

With these words the indignant father turned on his heel, and left Maud to choose which alternative she would. Chapter 111. While the events narrated above were transpiring, a young man possessing a dlgni fied bearing, and eighty-five cents in mon- y, was just entering the brilliantly lighted town of Oouponville in search of his level. It was a larger town than he had ever before seen, and he was consequently somewhat dazzled and bewildered He began to be doubtful about finding his level that night as the evening was rabidly wearing away, and another question was beginning to trouble him, namely : How was he going to reach the higher walk of life without more money? How was he to be a high-toned gentleman, and live in a lofder atmosphere than that which pervaded the meat-shops, with so small a sum as eighty-five cents in hia pocket ? As he walked gloomily along the strange thoroughfare, busy with these troublesome reflections, he heard loud tones issuing from a mansion which he was just passing. A moment later the f ont door opened and a slight female figure hurried silently ont into the street, and passing by him with a quick, determined tread, was soon out of sight. Chapter IV. When Maud recovered from the shock which her father’s angry words had given her, she immediately determined upon a course of action. She resolved that she would be turned out of doors before she would consent to go to the opera with an antediluvian relic who waited for her in the parlor. She called her father back and told him her determination. The result was that He proud young beauty was promptly ejected through the hall door; for she it was who had passed George Adolphus as he wandered on in search of his level. When Mr Muggleton had waited for Maud until he was tired and on the point of leaving, Mr Muller entered the room, and apologising for the non-appearance of hia daughter by saying that she had a violent headache, begied him to come again in a few days, as Maud would then be delighted to sea him. The truth was that. Mr Muller had no idea of punishing hia daughter’s disobedience with permanent banishment. He reasoned that she would surely go to some of her friends and return in penitence in the morning.

Chapter Y. George Adolphna followed swiftly on after the young lady, hardly knowing why ha did so, but feeling irresistibly drawn by some unaccountable pre- entiment that all was not well with her. In a few moments ho came up with her and f dlowed at a little distance, watching her movements with the keenest interest. Bat Maud was so intent upon some purpose which lay deep hidden in her heart that fho did not notice him _ The street now began to be deserted, but still the resolute girl walked rapidly on. At length a small foot bridge across the canal was reached. The girl paused, was her purpo e a desperate one ? George Adolphus asked himeelf this question and many more beside as he lingered in the shadows close behind her. Murmuring something to the effect that the heaving, white-crested billows which rolled at her feet would soon embrace her and free her from her wretchedness, Mind began to take down her hair. ‘ Going to swim ? ’ asked a voice behind her She turned and beheld a stranger standing olosa a hand. At first i-he could not utter a word. Presently, however, she said, in tones that betrayed her intense excitement: ‘Oh, sir, do not thwart my purpoie. I desire to put an end to my trouble—l wish to sleep beneath the wave.’ 4 There isn’t any wave there,’ said George Adolphus. ‘ The canal’s dry. Yen’ll break your neok if yon jump off this bridge.’ 4 Bat I want to find a grave In the rustle's deep. I want the blue billows to fold me in everlasting slumber, where the sea-weeds grow In sunless gloom.’ 4 But I tell yon, my dear lady, there isn’t any restless deep anywhere around here You’d better put it off till the canal opens Here you are talking about sleeping beneath the billows, when the water won’t be let on in a month yet. And besides, if yon want to be folded in everlasting slumber, it would be wise for you to jump into a well. You’d have a sure thing then.’ * That would be horrible! ’ exclaimed Maud, with a shudder. ‘ Yes,’ replied George Adolphus, ‘it would spoil the well ’ Maud felt that George Adolphus was right. True, he did not appear to enter very much into the tragic spirit of the situation. Go

oogbt to have dropped upon his knees impl. red her to forget her trouble and alp • little longtr the m ctar of life. Ho ought to have pictured to her imagination a fairhaired girl lying with pallid face and marble form ia the silent boiom of the cinal, where the dolphin sports unseen and the mermaids comb their locks in shadowy solitude. But he did n ithirg of the sort. He told her to go home and practice in the cistern.

Mand thought the matter over for a ntcment, then bursting into tears she wrung the hand of our hero, and ran swiftly home.

George Adolphes stood upon the bridge and watch-:d Mand till the was out of eight. As he stood there, wondering what it was that weighed so heavily upon the mind of this fair young girl, he saw something glittering at his feet. He stooptd and picked it up. It was a golden hairpin of peculiar patterns. He put it in his trousers pocket, thinking that it would be a handy thing to pawn for his breakfast. Tne more ho tried to forget about this fair g’rl and th;> previous circumstances under which be had met her, the ra re persistently they rose before him.

Presently he found himself Dying plans to find out m .-re about her, and then it dawned upon him that he was in love. Ho then tenderly removed the hairpin irom his trousers pocket, and placed it next hia heart.

It was now getting very late, and the P' lice we-e beginning to gUnca suspiciously at our hero, so he turned into a more retired street, and determined to search for a cheap lodging place. Chapter VI. Old Mr Muggleton. whom wo [left at the re idence of Maud’s father, weided hia way homeward, filled wi‘h bitter disappointment. Flo had long regarded Maud with tenderness, and had desired to offer her his hand and fortune, and now he felt that he was rejected. He had seen nearly fonrscore years of bachelorhood, and it was getting monotonous. Ho dragged himself wearily and sadly home, and^'retired to his conch fai wretchedness. Chapter Til. The clock had just struck eleven, and the town was as silent as ths grave, when two vitlainons-looking men, with muffled faces, broke open the street door of a large mansion where an ancient bachelor lay dreaming of a supercilious maiden who hid declined to meet him in her parlor a few honrs before. The men passed safely into the h >nse, and were soon standing by the bedside of the dreamer.

A moment later a swift blow fell upon the nnc msaiou" millionaire; but before It could be repeated the assassin was stricken «o the floor. His companion eaiaped. The police were summoned by the servants, who bad by this time been aroused by the noise, and the captured man was led away ia iron?.

‘ Who is this young man that has followed these villains, and risfeed his own life to ears mine ?’ a ked tbe wounded man.

‘ My name is Qeorga Adolphus Clarendon,’ was the prcmpt reply. ‘ George Adolphus,’add the millionaire,. ‘ you have done a bravo and n ible deed. I am mortally wounded, and must die in a few hours, but you shall be rewarded. You shall be my heir.’ The next m iming there was crape on the donr of the Mnggleton mansion, and George Adolphus Clarendon was a m llionaire. He had suddenly landed in the lap of luxury. He could not be more complettly taken by surprise if he bad suddenly succeeded to the Fng'ish crown. And yet his magical elevation to wealth and position did not so engage his mind as to dispel certain memories that wrr r lingering there—memories that carried him to the foot-bridge across the canal. Who was that beautiful stranger that had almost made the canal bridge a ‘bridge of sighs ? * Why had she sought a watery grave ? And if she wanted to rid herself of sorrow, why didn't she jump off a house instead of hunting > p a dry canal, fnll of broken glass, iron, and old boots F These questions were too much for (»eorge Adilphus. In leas than a week be found himself in a perfect fever of mental excitement. He felt that he was growing rspidly worse. It rid seem as if ha could not get that hair-pin near enough to his heart. He thought of swallowing it, but changed bis mind and bad it made into a bo-ota pin. In another week the malady had obtained so complete a mastery over him that he began to write poe’ry. He conld not even think in p and when he read a newspaper the lines all seemed to commence with capital letters anl end with a jingle. Thus the weeks passed wearily by witfiont bringing the slightest intelligence of the owner o: the golden hair pin. c«S! Chapter VIII. In a brilliantly lighted ball-room in Conponvihe, gayest of the gay. and admr 1 of all admirers, Maud Muller promenaded to and fro like a fai-j queen. Her wretchedness had departed with oid Mr Mnggleton, bat she had not forgotten the night when a stranger bad rescued her from self-destrno-tiin, and she secretly longed to know who it was that had saved her from heraelf. She cl sely scanned every gentleman t " at entered the room, as if in half fiighHn-d expectancy. She had heard of Mr da eadon, the young mil iouaire, tut as he had not appeared much in society, she had nr-t met him- Of course, she was not curious, for she was a woman, and w men are not curious ; yet she could not feel e tsy after learning that Mr Mu.gleton’a heir was present, till she had signified her willingness te have him presented.

As George Adolphus advanced, arm in asm with an acquaintance, a perceptible pallor overspread u aud’s countenance. Was it canted by the peculiar pin *hat ornamented his -hirt bosom ? Sue tried t • convince herself that the iiiu signified nothing. PeihjMjs he had picked up the hair-pin in the strieV on that eventful evening she so well remembered, But w hen she heard his voice she withered like a stricken fl ;w<-r.

George Adolphus was puzsled. So were all the bystanders. It ksj a very singular c .fie indeed, they all raid. Presently howo,er Maud rallied, as the and George Adolphus were left alone 4 Do y; u remember me ? ’ the ashed, faltt ringl v. ‘Go yen remember having seen me before ? ’

Sudd nly the truth flashed upon George Adolphus like a National Convention bulletin.

4 V es.’ he replied, making an effort to control himself. ‘ I remember a former meeting with you very well. ’ _ _ 4 1 think papa would give his consent, * said ivlaird, very timidly. • But yon are not going to try it again ? ’ said George Adolphus in surprise. •Oh dear no !' exclaimed Maud, ‘I don't mean that I think papa would give hia com ent to —that is—l don t think he d object ’ • Object to what ?’ asked George Adolphus blandly. ‘Oh dear!’ exclaimed Maud;

‘ Do'yon mean lo say,” continued George Adolphus, ‘that y u don’t think the old man would object to your trying is again after the w iter is oat ? ’ ‘N '.’aa'd Maud- 1 1 don't mean that, for be ia ve:y (ond of me, and I am sure ho would bo glad to encourage a ) worthy a—that -a —Oh, what s m I Haying?’ Then Gt orgo Adolphus begsn to see how the land lay ; but as a ball-room is not a favorable place for a tableau he mastered hi* impulse to catch Maud in his arms, and merely observed in a whisper that she was a gem cf the tirst water, and that ha would giv-' his consent, too. Oi l Muller sat in h : s library that night when M;.ud and .adolphus cut red the house, and the young man was soon prostrate at his feet clasping him tightly about the and imploring his permission to marry his daughter, • Ah-m ! ’ remarked Mu-ler. George Adolphus thought this rather mea dugleis remark wss a favorable indication and so squeezed the old man’s legs harder than b fore. «iome, young man,’ said MrMnller, ‘ you are filling my slippers with tests. Kise up, and let go my leg*.’ ‘ Oh, do you give your consent 7 . sobbed George Adolphus. ‘ Consent! ’ roared the old banker, ‘heavens an i etrth! Or course I do. Here, Maud, take this lunatic away, and get me a dry pair of seeks.’ And they were happy every afterward.