MOORE'S H^EjSlL MEW- YORKER. 



mLY 2. 



StorsATe.JIfiT 



ROSAMOND; 



THE YOUTHFUL ERROR. 



nivKK'sinK 



Chapter I.- The Owner of Riverside. 

 i tx the day long tbe September ram had fallen, 

 and when the night closed in it showed do sign of 

 weariness, but Willi tlic some monotonous patter 

 dropped upon the roof, or bent against the win- 

 dows of tbc pleasantly lighted room where tv 

 yomgqnD Bat gazing at the glowing grate, and 

 listcoing apparently to the noise of the storm 





cilhe 



llh-N. 



' the ■ 



bod a part of that young man's thoughts, for they 

 were with the past, and the chain which linked 

 them to that past was the open letter which lay on 

 the labia beside him. For that letter he bad wait- 

 ed long nod anxiously, wouderiog what it would 

 contain, and if his overtures for reconciliation 

 with one who had erred far more than himself, 

 would be accepted, It had come at last, and with 

 a gathering coldness at his heart he bad read the 

 dectalos,— " she would not be reconciled," and 

 inrle him " go his way alone and leave her to 



tiers..-!)." 



i alt i 



•oubli 



her again,"— nnd wnti a feeling of relief, as if a 

 heavy load, a dread of coming evil, had been taken 

 from his mind, he threw tbe letter upon the table, 

 and leaning back in hi* cushioned chair tried to 

 fancy that the lasl few years of his life were btot- 



"Could it he so, Ralph Drowning would he a 

 different man," he *u'd aloud ; then, us he glanced 

 round the richly furnished room, he continued— 

 " People Call cue happy, and so perhaps I might 

 be, but for this haunting memory. Why was it 

 suffered to be, and must I make a lifelong atone- 

 ment for ibat early sin T 



In I,,. 



; tbci 



I ,! ibt,, II,.' 



, he I 



out and opened a neatly folded pucknge, contain log 

 a long tress of jet black bmr. Shudderingly bo 

 wound it around his lingers, luid it over tbe bock 

 of bis hand, held it up to the light, and then with 

 u hard, dark look upon his face, tbrew it too upon 

 the grutc, saying aloud, "Tlius purisbeih every 

 memento of the past, and I am free again — free 



He walked to the window, and pressing bis 

 horning forehead against the cool, damp pane, 

 looked out upon the night. He could not see 

 through the darkness, but had it beco day, his 

 eye would have rested on broad acres alt his own, 

 for Ralph Brownie u ns a wealthy man, BDd tbe 

 house in which he lived was his by right of inhe- 

 ritance from a bachelor uncle for whom he had 

 been named, and who, two years before ouraiory 

 opens, bad died, leaving to his nephew the grand 

 old place, called Rii,r,idt, from its nearness to 

 the river. It was u most beautiful spot, nnd when 

 its new master first took possession ol it, the maids 

 and matrons of Oronhy, who had mourned for the 

 elder Hh.>ivmn<: as people mourn for a good man, 

 felt t be im elves somewhat consoled from tbe fact 

 that bis successor was young aud handsome, and 

 would doubtless prove an invaluable acquisition 

 to tbeir fireside circles, and furnish a theme for 

 gossip, without which no village can well >.\i..t 

 But in the first of their expectations they were 

 mistaken, for Mr. Bnowxiso shunned rather than 

 sought loolety, Q nd spent the most of his leis 

 hours in the seclusion of his library, where, 

 Mrs, Peters, bis housekeeper, said, he did nothing 

 but mope over books and walk tho floor. "Be 

 was melancholy," she said; "there was son 

 thing *„*,„■ on his mind, and what it was S 

 didn't know Mlorc - n tho dead— though she knew 

 well as she wanted to that he had been crossed 

 lore, for what e l ae wouW n)akc g0 „„„ of bis 

 hairs grey, end he not yet twenty-fivo'." 



Th ' ll, TA M ° "J' 1 ^ connected with hi, 

 was conceded by ntoet of the Til ) ugcrs , and manv 

 a eunous gut (bey bent npon tll0 gravc> d , ^ 

 young man, who seldom joined in their posti, 

 or intruded himself upon their e on ,panv. Much 

 sympathy was expressed for h lni , u , lls l ondineJJ 

 by tbe people or Granby, and mow lLM ouc 

 young girl would gladly have itnpoied Upon her . 

 self the task of cheering that loneliiitea, BBj hy 

 seemed perfectly invulnerable to mitidvn charms 

 and when Mrs. Pitbks, as she ofteu did, „ rgcl 

 him "to take a wife and be somebody," ho »o 



twered < 



ntal,,"I.m 



outent to 1 



pie of m 



v uncle. I ,ti 



i protwBlj 



Sulll 







n, ,i un 



■- 1 ' II 1 ' 



" P" d » '° 



Mr*. Prtshs bad 

 household for yean 



came >b<- Mill cod tin 

 o*er her young in, L 

 which be permmed 



een io the elder B 



ued at her post, and 

 ier u k-od of moth 

 became be knew 



ZZ;Z'!.m*'uZ 



out her his borne 

 . Oo the occwion 



of which 



Pbtbi 



„IIV 1 



.-.(.in. .1 in femah 



■de prepumtions nceordmglv. His favorite 

 B bud been buttered exactly right — the 

 peacbex and creum were delicious — the fragrant 

 black tea wna neither too strong nor too weak — 

 the fire bluted hrigbtiy io the grate — the light 

 uidelierfeil softly upon tbe massive 

 c and damask cloth, — and with all 

 ee comforts around him, it is not 

 he forgot the letter nnd the tress of 

 o lately hud blackened on the coals, 

 was propi'ious, and by the time he 

 bad finished his second cup, Mrs. I'ktbrs said, "I 

 ) propose." 



i his chair, he looked inquiringly 

 at her, and she continued : — " You remember Mrs. 

 Letton, 'ho poor womon who bad seen belter days, 

 East Granby T" 



"Well, she's dead, poor thing, and what i 

 d her little daughter Rosauosd hain't a place 1 



i I,, i„. 



tinued Mrs 

 run the streets, that's so; 

 i great in children, and yot 



rtainty don t D neve in cm at all, nor your poor 

 cle before you; but Rosamond ain't a child. 



mind the expense, I shan't mind the trouble, and 

 hero till she finds a place. Her 

 mother, you know, took up imili tiering lo get a 



' Certainly, let her come," answered Mr. Brqw.v- 

 ;, who was noted for bis benevolence. 

 This matter being thus satisfactorily settled, 

 Mrs. Pf.teii3 arose from the table, while Mr 

 the olden memorieswhich 

 uch that day, and with 



ingled < 



«■-" ' 



I lllllu-'l 



Chapter LI.— Rosamond Leyton. 

 Rosamond had been tome weeks at Riverside, 

 id during all that time Mr. Drowning bud 

 scarcely noticed her at alt, Oo the first day of 

 er arrival he had spoken kindly to her, asking 

 er how old she was, and how long her mother 

 ad been dead, and that was all the attention he 

 ad paid to her. He did not even know the color 

 f her eyes, or texture of her hair, — whether it 

 rere curly or straight, black or brown; but he 



heavy t 



; idio 





I ol <l 





: up..i 



Mrs. PETbi 



-knew it by the tasteful un- Ins room 

 ddeuly assumed, — by the ringing laugh and 

 asical songs which came often from tbc kitchen, 

 'd by the thousand eliauges which the presence 

 of a merry-hearted girl of thirteen brings to a 

 litherto silent house. Of him Rosamond stood 

 onsiderably in awe, and though she could wil- 

 ingly have worshiped him for having given hei 

 o pleusant a home, she felt afraid of him uud 

 :ept out of his way. watching him with childish 

 uriosity at a distance, admiring his noble figure, 

 ,nd wondering if she should ever dare speak to 

 dm as fearlessly as Mrs. Peters did. 



From this woman Rosamond received all a 

 nother's caro, and though the name of her lost 

 •arent was often on her lips, she was beginning to 

 ie very happy in ber new home, when one day 

 owards tbe middle of Oclober, Mrs. Peters told 

 ier that Mr. Bhowning's only sister, a Mrs. Van 

 i'echtkx, who lived South, was coming to River- 

 iide, together with her son Ben. The lady Mrs. 

 Petbks had never 6een, but Bes, who was at 

 Albany, had spent a vacation there, and 

 she described In in as a " great, good-natured foul," 

 whocared for nothing hut dogs, cigars, fust horses 

 and pretty girls. 



Rosamond pushed bock the stray curls which 

 bad fallen over her fuce. glanced at the cracked 

 mirror which gave her two noses instead of one, 

 and thinking to herself, "I wonder if he'll care 

 for oic," listened attentively while Mrs. Peters 

 continued—" This Miss Van VkCBUH is a mighty 

 fine lady, they say, and has heaps of niggers to 

 "ait on bit at home,— but she can't bring "em 

 here, for J should set 'era free— that's so. I don't 

 b'lieve int. What was I sayln' ? Oh, I know, 

 she cunt wait on herself, and wrote to have her 

 brother got some one. He asked me if you'd be 

 williu' to put on ber clothes, wash her face, aud 

 ■ '.' like enough." 



"Mr. Bhowmxg never 

 Rosamond, and Mrs. Pom 

 that exactly, but he wants 



that," interrupted 

 plied— "Well, not 

 o wait on her gen 



'■ Ml do anything reasonable," answered Rosa 



■so. " When will she be beret" 



" In two or three days," said Mrs. Petebs, " anc 



Tbe two or three days passed rapidly, and 

 he close or the third a carriage laden with trui 

 'topped before the gale at Riverside, aad Mrs. V 

 Vbchten- had come. She was a thin, sallow-faced, 



proud-looking woman, wholly unlike ber brother, 

 whose senior she was by many years. She bad 

 sccd much of the world, and that she was con- 

 scious of her owu fancied superiority wo* percept- 

 ible in every movem-nt. She was Mrs. Ricuakd 

 Vas Vechtbh, of Alabama — one of the oldest 

 families in the Stale. Her deceased husband bad 

 been United States Senator, — she had been to 

 Europo,— had seen tbe Queen on horseback,— hod 

 passed the residence of the Duchess of Suther- 

 land, — and when Rosamonu Letton appeared be- 

 fore ber in ber neatly-filling dress of black aud 

 asked what she could do for her, she elevated her 

 eyebrows and coolly surveying the little girl, an- 

 swered haughtily, "Comb out my hair." 



"Yes, I will," thought Rosamond, who had 

 taken n dislike to the grand lady, and suiting the 

 action to the thought, she did tVfflO out ber hair, 

 pulling it so unmercifully that Mrs. Van Vertex 

 angrily bade her stop. 



"Look at me, girl," said she; "did you ever 

 assist at any one's toilet before?" 



"I've hooked Mrs, Pkii:hs' dress and pinned on 

 Bridget's collar," answered Rosamond, her great 

 brown eyes brimming with mischief. 



"Disgusting!" returned Mrs. Van Vkchten— 

 " I should suppose Rm.j'U would know better than 

 to get me such an ignoramus Were you hired on 

 purpose to wait on me*" 



" Why, no, ma'am, I live here," answered Rosa- 



"Lire here!" repeated Mrs. Van Vecutbs, "and 

 pray, what do you doT" 



"Nothing much, unless I choose," said Rosa- 

 mond, who, beiDg a great pet with Mrs. Peters 

 and the other servants, really led a very easy life 

 at Riverside. 



Looking curiously into the frank, open face of 

 the young girl, Mrs. Van Vbchten concluded she 



with a wave of her hand she said, " Yon may go ; 

 I can dress myself alone." 



That evening as the brother and sister sat to- 

 gether in the parlor, tho latter suddenly asked, 

 " Who is that Rosamond Lciton. and what is she 

 doiDghereT" 



Mr. BnowNiNo told her all be knew of tbe girl, 

 and she continued, " Do you intend to educate her?" 



" Educate ber !" said be, " what made you think 

 Of that T 



" Because," she answered, with a sarcastic smile, 

 "as you expect to do penance the rest of your 

 lifetime, I did not know but you would deem it 

 your duty to educate every beggar who came 



The idea of educating Rosamond Leyton was 

 new to Mr. Browning, but he did not tell his sis- 



"In that case," answered the lady, "Ben will 

 not pass his College vacations here, as I had in- 

 tended that he should do." 

 "And why Dot?" asked Mr. Browning, 

 " Wby not?" repeated Mrs. Van Vbchtbn. "Just 

 us though you did not know how susceptible he is 

 to female beauty, and if you treat this Rosamond 



Id fac 



looked, 



him an interest, and after she. had retired, which 

 she did early, he rang the bell for Mrs. Parens, 

 who soon appeared in answer to his call. 



" Is Rosamond Letton up ? " he asked. 



" Yes, sir," answered Mrs. Peters, wouderiDg 

 at the question. 



"Send her to me," he said, and with redoubled 

 amazement Mrs. Peteiis carried tbe message to 

 i, who was silting before the lire, trying 



Mr. Buownin 

 cheeks flush 



oba 



nt for 



knot in her boot-string. 

 met" she exclaimed, 

 Wants to scold me, I 



pose, for pul 



at she told mo 



n g 



;;,;; 



ter's 



hair, 



I oo ly did 



g heart she 



started for the parlor. 



Rosamond was afraid of Mr. Brownino, and 

 feeling sure that he intended to reprove her, she 

 took the chair nearest to the door, and covering hor 

 face with her hands, begun to cry, saying, — " It was 

 ugly iu me, I know, to pull Mrs. Van Vechten's 

 hair, and I did it on purpose, too ; but I won't do 

 so again, I certainly won't." 



Mr. Brownino was confounded. This was the 

 first intimation be hud received of the barberie 

 performance, and for u moment he remained silent, 

 gazing at the little girl. Her figure was very 

 alight, her feet and hands were very small, and her 

 hair, though disordered now and rough, was of a 

 beautiful brown, and fell in heavy curls around ber 

 neck. He saw all this at a glance, but her face, 

 the point to which bis attention was chiefiy direct- 

 ed, ho could not sec uotil those little hands were 



ived, i 



sofa 



,.pl„ 



at lost said, kindly, — " I do not understand you, 

 Rosamoso. My sister has entered no complaint, 

 aud I did not send for you to censure you. I wish 

 to talk with you— to get acquoinlcd. Will you 

 come and sit by me upon tbe sofa ? " 



Rosamond's bands came down from her face, but 

 she did not leave ber seat ; neither did Mr. Brown- 

 ing now wish lo have her, for the light of the chande- 

 lier fell full upon ber, giving him a much better view 

 of her features than if she bad been nearer to him. 

 If, as Mrs. Pbiebs had said, Bex Van Vbcittbn 

 was fond of pretty girls, ho in a measure inherited 

 the feeling from his uncle, who was an ardent 

 admirer of tho beautiful, and who now felt a glow 

 of satisfaction in knowing that Rosamond Letton 

 was pretty. It was a merry, sparkling, little face 

 which he looked upon, aud though the nose did 

 turn up a trifle, and tho mouth was rather wide, 

 the soft, brown eyes and exquisitely fair complex- 

 ion made ample amends toi all. Sbo was never 

 intended for a menial,— she would make a beauti- 

 ful woman.— and with thoughts similar to these, 

 Mr. Brownino, after completing his survey of her 

 person, said, — " Have you been to school much?" 



"Alw 



I'i'l,— " And -iucc then ; 

 >..kvl suppose." 





The brown eyes 'opened wide as Rosamond 

 plied,—" Why, yes I bare. I've reed ever so mi 

 m roni library when yon were gone. Mrs, Pan 

 told me I might," «|,e „dded hastily, as she s 

 In- look i if surprise and mistook it for displease 



I am pexfectlj willing." he said; "but what 

 e you read- Tell me." 



Wtcd at on *, and while her 





-c,di. 



^ucrtiscments. 



"Oh, I've read Sn, 

 every one of them— and Codde Harold— and Watta 

 on the Mind— ami Keniiworth — aud now Pm right 

 in the middle of the Lady of tho Luke. Wasn't 

 FiTzJAMrstheKio^f-Znelicvehewos. Wben I 

 am older I mean to write a book just like that." 



Mr. Bbownino could not forbear a suulo at her 

 enthusiasm, but without aimwenog her question 

 he said—" What do you intend to do ODtd you are 



Rosauom.'i countenance fell, and after tapping 

 her foot upon the carpet a while, she "Mrs. Peteb's 

 will get me a place hy-ond-by, and I s'poae I'll 



"Do you wish to be one?" 



" Why, no j nor mother didn't either, but after 

 father died she had to do something. Father was 

 a kind of a lawyer, and left her poor." 



"Do you wish to go awuy from here, Rosamond?" 



There were tears on the bug-fringed eye-lashes 

 as the young girl replied— " No, sir,— I'd lite to 

 live here always, but there's nothing for me lo do." 

 Unless you go to school. How would you like 



HT'i" ■.'-■"! ta,M ' 



iliai :■' 



! to pay the bills," and the curly 

 ind suppose I 



head shook mournful 



"But I have money, I 

 say that you shall stay hi 



"Oh, sir, will you say so? May I live with you 



great joy, Rosamond Letton crossed over to where 

 he sat, and laying both her hands upon bis should- 

 er, continued,— "Are you in earnest, Mr. Brown- 

 ing? May I stay? Ob, I'll be so good to yon when 

 you are old aud sick'l" 



It seemed to ber that be was old enough lobe 

 ber father then, and it almost seemed so to bim.— 

 Giving her a very paternal look, he answered,— 

 "Yes, child, you shall stay as long as you like; 

 and now go, or Mrs. Peter's will be wondering 

 what keeps you." 



Rosamond started to leave tbe room, but ere she 

 reached tbe door she paused, and turning to Mr. 

 Brownino, said — "You have made me m happy 

 and I like you so much, I wish you'd let me kiss 

 your band — may IV" 



It was a strange question, and it seat the blood 

 tingling to the very lip9 of Mr. Browning's fingers. 



" Why, ye-es,— I don't know. What made you 

 think of that?" he said, and Rosauond replied, — 



happy. It was all I could do." 



"But I am not your father," stammered Mr. 

 Browning; "I sball not be twenty-five until 

 November. Still you can do as you please." 



"Not t«enty-five yet," repeated Rosamond;— 

 "why, 1 thought you were nearer forty, I don't 

 believe I'd better, though I like you just us well. 

 Goodnight." 



He beard her go through the hall, up the stairs, 

 through the upper hall, and then all was still again. 



"What a strange little creature she is," be 

 thought; "so childlike and frank, but how queer 



be shocked if she koew it, and won't she be horri- 

 fied when I tell her I am going to educate the girl, 

 I shouldn't have thought of it but for bor. And 

 suppose Ben does fall in lovo with her. If be 

 knew a little mure, it would not be a bad match 

 Somebody must keep up our family, or it will be- 

 come extinct. Su3an and I are the only ones left, 



and /" hero he paused, and •starting to his feet, 



he paced tbe floor hurriedly, nervously, as if seek- 

 ing to escape from some pursuing evil. "It is 

 terrible," ho whispered, "but I can bear it and I 

 will," and going to his room be sought his pillow 

 to dream strange dreams of tresses black, and 



orbs, whose owner had asked to kiss his hand, and 

 mistaken him for her sire. (To be continued.] 



,.l.....j rlnioi* ..- tutrptmlru. ,< '■'■■ -• ••»■ • ■■..tinir .1 .m 



R>i return postaie, wn. 1 ,i.s ,vi .111EH. 











CHEAPEST. SIMPLEST AND BEST 



la jUsTtsI »■ out one BUtthti a perfect Shingle with 



p (IRELAND'S COCJNTfl 



■r |, nhii-ii. .1, aii.t 1ii.1i.,,. II-,, Mi- 



'2 ' I. .:. ,i S',f,t. l:.,.l,.n. 





■"r-.lfn. 



GEOGRAPHICAL ENIGMA, 



a county in Florida. 



P0ET1CAX ENIGMA, 



MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM. 



ANSWERS TO ENIGMA3, io. IN No. 493. 







MOORE'S RURAL NEWrlORKER, 



Agricultural, Literary and Family Weekly, 



(Iflire, Lniou BuUdiogs, Opposite tlic Court DW. Bulfol" "(■ 



Two Dollarm a Yrar-fl fur 



'.. Wxl Ttn .»n,t„„, frr-.'f.,r *."-\ 



