Retiring from Business CHAPTER 3.
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FIRST EFFECTS.
When Mr. Franklin informed his wife, on returning home, of what he had just seen, she was deeply distressed.
"We must at once break off all fellowship between her and Miss Redding. The more I have seen of that girl — the less I have liked her. I believe the association has been of great injury to Florence."
"I am afraid it has," replied Mr. Franklin. "At any rate, it must now, as you say, be broken off. If Mr. Redding permits his daughter to associate with young men of that stamp, it is more than I do."
"We must remove her from the school also. She has learned little there that will ever be of any use to her."
"The only way effectually to break off the intimacy, is to take her from the school. She must not go another day."
There was no controversy on this point. When Florence came in, which was not until nearly dark, she merely looked into the room where her parents were sitting, and then went up to her chamber, where she remained for the evening. When the bell rang she did not come down. On being sent for, she said that she was not very well, and didn't wish any tea.
After a good deal of conversation on the subject, the parents came to the conclusion not to say anything to Florence until the following day, and she was therefore left to herself for the evening.
On the next morning, when the family assembled at the breakfast table, the place of Florence was still vacant. A servant was sent up to her chamber, but returned with the information that she was not there.
A painful suspicion flashed across the mind of Mrs. Franklin. She arose up quickly and ascended to her daughter's room. Everything there corroborated the suspicion. The bed had not been slept in during the night, and on examination, she found that Florence had taken or worn some of her handsomest clothing and ornamental jewelry. Upon a bureau, and partly covered by a small cushion, lay a note, which the mother eagerly read. Its contents were as follows:
Dear Mother — Don't be alarmed at my absence, I will be home again in a few days. I know you and papa will scold me terribly when I come back; but I am sure you will forgive me. I refused for a long time my consent to go, but no denial would be taken, and at last I yielded. Do not be in the least alarmed. I will be back in a few days. I cannot say more.
Affectionately your daughter,
Florence."
The letter dropped from the mother's hand, and she sunk, with an exclamation of grief, upon a chair. It was clear to her mind, that Florence, scarcely more than a child, had been inveigled into a marriage with the young man in whose company she was seen on the previous day. A second reading of the letter, however, created a doubt, while it suggested a more dreadful suspicion. While she yet remained in her daughter's room, Mr. Franklin, whose anxiety of mind was so intense that he could endure but a brief suspense, came up.
"What is this?" he said, catching eagerly at the letter of Florence. He read it twice before his bewildered mind fully comprehended its meaning, and then the magnitude of the evil which had fallen suddenly upon them, so crushed his feelings as to take away for a time his utterance. In all his life, no affliction like this had crossed his path. Children had been taken from him by disease, but there remained a hope in their death. What hope was there now?
Clasping his hands across his forehead, Mr. Franklin stood for more than a minute, endeavoring to calm the wild agitation of his feelings.
"I must see Mr. Redding instantly!" he at length said, and as he spoke, he turned to go.
"Do you think she has gone in company with Anna?" asked Mrs. Franklin, in a tremulous voice.
"No doubt of it. They were together last evening."
"Then see Mr. Redding, by all means. Perhaps — "
But the mother did not trust herself to finish the hopeful sentence. Mr. Franklin left the house immediately. He found Mr. Redding as much agitated as himself. Anna had also disappeared on the night previous, but on what errand she had gone, or in what direction, her parents yet remained ignorant.
"I saw them both on the street, late yesterday afternoon, with that dandy, Elmer," said Mr. Franklin.
"What!" responded Mr. Redding, while the blood rushed instantly to his face. "Elmer?"
"It is too true."
"The scoundrel! Within a month he has had the despicable assurance to call here, and ask to see my daughter, as yet but a school girl. It is well for him, that I was not at home, or I would have pitched him into the street. I met him a few days afterwards and threatened to cut off his ears, if he ever dared even speak to Anna. In company with him! Can it be possible?"
"And worse," said Mr. Franklin, "I sadly fear, that either your daughter or mine, has been enticed by him into a clandestine marriage."
Mr. Redding grew instantly pale as ashes.
"Into a marriage with Elmer!" he said in a choking whisper. "Impossible!"
"Heaven grant that the fear may not be realized. But either you or I have got this great affliction, if not a worse one to bear."
"I will shoot him!" exclaimed Redding, in a loud, excited voice, losing entirely his self-control.
"First, we must find the fugitives," said Mr. Franklin, upon whose mind the conviction that Florence had only gone away as the friend of Anna, was becoming every moment clearer. The fact, that Elmer had actually attempted to visit the latter, naturally led him to this conclusion.
"True," replied Mr. Redding, growing calmer. "But where shall we seek them? Have you any knowledge of the direction that has been taken."
"Not the slightest. It is more than probable, however, that they have gone on to Philadelphia."
"Then let us seek them there. Will you go on this afternoon?"
"Yes. No time is to be lost. The present doubt is terrible; it seems as if I could not bear it for an hour."
"It may be days before it changes into a blasting certainty," returned Mr. Redding .
"Oh! To think that my child should come to this folly! So much for that accursed school! So much for a fashionable establishment! I was a fool ever to let her go there. I might have known, that evil instead of good would spring from all the associations connected therewith. It was the fashionable school. All the first families sent their children there. So much the worse! But it is too late to talk of this. The mischief has been done."
The words of Mr. Redding were felt by the father of Florence, as a rebuke. In order to send his daughter to this school, he had taken her from one to which she had been going for years, and where all the associations were of the best character. It was not a fashionable institution, but it had an advantage in being a good school, which others did not always possess.
To Philadelphia, the anxious fathers proceeded; but were not successful in meeting with the fugitives. While they were away, however, both Florence and Anna returned; the latter as the bride of Elmer. Florence had only accompanied the latter, as a friend.
In the angry excitement of the moment, Mr. Redding threw his daughter indignantly from him. But, it was the old story in his case. A few months cooled down the father's passion, and tenderer feelings took their place. In less than a year the banished one was brought back from her exile, and with her came the man she now called by the name of husband. And had this man really loved her? Let her already sobered face answer the question. He had loved her father's wealth and position — nothing else; and had inveigled this young and silly creature into a marriage with no other end than to obtain a claim upon both. The history of their wedded life, it is not our purpose to trace. Happy it was not. Can a bitter fountain send forth sweet water?
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