Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-11-28

that Belle must leave the apartment before

that Belle must leave the apartment before
L could venture to change my position.
Belle had lain perfectly motionless FOR
several minutes and was, l hattered myself,
losing herself In sleep, when suddenly she
exclaimed to herself, There, / have mt look
ed under the bed ~ A horror ran through
me all is lost what should [ do? Belle
rose and heard her feeling for the matches.
She struck one and was moving toward the
gas-burner, when the lucifer went out, leav-
ing all darkness again. Blessed relief; but
how briefl Again [ heard her feeling for
the matches and trying to light one after
another, as they failed to ignite then an
''Oh dear, there are no morel" escape from
her lips. Safe safe - whispered my soul
to me, and thanked God in silence for my
delverance. Belle groped back to the bed,
but did not immediately get in; she stop
ped and lifted the curtains which hung
around the bottom and cautiously passed
her arm under and around as far as it could
reach | almost felt her fingers Craze my
face as [ held myself fearfully and silently
against the wall, too far, just too far for her
reach. Apparently satisfied that no danger
was near her, she lay down in bed again and
/ counted her respirations till she was lost
in slumber.
As for myself, sleep was utterly out of
the question. L never was so wide awake
in my life. How lay upon that hard car
pet and thought the night out!-thought of
self, and nay love for her. Yes, [ was con-
vinced from that moment that the hand OF
destinY was in it, and that benign and all
wise Providence has seen fit in this extraor
dinary way toopen my eyes to the path OF
happiness and peace
With morning light fresh fears came upon
me lest my unconcioFss room mate might
yet peer beneath the bed for robbers, be-
fore she left the room hut my fears We're
groundless. She rose and dressed eXpedl-
tiously, for she was to join her cousins at an
early breakfast, and she had oversight her
self. When at last she took the key un-
time in Slipping out of my shameful place
of concealment, and escaping from the
hotel. On the stairs met Fred coming out
of his room, who exclaimed
why what's the matter with you, old
| fellow You look like the last days of an
| ill-spent life. And your coat too-why, it S
all over feathers and dust Where hare
| you been?'
| ''Why, I slept-slept out last night
that's all. Our house is full, and so | had
to find quarters elsewhere. IN Just going
home to dress"
Il should say so, decidedly see it all,
old fellow! You've been on lark, and
had to be put up in the watch house come
now, own up and tell us all about it.
No lark at all, Fred; nothing of the
! kind, [ assure you.
.'sNell, if not lark what kind of bird
was It 2 From the looks of the feathers
should say it was goose.
+" You re the goose, Fred. But, serious
| ly, I've a word to say to you of most i'm
| portant nature. Be man, Fred, and make
| up your mind to hear something excessive
| ly disagreeable. 1t must be told you sooner
| or later and [ may as well tell it now.
| Good Heavens, Gus how earnest you
| look at me: you did't mean to say that
| that anything has happened to Belle Bron-
son 2"
| Don't mention her name again, Fred,
or think of her any more, for she'll never
be anything to you. [ have it from one
who knows all about it, that she has long
| been attached to somebody else, and that
| somebody else means to marry her. There S
no mistake about it; so bear up and try
your luck elsewhere !"
But Fred Evans was not to be discouraged
by mere heresay. That very day he went
to see Belle, determined to know his fate
| from her own lips. Soon after he left Oak
vile, and. did not see him again for several
! years, when meeting him in town one day,
L insisted on bringing MIN nome Win me
! and presenting him to his old fame, Belle
Bronson-the present Mrs. Evergreen.
s'Ah, Fred - said he, after dinner when
my wife and little Evergreens had left US to
ourselves-''Ah, Fred, you served me a
shabby trick when you allowed me to- lose
my heart to the girl you were all along in
tending to marry yourself-a very shabby
trick, one of which never suspected you !"
So had to tell him lin strict confidence,
of course, as tell you, reader, all about the
bedroom affair at the Oakville Hotel, and
the love that grew ont of it.-Harper' S
Wheekly.