Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1867-12-11


Ashon laughed.
",1ay I never be an old bachelor II 1t
brings me to calling such girl very
pretiy,"' he sad ; and felt conscious
that my cheek flushed and l felt angry
that he should have spoken OF me thus,
though never cared before.
They liked each other very much
those two young thing. They we're to
gether great deal A pretty picture
they made in the Venetian window in the
sunset. lie wasa iarhaired, tlue-eyed,
Epglish-lookingyouth; she SO exqulsi'e!y
dark and glowing.
Every one l:ked her. Even my old
clerk, STEPHEN Hadly. used to say her
presence lii the Office more than dozen
lamps, the nearest approach to roetlcai
speech of which old Stephen was ever
known to be guilty; aud | never knew
how much.s she was TO me until one even
ing, when, coming home earlier than
usual | saw in that Venetian window
where Ashton and Oliver had made so
many pleasant pictures for me, one that |
never forget-that | never shall forget as
long as i've.
She stood with her back to me. Ash
ton was kneeling at her feet. The sound
of the opening dooor Dissolved the picture
! but had seen il, and stole away 20 hide
the stab tha, it had given ne.
sat down in my own room and hid ny
! face in my hands, and would have been
glad to hide i; beneath my cotan-lid.-
knew now that loved Olive Hunter ;
| that | loved her not as an Old man might
love a child, but az young man might
love The woman who ought to be his wife
better than | had loved Elsie Hall for
it was not 5oyish passion, bat earnest,
love
in love . I arose, and looked in the
mirror, aud my broad-shculdeIed refiec-
lion blushed before my gaze.
! The springtimc o! my life had flown,
and my summer had come and gone, and
! in the autumn had droamt % loves bud
and blossom.
Yes, had drcamt of il; knew it
now. And she might have loved me had
! | had Ash;on's soft skin, and blue eyes,
aud graceful figure, and his youth and
| isht-healteGness Oh, the bright pos
sibiliiies of that might have been :
/ knelt beside my bed, and prayed that
might not hate my brother-tha |
might not even envy him. His touch
upon ny door startled me. He came ia
with something in MS manner not usual
20 him, and sat down Just opposite to me.
For a few moments we were silent. Then
he said, speaking rapidly and biushing
like girl:
! "Ned, old fellow, you-you saw me
making fool of myself just now, | sup
pose 2"
Il saw you on your knees l said.
"And thought me silly fellow, eli ?
But you don't know, Ned You can't un-
derstand, you've beer so calm and cooi all
your life through, you know. She's driv-
ing me mad. Ned, | do believe she hkes
me, but she won't say yes. I'd give my
right hand for her love. must have it,
and | think yea can help me, Ned. From
something she said, | believe she thinks
you would disapproye perhaps that you
are one to marry for money. Tell her
you're not, Ned dear old feliow,-tell
her you have no objection, and I'll never
forget it-indeed, l won'..'
Tell her l have no objections,' re-
pcated. mechanically.
"You know you are master here, and
as much my father as il you really were
one instead of a brother" said Ashton.
"lf l did not know how kindly you had
always felt to US both, shouldn't confide
in YOU, for it's a serious thing to be IN
love, Ned, and you may thank Heaven
you know nothing Of it,"
Know nothing OF it. an, if he could
have read my heart just then !.
"Ill do what | can, Ashton l said at
last. IN try my best"
and he flung his arm about me in his
own boyish fashion, ana he left me alone
alone with ny own Thoughts
He bad said truly had been like
iather to him. I was old enough to be
hers, and no one should know my SILLY
dream. would hide it while | lived
As had once said. I've only the old
folks and the children now, and SAID