Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1869-03-27
TALES AND SKETCHES
SvEEX HsHI N1AKslsEED.


| .....e ~ -s
'And don't you know when you will pass
! through this part of the country again, Mr.,
Verley?'
No, / don't,' said the old bachelor, de-
'cideIy. .D4 -4'
/ He was something of a bear to answer SO
crustily, when Barbara Smith stood in the
! doorway, wich the shadowy lashes dropping
over her soft brown eyes, and the roses mel
! ting into deep carmite on her rosy cheeks,
until her muslin dress was pale in compari-
son. Such a pretty, big eyed, loving little
| Barbara as she was, in iii the blooming
! freshness of her eighteen summers, and tile
soft sigh that futtered up from her lips as
the one-horse carriage drove away, and was
checked instantly. Barbara had no idea of
becoming a victim to unrequited love,
through she had rather fanced Mr.. Verley
during his.brief sojourn at her fathers house.
Mr.. Ncrley drove away through tho rust.
ling green drapcries of the summer lanes,
whisting softly as he drove. Ia
"a 4 shall be in very good-time for the 12-
80 train, he meditated to himself Pune
tuality is the soul of business, and l never
was one of the bshind-hand tribe, thank
Providence. Besides, l think it was becom-
| ing rather dangerous to remain at that place
any longer. I'm thirty-nine to morrow, and
Nliat's Just twenty years too old for me to go
making fool of myself. Fancy me getting
married! No you don't, Joseph Verley,
my friend 7s Is' 'fa 70
e As he settled himself comfortably in the
crowded raiIroad-cGr and opened q letter,
the subject again recurrcd to his MIND with
curious persistence.
( THE letter of my poor brothers executor
came, Just in time, or | should certainly
have lounged away more time than would
have been either sensible or proitab'e Poor,
dear Harold; I don't sse what on earth
possessed him to fall sick and die on his
way home from Venice, and cave his tlaugh-
ter on my hands, too. Why couldn't he have
left son instead of daughter never did
understand womans ways, and, what's
more, don't want to. | am to meet her at
/ Speedyille, and take her home with me- oh.'
groaued Mr.. Nerley, referring desparingly to
hls letter. And what am going 10 do
| With her when get her there, I'd like to
Know! suppose she's great tall creature,
with ringlets and ribbons, aud, and Just as
( likely as not, an Italian lover chatting sen;
! timent to her--a creature that reads Byron,
and Keeps an album, and eats slate pencils
and chalk. III send her to boarding
school-thats what I'll 90 with M niece
and perhaps, when she has graduated there,
the schoolmaster can suggest some means Of
getting rid of her. OF course she'll have
half a dozen huge trunks, and a bonnet. box
and a parrot cage-that's the way women
generally travel, believe. Fam glad l am
out of the way of Barabara's destinations
now. One woman is quite enough to
! keep me distracted with her freaks aud her
fancies two of them would drive me to
suicide -.
Mr.. Verley looked out of the car window
ina sort OF calm desperatioH at tho prospect
that lay before him. D. f9ttl''ai
Il suppose she'll want piano and may be
a noodle dog--and there's no knowing
\ what else. don't see why Haro Id wanted
to die and leave his daughter tony care
Just now. Speedville station-twenty seven
\ miles farther on. wish it was twenty seven
] hun6lred-that's what wish
L And with this vindictive sentiment in his
mind our hero tied a red silk handkerchief
over his head, and tried to lose himself in a
series of brief troubled dreams, wherein the
vision of a tall, nice yonngiaty figured con
spicuously 5sa H.#.
Are we here already I? he stammercd,
starting to his feet, as the conductor bawled
1 opt sSpeedville station' and seized umbrella,
valiss and travelling shawl, with busting
bewilderment peculiar to people suddenly
aroused from, sleep. -. =. 90
Speedville was rathcfa largesizod village,
situsNa at the junction of several railways
! "a pustiing, thriving little place, with an
4 imposing American Gothic structure as a
I depot. Into this building Mr.. Verley walked,
looking right and left for the young lady
whose guardianship lie was to assume. A.
of course,' he reasoned mentally, she'll
be on tho lookout for me; women are pro
I yenbinAy euri ous.' st 1iai5.
Y But Haroldi kerley's daughter was not on
the lookout for her unknown, uncle. w hen
the crowd incident to the evening train had
Lsupsioed, and people had gene their several
y ways, the only remaining occupants of the
'Idepot were Mr.. Yerley, a lame old man who
sold peanuts and oranges, and decent
looking .colored woman, with a brilliant
MADRAS turban on her head, who took care
lof the building. 80.
4 Neither of these could he his. niece, SO
Mr.. veriey, after little perplesed hesita,
ition, addressed himself to the coored
iwoman, who was busily polishing the win
ldowwitha piece of crumpled newspaper.
y tAliem T was to meet my niece here to-
4 day, and-I don't ses her. ,-g y.
Your niece, sir 2 what is her name 2
= 'Yerleg.'