The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1870-12-29

ruined all her hopes. Yet no it was all
her own fault: and that was the reHec-
ton with which she always ended.
Cicely sat near the window, looking
dreamily out upon the little graveyard,
hearing the minister's voice as if it were
faint, far echo. There were tears in
her eyes, and the little white and gray
head-stones wavered before her misty
sight. The silence grew awful; the air
was sitting. Suddenly there came a
strange, low, thunderous sound. The
last note of old Coronation" had died
out and Squire Huxley, the fat man of
the village, mighty in proportions,
knocked the cricket aside, stumbling as
he sat down. Was it that, Cicely queried.
with an involuntary smile, that shook
the seat SOP But presently the pews
were rocking; the house was moving !;
the glass in the windows shivered and
ratified and broke.
The whole congregation sprang to
their feet. Cicely among them.
my hearers" said the minister, d" the
great and terrible day of the Lord"
And then the floor upheaved the old
house shook like "a reed in the storm
Dire confusion followed. Men and wo-
men and children cried out for fear.
Cicely, half unconscious, yet terrified,
found herself struggling with the crowd
Another vibration, that sent the throng
of human beings swaylng and falling
upon each other, shrieking for mercy
and the outer air.
At that moment, in the extremity of
her terror, Cicely, with uplifted hands,
seeing the face near her dearer than all
the world, cried, in an agony of love and
fear,
ooh, John, save me ! save mel"
An she was in those arms held close,
close in a passionate fold to that heart
that she knew now beat only for her.
How she clung to him, till the cries and
terror subsidized Then he gently put
her from him, with these whispered
words:
"God help us both, Cicely; it is too
late" His pallid lips trembled as he
spoke.
She hardly remembered what happen
ed after that, waking home as one in a
dream. She heard people talking about
the earthquake, and vaguely wished the
earth had opened and swallowed them
up when her head lay on Johns bosom.
She tremblt d with rapture and horror
by turns. She dared not think calmly.
What should she do? How should she
live!
A neighbor called in few days after
the earthquake-one of those angular
specimens OF the genus spinister of which
every village has at least one, spiced, like
Ii daily newspaper, to suit the tastes OF
those who are willing to listen and gos-
sip back again.
Curious about Lettie Davis, isn't it ?"
she asked, her sly orbs noting the tremor
aud sudden pallor OF Ctoely, whu had
made self-winder of her left hand and
arm, and was slowly rolling ball of
yarn into vigorous proportions.
Haven't you heard, Cicely?" she
queried again.
II haven't heard any thing about Let
tie," SAID Cicely, not daring to lift her
eyes, for the blending of sudden hope and
fear conspired to send the blood to her
face, hot as fire, and to turn it back in u
current SO cold that Cicely shivered in
and almost dreaded that her
teeth would chatter.
"Spose you remember Lettie's old
hame of two years ago, Yorke Harris
sort o cousin, | b'lieve. Let liked him,
but the old folks wasn't satisfied on
either side. He was wild fellow at one
time. Well, what do you think? Seems
when that earthquake begun Lettie run
down out o the choir, and never stopped
till she Came to Colonel Harris's, nearly
faintin' with fright, when who should
she see but Yorhe-Yorke Harris. He'd
come back the night afore. It's like a
story bout him. He's been going
straight all along; and, through his
fathers influence, they say, he's TO become
q pardener in one O. the fust houses in
Cincinnati or st. Louis, disremember
which. Nov Yorke is harnsome fellow
yo4 know that, Cicely you've seen him.
My dear, there's no young man in this
town cuts su.h dash"
Indeed !"repeated Clcely, only con-
'cious that something was expected to be
said; what was there very strange in all
this she thought.
"Well, Lette's at her old tricks; she
always was hirt; either shs wants to
make t'other nan jealous, now she's sure
of him, or theIe's been quarrel. Yorke's |
walked on Min street three times with |
Lettie Davis I've seen 'em myself"
Yes"
"1'd as lie tell news to stick as TO |
you, child; its all yes and well It's |
plain to see hat Yorke likes that girl
oetter'n ever and he's on the road to
money, and Let wants a rich husband, l
know that. You ought to see him now;
such spleidid beard And styleLI
why, there'sno comparison"
Cicely lisened, but told herself she
lid not in tie least care-was not in the
east interesed. The sad look, the trem-
bling voice If John, good John, manly,
grand John whom she had so desperate
y trihed With, were ever before her
eyes, ever sunding in her heart.
God hep us both, CIcely it is too
ate"
Was Mis- Cribbins's penetration at
fault Th corners of her thin lips
Lwitched aittle as she looked at her.
How she di long to know whose fault
It was thatJohn and Cicely had become
As stranger all at once; but something
IN Cicely'sace forbade the question, and
she ran upltairs to spin her little tooth
some yarnsto grandma.
Cicely ws alone. The ball of yarn
had droppa from her hands. Trot, the
great yelbg cat, had stopped it with
one yelyettpaw, and was gazing with a
Iook of alost human interest into the