The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-03-21

by his own over confidence.
For when he called, after Jennie had
determined or this course, he found her
so full of kindness that he hardly knew
how to behave with moderation. And so
he fell to hattering her, and Aattering
himself at the same time that he knew
all the ins and outs of girls heart
He complimented her on the many offers
she had received.
"And tell you what" he proceeded,
there are plenty of others that would
lay their hearts at your feet, if they were
only your equals. There's that young
parson, Gilbert, think they call him,
that is visiting his mother, in the un-
painted and threadbare looking little
house that stands behind this one. I've
actually seen that fellow, in his rusty,
musty coat, stop and look after you on
the street, and every night, when | go
home, he is sitting at the window that
looks over this way. The poor fool is in
love with you. Only think of it. And
1 chuckle to myself when 1 see him, and
say, Don't you wish you could reach so
highp l declare it's funny"
In that one speech Colonel Pearson
dashed his chances to pieces He could
not account for the sudden return of win
ter in Jennie Morton's manner. And all
his sunshine was powerless to dispel it, or
to bring back the least approach of spring.
Poor Jennie She began to under
stand something of the courage of Hen
ry Gilbert's heart, and something of the
manliness of his motives. All night
long she watched the light burning in
the room in the widows house; and all
night long she debated the matter until
her head ached. She could reach but
one conclusion. Henry was to leave the
day after tomorrow. If any communi-
cation should ever be opened between
them, she must begin it. 1t was as if
she had seen him drifting away from her
forever, and must throw him a rope.
But she could not find way-she had
no rope to throw. Again the Colonel,
meaning to do anything else but that,
opened the way At the breakfast table
the next morning she received from him
magnificent valentine. All at once she
saw her method. 1t was St. Valentines s
day. The rope was in her hand. Excu-
sing herself from breakfast she hastened
to her room.
To send valentine to the faithful lov-
er was the uppermost thought But how ?
She dare not write her name, for after all,
she might be mistaken in counting on his
love, or she might offend his prejudices
or his pride by so direct an approach
The went fumbling in drawer for sta
tionary. She drew out little pine boat
that Henry had whitfield for her many
years before. He had named it Hope,
but the combined wisdom of the little
boy and girl could not succeed in spell
ing the name correctly. And here was
the little old boat that he had given, say
ing often afterward that it was the boat
they two were going to sail in some day
She misspelt name had been the subject
of many a laugh between them. Now
but | mustn't be sentimental.
1t did not take Jennie long to draw
an exact likeness of the little craft
And that there might be no mistake about
it, she spelled the name as it was on the
side of the boat Hoap.'
There was not another word in the val
entine. Sealingit up, she hurried out
with it, and dropped it in the post-ofiice
No merchant, sending all his fortune to
sea in one frail bark, ever watched the
departure and trembled for the result OF
a venture as she did. Spain did not pray
half so fervently when the invincible Ar.
mada sailed. 1t was an unuttered prayer
an unutterable prayer. For heart and
hope were the landing of the little pic,
ture-boat that sailed out that day, with nc
other wind but her wishes in its sails.
She sat down at her window until she
saw Henry Gilbert pass the next street
corner on his morning walk to the post
office. Three minutes after, he went
home, evidently in great state Of ex
citement, with her valentine open in his
hand. After a while he went back again
toward the post-oflice and returned. He
had taken reply?
Jennie again sought the office. There
were people all around with those hide
Gus things that they call comic valentines
open in their hands. And they actually
seemed to think them funny. She had I
reply. 1t did not take her long to fine
her room and to open it. There was an
other picture of boat, but the name OIL
its side Despair And these words werC
added: Your boat IS the pleasantest
but understanding that there 'oas no ga
cant place upon ii, IhaUe been obliged
take passage on this Slowly the mean