Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1871-04-01
Galss = Sketches.
DRIVEN TO THE WALL.

And don't you know when you will pass
through this part of the country again, Mr..
Verley p
No, don't, said the cid bachelor, de-
cidedly.
He was something of bear to answer so
crustily wien Barbara Smith stood in the
doorway, with the shadowy lashes droop-
ing over the soft brown eyes, and roses
melting into deep carmine on her rosy
cheeks, until her muslin dress was plain in
comparison. Such pretty, big-eyed, low
ing little Barbara as she was, in all the
blonde freshness Of her eighteen summers,
and the soft sigh that, flt,ttered from her
lips as the one-horse carriage drove away,
was checked instantly. Barbara had no
idea of becoming victim to unreQuited
love, though she had rather. fancied Mr..
Verley, during his brief sojourn at her
fathers house.
Mr.. Verley drove away through the rust-
ling green draperies of the summer lanes,
whistling sadly as he drove.
i shall be in very good time for the l.. 80
train,' he mediIated to himself Pune
tuality is the soul of business, and l never
was one of the behind hand tribe, thank
Providence. Besides, l think it was be-
coming dangerous to remain in that place
any longer. / am thirty-nine tomorrow,
and that is just twenty years too old for
me TO so making fool, Of myself Fancy
me getting married. No you don't Joseph
Nerley, my friend'
AS he settled himself comfortably in the
crowded railway car, and opened the letter,
the subject again occurred to his mind
with curious persistence.
The letter of my poor brothers executor
came just in time, or l should certainly
have fooled away more time than would
have been sensible or profitable. Poor,
dear Harold; l don't see what on earth
possessed him to fall sick and die on his
way home from Venice and leave his
daughter on my hands, too. Why could
he not have left q son instead of q daugh-
ter? never did understand a woman's
ways, and what's more L don't want to. l
am to meet her at Speedville, and take her
home with me. 'Ol' groaned Mr.. Verley,
referring despairingly to his letter. And
what I'm going to do with her when get
there I'd like to know! 1 suppose she's a
great creature, with ringlets and ribbons,
and just as likely as not an Italian lover
talking sentiment to her-a creature that
reads Byron and keeps an album, and eats
slate-pencis anu chalk. I'll send her to a
boarding school, that's what I'll do with
my niece-aud perhaps when she has
=
gest some means of getting rid Of her. OF
course she'll have dozen large trunks. and
bonnet-boX and q parrots cage-that's
the way women generally travel, / believe.
am glad am cut of the way Of Barbara IS
! destinations now.'
Mr.. Verley looked ont Of the car window,
in sort OF calm desperation at the pros
pect before him. 81 ..,.,. a.,
Il suppose she'll wGsta piano, aud may
be poodle dog, and there's no knowing
what else. l don't see why Harold wanted
to die and leave his daughter to my care
just now. Speedyille station-twenty-scy
miles farther. | wish IL was tsenty-seven
hundred miles-that's what wish.'
/ And with this yindiciiye sentiment in
his mind, our hero tied red silk handker-
chief over his head, and tried 10 loso him
self in series Of brief, troubled dreams,
wherein the vision OF u tall nlce young lady
/ figured consplcuously.
Are we mere alreadyy' he stammeret,
| standing TO his feet, rs the conductor bawl-
cd out, 'Speedyille station aud seizing
umbrella, yalise and travelling shawl, with
the busting bewllderment peculiar 10 peo-
| pls just aroused from sleep, he alighted.
Speedyille was rather laEge-sized vii
age, situated At the junction OF several
railways, with an Imposing AmeFlcan
Gothic structure for depot lnto tho
building Mr., Nerley walked, looking right
aud leit tor the young lady whose guardian
ship he was Ia assume.
! 'Ofcourse, lac respondcl mentally, shell
be on tho lookout ior nle woulen are pIO'
verbally eurlUus.'
liuI Harold Neyley's daughter was not
on the lookout IoT heE unele, Mhen the
eFosd lneldsni 10 tAe eyening lCaln bad
snbdned and lhs people had gone thelg dll.
NEent Ways, lhe Only FenlaiaIng oecppanis
ol Ihe depot wee MT, NvTlsy, 4 lair6 Old
man sho sold lscanuls aud aplles, and a
dccenl'looklng eoloTod seulaa, with q
blight hadgass tuFban oH hes hsad, aha
laok ears VI lhs bulidlng. AsltheF VI lhsss
could Ia hls pleee, 81 hF, ksTlsy, allsF Z
a..l, ltp'safa as.i.sls ...'. s'..sl aii.
sallshias shs SHADES sllk = pace N eFumb
nd "a : aI14l4T