The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-08-31

The old gentleman grew sleepy and re-
tired. The boys went into the sitting
room, and went to sleep, one on the
lounge and one on the floor. Huldah
was just ready to begin her pies. She
was deeply hurt, but John succeeded in
making her more cheerful. He rolled up
his sleeves and went to rolling out the
pastry. He thought he had never seen
a sweeter picture than the young girl in
clean dress and apron, with her sleeves
statuesque perfection in her well-round-
ed arms. The heat of tie fire had flushed
her face little, and she was laughing
merrily at Johns awkward blunders in
pie-making. John was delighted, he
hardly knew why. In fixing pie crust
his fingers touched hers, and he started
as if he had touched galvanic battery.
He looked at Huldah, and saw half
painful expression on her flushed face.
For the first time it occurred to him
that Huldah Manners had excited in
him feeling thousand times deeper
than anything he had felt toward Janet,
who seemed to be now in another world.
For the fret time he realized that he
had been more in lovewith Huldah than
with Janet all the time. Why not mar
ry herY And then he remembered what
the governor had said about marrying o
woman's heart and not her head
He put on his hat and walked out
out, out, into the darkness, the drizzling
rain, and the slush of melting snow,
! fighting fierce battle. All his pride
and all his cowardly vanity were on one
side, all the irresistible torrents of his
love on the other. He walked away in
to the dark wood-pasture, trying to cool
his brow, trying to think, and (would
you sbelieve itD trying to pray, for it
was a great struggle, and in any great
struggle true soul always finds some
thing very like prayer in his heart.
The feeling of love may exist without
attracting the attention of its possessor.
1t had never occurred to John that he
could love or marry Huldah. Thus il
had grown all the more powerful for not
being observed, and now the unseen fire
had at flash appeared as an all-con-
suming one.
Turning back, he stood without the
window, in the shadow, and looked
through the glass at the trim young girl
at work with her pies. In the modest,
restful face he read the story of heart
that had carried great burdens patiently
and nobly. What glorious picture
she was Of warmth and light, framed in
darkness. To his heart, at that moment
all the light and warmth of the world
centred in Huldah. All the world be-
side was loneliness and darkness and
drizzle and slush. His fear of his sister
and o.. his friends seemed base and cow
ardly. And the more he looked at this
vision of the night, the more he was de-
termined to possess it. You will call
him precipitate. But when all mans
nobility is on one side and all his mean
ness on the other, why hesitate Be-
sides, John Harlow had done more think
ing in that half hour than most men do
in month.
The vision vanished from the window
and he went in and sat down. She had,
was sitting with her head on her hand.
The candle fiickered and went out, and
there was only the weird and ruddy fire
light. cannot tell you what words
passed between John and the surprised
Huldah, who had thought him already
betrothed to Miss Dunton. ! could not
tell what was said in the light of that
fire; l don't suppose Huldah could tell
that story herself
Huldah asked that he would not saw
anything about till his sister was gone.
OF course John saw that she asked it for
his sake. But his own cowardice was
glad of the shelter.
Next day brother of Johns (whom
forgot to mention before) came home
from college. Mrs. Holiness husband
arrived unexpectedly. Aunt Judith,
with her family, came over at dinner
time, so that there was large and mer-
ry party. Two hearts, at least, Joined
in the deacon's thanksgiving before din
ner with much fervor.
At the table the dinner was much ad-
mired.
"Huldah," said Janet Dunton, 81 like
your pies. wish l could hire you to
go to Boston. Our cook never does so
WELL"
John saw the well-aimed shaft hidden
under this compliment, and all his man
hood rallied. AS soon as he could be
sure of himself he said:
"You cannot have Huldah she is al
ready engaged"
"How is that 2" said Aunt Judith.
80, I've secured her services" said
John. ..# ..t H'..
"What !" said Mrs. Holmes, engaged |
your-your-help before you've engaged |
a wife Z"
"Not at all" said John; engaged |
my help and wife in one. 1 hope that |
Huldah Manners will be Huldah Har- |
low nv Christmas"
The deacon laid down his knife and |
fork, and dropped his lower jaw and |
stared.
"Whatl Howl What did you say,
John?'
81 say, father, that this good girl HUI
dah is to be my wife,"
"John," gasped the old man, getting
to his feet, and reaching his hand across |
the table, "you've got plenty of sense
if you do wear moustache! God bless |
you, my boy; there amt no better wo-
man here nor in New York nor any,
where than Huldah. God bless you
both. I was afraid you'd take differ
ent road, though"
"Hurrah for our Huldah and our
John," said George Harlow, the college
boy, and his brothers joined him. Even
the little Holmes children hurrahed.
Vegetable leather is now extensively |
manufactured, the principal materials
being caoutchouc and naptha. The
product is Onlv one-third as costly as |