The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-02-04

Meanwhile, down stairs the others had
been busy in their own way. The turkey
was baking finely in the oven, the veget-
ables were all on, the jellies set, and the
pudding just beginning to boil, when there
was another ring at the doorbel, and Jane
had to run up in the hall to answer it,
In moment more Jane came back and
reported that it was gentleman all cover
ed with snow and muffled up, so she could
not see his face, and he wished to see her
master on business so she had spoken to
Mr.. Charlton and then came directly away.
81 wish you had waited to hear his
name," said Mrs. Charlton; if dinner was
ready would go right up there"
When Mr.. Charlton was called out into
the hall he would not have known his
cousin Phil from the Great Mogul if it had
not been for the honest gray eyes, and, a
moment after the familiar voice.
SCOT showed up on the railroad" said
Phil. 81 have got business to transact
two hundred miles beyond here, but the
train cannot go an inch further to-day, they
say, so thought I'd come up and make
you New Years call, old boy"
"BravoP' exclaimed Mr.. Charlton.-
"We were talking about you only last
night, and wishing you were here"
The newcomer was stalwart young fel-
low, with fine, noble face, not without it's
few lines of care, perhaps pain. He glanc-
ed hurriedly around the library as he enter
| ed, then seated himself comfortably before
the glowing CRATE, and began to answer
Johns questions about the weather and
his business prospects.
"And why haven't you let us hear from
you ?" asked John: 81 have been anx-
ious to hear how you were getting, along
can tell you p
81 supposed you had had enough of
me-" said the other, with an odd little
laugh "but am the inevitable bad penny
you see ~
An hour passed by, and it was almost
dinner time. Mrs. Charlton looked proud
ly at her successful achievement, and then
glanced at her kitchen clock.
She hastened up stairs, cast curious
glance at the heavy overcoat in the hall,
and then sped up to her own room. There
was George, to all appearance perfectly
happy and contented, playing bo-peep with
Tot, who had just walked up.
ooh, you two darlings !" exclaimed Mrs
Charlton. "Now let me call the nurse to
take baby, and you hurry off and get
dressed, dear, for dinner is almost ready,
and we are going to have company, after
ALL"
"Who? ?" asked George, in surprise.
81 don't know. Some one who has come
to see John, and he has been here an hour
SO of course he will stay to dinner now.
Now put on your green silk, George, and
look beautiful, for maybeit it is some one
splendid-a hero for you"
In her present frame of mind, George
would have worn the dress she then had
on, which was simple as possible, but
Laura would not like that, she thought,
and one must not begin by being selfish, so
she compromised matters by arraying her.
self in black silk, with her plainest or
naments. Then, meeting Laura on the
stairway, they went down together, when
suddenly John Charlton threw the library
door open, and there stood Cousin Phil
Mrs. Charlton, with little shout of de-
light, rushed forward to welcome him, and
when he had replied to eager greeting he
looked past her at George. 1t was as if
eye met eye, and thought leaped up to an
swer thought, but they only bowed gravely
at each other, and uttered the few words
that politeness demanded, and then, half
bewildered by the surprise, and the sudden
tumult in her heart, George silently pre-
ceded him into the dining room.
"Now, Phil, what have you been do
ing ?" said Laura, as soon as her husband
f was fairly launched inithe carving of the
turkey. Z" Has business been going wrong
or what is it that makes you look ten years
} older than you did last summer? An6
, why haven't you writer? think it wa'
: very unkind not to let us hear from you
D even once"
0 "Even once may be once too often.
1 said Phil, sarcastically, and then, as if t'
4 atone for his disagreeable remark, III
S plunged into glowing account of the bus
j. mess trip he had made, talked of politics
: the times, anything, everything except las
S Summer and the reason he had not written
George, sitting opposite to him, tried Il
r eat her dinner in stately indifference, bu
It succeeded only in looking very dream.
v and demure, as she trihed with the NOR