The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-02-24

Emlyn to make his will-he had always
been very stubborn against making wills;
and presently, when Mrs, Emlyn toiled up
Lookout hill to visit Mrs. Toft-the Emlyns
had never visited before at that house-
and sometime after invited her to spend
quiet evening in the High street, everybody
shrewedly surmised how the will was made
and judged that the property disposed Of
was not inconsiderabies <t l-lTggEgr
Meantime the Peruvia, the good ship
that had sailed away that fine summers
evening, had been heard Of more than
once. She had not been spoken, however,
later than the last of October, when she had
left Kuraclee, with the northeast monsoon
for the Red Sea, intending to come home
by Suez and the Mediterranean. Any day
she might return, any day might witness
William Black striding up Lookout hill !;
any one of the white winged ships that dot
ted the horizon might be the one ship that
heartsore Alice was secretly longing to see.
He had been very good; he had not written
to her sister1she had forbidden him to do
SO, and he had obeyed her and yet If he
knew how she longed to hear he was safe
after all, it was better not
Mr.. Toft was breaking little, people
said. He was no longer as active as he bad
been only short year since. He rarely
came down into the town now, and when
he did it was pitiable to see him toiling
back up the hill, making believe that the
ascent was not painful to him. He had
been used to come each morning to the
reading-room but now he had given that
up, and had the Times sent up to him on
the next day after publication.
One summer evening-her husband had
been poorly all day, and Alice had been
constantly occupied in attending to him,
but now he had gone off to sleep-she put
on her things and went down into the town
to make few purchases, intending to
spend half an hour with Mrs. Emlyn, to
enjoy gossip with that lively conversable
lady. H -''h' t'"'l'
Down the hill she went, the cool sea-
breeze tanning her parched cheeks. The
evening was divine, and the sea wasstretch-
ed before her in long golden swathes, the
inurmur of it sounding gently in her ears,
Ships were stirring, some outward bound
were heaving at their anchors, and the
wellremembered sailors song came softly
over the waters: some homeward- bound
were making for their anchoring grounds
with fdll-bellied sails. She strained hei
eyes, and fancied that now this and now
that might be the long-expected Peruvia
But no, there would be no doubt then hel
heart would tell her at once, "That il
Williams shipw ''i'ieN 7"l i.i
The sun was getting low, and she has
tened quickly down the hin. She met sun
dry towns-people she knew by sight, and
nodded to them good-natured greeting
they turned and looked at her, and watched
her down the hill. "How rude people are
getting" She thought "There was a
time when these would all have touched
their hats to the wife of the ship-owner."
At each shop she visited she noticed
something strange about the people, Mr.
Meagre, the draper, came out of his little
box and stared at her, and Mrs. Meagre'i
stony visage appeared over the glass door
sternly regarding her. 1t was the same al
the other shops, everybody looked queer.
SC Imagination" she told herself ~
feel altogether strange, and find my owl
feelings reflected in other peoples faces
Here comes Mrs. Emlyn." e4
| M a. l. H. -
at her with vacant unrecognizlng gaze. q
if Mrs. Emlyn," she cried, show fortu
nate am to meet youp lo3fsf
The lady gathered together her skirt
and passed coldly on. s4a p
"Oh, what have / done-what is th,
matterP" cried Alice. She felt faint ant
} giddy; something dreadful had happened
: The air grew heavy and thick; all the
} houses in the red, quaint High street seem
ed to blink at her; the sky was brassy ant
dull above her. She was as If in dream
, when the last trumpet seems to sound, ant
the universe quakes around. But it wai
nothing, it could be nothing Mrs Emlyr
was often queer. uo' iaT
But she turned round and made her way
home. Her husband was awake and cry
ing for her like a sick child. She could dC
nothing tonight, but in the morning sh'
would go down into the town and get t.
, the bottom Of this mystery, IL it were
mystery, and not all a delusion.
, Next morning Mr. Toft was better
} much better cheerful and chirrupy. III
had his breakfast in bed, however, an,