The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-06-11

cate face, and the delicately peneiled
ruff,"
What an idea - said Miss Perry. the
daughter of my hostess. And yet, since
YOU suggest II, | can trace quite a resem-
blance. | remember hearing papa say
once that she was quite belle In her day,
and there was something of romance
connected with her"
Ii was in dress precisely like this In all
It's details i'm which Miss Perry was array
ed when she peered over the rose-bush on
the afternoon In which my story opens.
and greeted me with her innocent
"Peepi"
So" she family articulated, "your
amusement and nonsense for this
summer are falling In love with an unso-
phisticated country-girl. Quite delight
null"
Miss Perry" | exclaimed, i'm blank
amazement, "you wrong me by your mis-
applied irony. NV words were not triiling
ones, rs you seem TO think. | was zoo
abrupt and precipitate. ! am but tyro
in wooing."
| put nv arm around her slender waist
as l spoke the last words, and she suffered
Il 10 remain there an instant, and then
withdrew shrinkingly, giving me half
startled half-shy look as she glided out of
Il the TOoUl-H lOOh lidl Ait ioA
months afterward.
| saw her no more that afternoon. and
the next morning Fred and l were of on
a trouting expedition before she was astir.
AT supper she was absent. and her mother
volunteered the information that she had
gone 10 visit her cousins over the noun
/ tains.
Its in the Timing county, some twenty
miles off," she said. Zone of the boys
was over this way on some business or
other, and she appeared kind o. moping,
and when he spoke ont jest bundled her
off quick. TIN do her good. She's a gal
like all others"
Twenty miles," repeated. "She'll
probably, then, be gone some five or six
days"
" Five or six weeks, more like" was the
reply. II told her she'd have To stay.
most likely. till we sent for her, and that
wouldn't be till after harvesting was all
over. The men and horses is mighty busy
during the hot weather.
Il say, Fred,- | said that evening as
we sat on the piazza smoking our cigars.
"I've been thinking that III go back 10
the city tomorrow or next day. To tell
the truth, it's getting little dull and mo-
notonous, and"
"Dull and monotonous What has got
into your Why, it's only day or two
since you were going to stay month yet.
You're just tine queerest chap"
"I've been told that often enough to
know it by heart, Fred. think / shall
90 up by tomorrow nights train. unless
you shall go too if | wait over few
days"
mot |. shall stay another fortnight.
at any rate"
An right. 1t is settled, then. Walk up
to the ststion with me, and you can send
my trunk along some day when the wagon
is going up."
The next evening we arrived at the
little rise i'm sight Of the station some time
before the train was due, and we sat down
on rude stone-wall overlooking the
valley.
By-the-way," said Fred, suddenly.
81 didn't show you this. / believe. She
looked so charming Iconldn't help it,
And he opened his portfolio, which he
invariably had with him, aud showed me
sketch he had made of Miss Perry the
day she was masquerading, which had
thus far proved so disastrous to me. Ii
was a personified ily-of-the-valley. with
the delicate features of her whose name Of
Margaret somehow grated on my ear. and.
as :. Miss Perry was too formal, | had
taken TO calling her "Puss."
! - say, Fred, want this | said.
Nonsense, You'd better let me keep
this and you take the original"
"A wise man is content with what he
can get / responded briefly, as ] put it
i'm my sachel.
Fred gave me a curious look, which
did not interpret till later in the season,
and made no objection to my appropriating
\ his sketch.
The sun was sinking behind the noun
tain. the valley we had Just left having
been for some time in deep shadow.
Where are your canvas and colorsT |
presently asked. "Ihere's an effect of
chiaroscaro that would draw praise from
the most conservative critic"
Fred needed no second hint: and as he
painted away. observed the beautiful ef-
feet, and made occasional ierky remarks
on variety of subjects presently saying !:
How propos that masquerading wig
was She is, indeed, a y-of-the-valley,
both lily and valley being in their respect
i've ways charming in a superlative
sense"
The whistle sounded just them and
started in haste for the train, leaving Fred
busy on his picture hardly looking up
when he said sood-by, and prophesied my
return in few days.
Several times. after my return TO the
city, came near doing so, wondering If
it were not cowardly Ia me to strike my
colors at such moment, and if.FIssn
did not expect me TO come over the noun
tain TO see her.
Nearly two months had elapsed. and
had heard no word from Fred. | was on
the point of putting change of linen i'm
a sachel. and taking two-days' run in
search of him, and TO see If Miss Perry
had returned. when | received letter,
which, to say the least, indefinitely post
poned the matter.
give only those parts my readers will
he interested in: