The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1875-11-20
Subscribers out of County, 81 30.


on a drive prolonged into late twilight.
Ten was over. Phil had strolled down
to the village after the mail, and Mrs.
Mauran sat beside her guest in the
shaded porch.
"Where is Amy ?" asked Miss Ash
urst.
"Gone to bed with bad headache"
said Mrs, Mauran. ..,...
"a headache am so sorry isn't
there something out of my medicine
case which would relieve her?--pul-
satila, perhaps, or iris" Miss Ash
urst was devoted homDpath.
"I think there is something. Not
ont of your case, however," replied
Mrs. Mauran, quietly.
"What can you mean? ?"
"My dear Miss Ashurst, may. l
speak frankly to You about something
that is on my mind And you will not
Shink me unkiud or impertlnent?"
81 am quite sure you will be nelth-
er."
81 wan& to tell you q little story
which concerns Phil and Amy
"Phil and Amy" .5ay,.u
uYe,. They are second cousins, as
XON KNOW. Ill . was hfy hooe
intimate friend, and the children were
naturally brought up together. Last
spring Phil, who trusts me asif | were
his mother, begged my leave to ask
Amy to be his Wife" She paused
moment. Mics Ashurst said nothing,
onIy leaned forward little and listen-
ed. az told him Amy was so young
that he had better wait few months
before he said anything. wish
hadn't"
"Why?" 49,
"I don't know why. It might have
beep better, Since that time Phil has
seen n woman little older, far more
beautiful than my little girl, richer In
all that life has to give but not richer
as far as he Is concerned, for she has
no love to give him and Amy has. M
she had, IL she could, I should not
speak. If did not know that she Is
as true and as good as she Is beautiful
l should not speak"
There was another pause.
"My dear Mrs. Manran-thank you,
said Miss Ashurst at last. YOn were
right to speak. have made mischief
but without knowing 1t. You are
sure of that EOpe.'
"I am sure of it"
"Phil is charming person. l like
him extremely and of course saw that
he-Iiked me. But I never thopght OF
1t as a serious thing. A great many
other people have felt the same and
have gotten over it" h.lH
"Phil will get over 1t also. He has
loved you but three weeks and Amy
three years. 1t is a glamour which
will wear off"
Miss Ashurst smiled still but less
brightly. 1t is not pleasant to be agreed
with so cordially in matters Of this
kind. Yes" she said cit is, as
you saw, a glamour. 1t will disappear
as | disappear. And the sooner that
disappearance takes place the better.
shall have letter this evening which
will oblige me to leave you day after
tomorrow. VIII that do P"
"My dear Miss Ashurst, my dear
kins- wsman, believe me when I say
that 1 am truly sorry that anything
must make you go. You are what !
thought, what trusted, and l thank
you with all my heart" l
"And thank you for trusting me-"
Returned MISS ASnurSL' . .....t
But after she went up stairs her face
changed. Long she stood at the win
dow looking out at the dim-tinted sea.
cit has been very NICE" she whis-
pered to herself at last. "But this Is
foolish, | must 60 to bed"
Mss Ashurst's letter of recall came,
and on the day fixei she left. Amy,
dazed, as it were, by this. sudden de-
parture, reproached herself heartily for
feeling glad. This reproach deepened
into remorse when, the farewelis spok-
en- and the beautiful, radiant presence
vanished, she found her walls and table
ornamented with good by gifts. There
were the photographs she had most adj
mired, the hooks, even the Madonna,
ivory. painted and velvet-swupg, all
left for her by her et-hearted rival.
A mist of penitent tears dimmed her
eyes but, in spite of penitence and
tears, she was glad. For Phil, the rat
tie of the wheels which bore his charm
er away was like the sound which
breaks sharply into some fantastic
dream.
Metaphorically speaking, he rubbed
his eyes. For day or two ne hung
ABOUT, VACANT huu llstiVoo ) eiiSh hO
reused, as desirous to pick up dropped
threads again. Somehow Amy was
more dificult to approach than OF yore.
A little veil rested between them. She
was not always to be had when want
ed. We value what we work for, what
we hold with some trembling sense OF
insecurity. AS weeks went on phil
grew to prize Amy more than ever.
The knowledge that he had half lost
her intensified his love. 1t Required
months to win his way back to the old
place. But at last
"And you are quite, quite sure that
you care most for me? ?" whispered
Amy, saucily, the night after their en-
gagement, .....-
Most ? Att gether. you mean,
There is no other"
Not even Miss Ashurst ?"
"Not even Miss Asturst though"
land Phil lifted his cap as before