The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1875-07-01

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or a sign settled the point beyond q
doubt in his favor; at others he fan
cied he read coolness aud indiffer
ence in her eyes.
In this condition Of uncertainty h,
dared not press the question lest Q
hasty step might bring him TO grief
At Fred's earnest solicitation ]
promised to sound Belle as to he,
sentiment II q favorable opportunity
presented itself, or at any rate TO lei
her know, in au indirect way, tha,
Fred was languishing in distress on
her account, aud thus give her nc
excuse for unnecessarily prolongiua
his misery. IL 80 happened, how.
ever, that my services were not called
into requisition. But Bronson. be.
cause of tho sudden arrival Mt he,
house of some country cousins. was
obliged to give up her room her
mothers cottage being small ono
and to occupy for a single night q
room at the hotel. We could cheer
fully have offered her guests accom-.
modations at our house, but wo were
Ia the Same prodicament. An agri
cultural fair in the village had
brought many strangers into the
place, and our own guests were SC
numerous that 1 had given up my
room to two Of them, and had in.
tended asking Fred Evans to lot inc
pass the night with him.
For this purpose went to tho no
tel at late hour, and proceeded n,
once to Freds room, but to my sur.
prise found no one there. 1 did not
even notice that his trunk was gone
or suspect the fact, which afterward
became apparent, that ito obligo
some lady guests for thisnight only,
as the landlord expressed it, Fred
had consented to give up mo. 20
and occupy n small room in the rear
of the building. The gas being turn.
cd up I took book to await his re-
turn, and hearing at last what ap'
peared to be steps approaching the
room. and supposing it to be Fred,
in momentary impulse to play a
joke upon him I clipped under the
bed, a large and high one, intending
to initiate cat (of which animal |
knew he had detestrtion) 30 soon
as he entered the room. The door
opened, and ! was on the point OF
indulging in my ventriloquial faculty
by giving long-dnwn mieop, whom
from my hidiug>place l beheld Belle
Bronson take quiet possession Of the
My astonishmont was great, aud
the sense of modification Sd intense,
that did not, as 1 should have
done, make myself Immediately
known to her. Thus the opportuni-
ty for discovery and explanation was
lost. dared not move hair, but
hoped sincerely that some excuse
might take her out Of the room for
q moment, aud 80 facilitate my es
cape. She, however, locked the door,
tho key, and, as knew by
the sound, prepared to retire. Fin
ally sho kneeled down beside the
bod. and clasped her hands aud
bowling her head $50 fearfully near to
mine that could hear the soft words
in my very ear,) she offered mp her
evening prayer in u manner 80 full
Of feeling. and with such sweet &c.
cents Of womanly tenderness aud de-
votion, that 1 felt as il she was an
angel bending over tho vilest of NOR
tails. That prayer went to my heart !;
but one portion Of it went through
It aud held it captive. Never shall
forget my feelings of surprise and
deep emotion when heard her utter
these words "bless my dear mother,
sisters, and friends bless all around
me-, and U God! bless him | love,
Evergreen, and shower
Down thy mercies over him. Amen"
'Ah, Augustus" said my divinity to
herself, as sho arose from devotional
IF you but knew that I
named your very name in my pray
srs, YOU would be less Indifferent to
no."
II breathed short before, after
this my breath seemed to desert me
entirely and I verify thought that
he beating of my heart would be-
ray me, Bolle, pure as an angel
% me then, and whito rs a snow
lake, proceeded to turn of the gas
md get into bed. felt her soft
pressure over my head and shrunk
loser and closer to the hard floor
,pon which | was extended. What
thoughts rushed through my brain 7
Above me lay a young aud unsophis-
icated girl wholly unconscious that
he one she loved lay 80 closely to
Ter, and who had for the first
inc been made aware of her inter-
st in him, by hearing words which
he supposed went only to Heaven
knew that the night must pass
way, and the morning come, and
hat BELLE must first leave the apart
aent before could venture to
ha1ge even my position.
Belle had lain perfectly motionless
Or several minutes and was, ] fat
cred myself, losing herself in sleep. |
There-I haven't looked under
he bed !" A horror ran through
10 all is lost what shall l do!
,elle rose and heard her feeling for
he matches. She struck one and
,as moving toward the gas,light
.l,ap lunifor wani oni loa uinn all |