Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-02-10

Duoollng and sparkling like parlor foun-
tains for special occasions and in a
certain rold. Then she thought with a
sigh how much better opportunity
village girls have of settling in life than
city bellies, and how full of ghostly,
dried-up old maids all these city streets
are. Here in Washington beaux are
plentiful, but marrying man is rqrd
dUis, and fiirtatIons, balls, and leYees
seldom end in a wedding.
She directed the letter mechanically,
and was about to file it, when a sudden
impulse stayed her hand. Tearing a
slip of paper she wrote
81 am so sorry your letter did not
reach its destination, though l trust
you and Rebecca are married and happy
now. A woman's decision is, however,
always uncertain, and should she be
blind enough to her own good to decline
such an offer as yours, do not be dis
couraged remember there are always
good fish in the sea come to Washing
ton, inquire at the Dead Letter Office
for clerk 81, and see if destiny has not
ever some compensation IN reserve for
the brave and noble"
Casting furtive glance around and
| finding nobody was looking, she took
some flowers from her bouquet, placed
them in the slip of paper, and enclosed
them in the letter, forgetting, however,
to preserve the signature.
Amused and refreshed by her per-
formance as some pet squirrel who
frisks from his cage and cuts a mis-
chievous prank, she relapsed into a
reverie, wondering what her mother
would say to all this, what the writer
would think of her, and how mortified
he would be to learn that a stranger
had read his letter.
"a penny Tor your thoughts, little
one," cried from a neighborine desk
Mrs. r. who was the life of her corner
and an excellent antidote for ghosts in
any quarter. "Why, bless your soul,
child, you've been sitting for ten min
utes with your hands clspped to your
face. thought you were crying"
"No, no" said Daisy, smiling, ''only
dreaming"
"Dreams are nice, little one, but they
don't suit Office work | tell you they
won't do for dead letters"
Several months passed away, months
as much alike in their dull mOnotony
and dreary routine for Daisy and her
Office companions as Yankee school
mains, only one day-pay-day-in the
livelong month to be anticipated or re-
membered with pleasure.
She was rather belle in the circle.
and yet, poor child, at times her life
seemed very useless and aimless. Sated
with compliments. balls, firtations, and
other gilded fruits of fashionable
society really as unsatisfying to genuine
sentiment as French bon-bons to a
healthy appetite, she longed for taste
of real enjoyment and sincere friend
ship. Bright, quick at repartee, rather
saucy and original, she sang, played,
and danced remarkably well, and had
that winning grace and artless ease of
manner SO much more attractive than
style or beauty, and more becoming
than pearls or diamonds.
One morning, bright and fresh as
rosebud, she tripped into the office.
"Ah little one," said Mrs. R.,
vigilant as a hawk and always glad to
tease, ''thOse bushes are tell-tale.
Come, now, confess like a good girl.
Who is that tall, handsome, dark haired
gentleman who walks with you every
morning to the office q
'Indeed, Mrs. r., did not know it
was an unusual thing for me to have a
bean"
"Lots of beaux. dear, but not like
this one. Who is he? Where does he
come from? How did you meet him ?"
"He is an old friend of papa, Mrs.
R.-Gen. Breen, of the volunteers ;
came to Washington on business, and
called to see mamma out of respect for
my dear fathers memory. He is so
kind and agreeable"
Indeed Beware, little one, and
don't lose your heart. I'll be bound
you've promised TO go with him to hear
the music at the Capitol this evening.
Eh?"
Daisy was hard at work at her desk
and made no reply. But sure enough
that evening, strollIng through the
beautiful walks of the Capitol park,
she listened with flushed cheeks and
sparkling eyes TO the music of voice
more eloquent than choir or band.
"You say, general, you came to
Washington by invitation. L thought
you were an entire stranger here"
"Yes, Miss Daisy. came to keep an
appointment with No. 81 of the Dead
Letter Office, and only hope she will
fulfill his PROMISE" and he drew from
his pocket the letter poor Daisy re-
member but too well.
'.Oh? has that letter risen in judg
ment against NE p cried she, burying
her face III her hands. 81 thought you
liked mel h0ped-and you must have
despised ME all the time"
"Indeed, Miss Daisy, l loved you be-
fore we met, and now that / know you,
can conceive no happiness separated
from you. Let me explain, or you will
think me faithless, inconsistent BOBBY.
| have led dreamy, solitary life, and
INDUCED in some foolish castle-build-
ing. had known Rebecca all her life,
and imagined she possessed the quail
ties L ascribed to my ideal. She was
fair timid child, universally petted and
spoiled. / often rocked her to sleep IN
my arms when she was quite small. As
schoolgirl she used to bring her
sums and abstracts to me to do, and as
young lady made me equally useful,
though / now believe she never dreamed
of me but as an old friend that she could
use as she pleased. The day after l
wrote that letter went to see her, and
found her standing in the gate. Taking
her hand, asked her to walk with me.
"'Gladly,' she replied, but I've
promised professor to go with him to
/ the Mendelssohn Society,"
"The next morning L was called out
of town, and the first person L met on
returning was Rebecca's father, crushed
and mortified beyond expression with
the news that his daughter had eloped
with Professor Kukkendorf, an ugly,
bald-headed, near-sighted German con-
ceited as foreign music-masters gene
rally are, and not suffi GENTLY intelligent
to know what a ridiculous object a
piano. playing. duet singing man is.
The waking from my sweet and long
cherished dream was of course painful.
I Dissappointnenti is alyays bitter.