The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1875-07-29

visit a married daughter Of theirs,
who resided fifteen or twenty miles
away, and ns it was in November,
and the days were short, thoy would
not return until Monday night
Aud sometime after they SGT ont
there came an imperative message to
tho Judge from his only sister-say.
ing that she was very i'll, aud desired
to sec him without delay. Her homo
was in Sholbo-eight or ton miles
off, and of course the Judge lost no
timo in obeying tho summons. Ue
took his wifc with him. leaving Mar
garet alone in the house.
After they were seated in tho car =.
riage, the Judge stopped to say:
1T is barely possible, Margaret,
that we remain all night. Itlooks
very much like storm and in that
case we shall certainly stay. And IL
lso, you ha | better get Sallie Turner
to come ovor and stay with you for
company.
But though Margaret would have
liked Sallie's company we'll enough
sho at once decided not to ask for it,
because If she did so, she knew that
Sallics brother, Willis, would be
sure TO come along, and tho less she
saw Of Willis Turner tho better she
was pleased. Willis was an honest,
industrious sort Of fellow, aud he
was Margarot's most devoted admi-
rer, but with the usual Inconsistency
OF her sex, she utterly refused to see
what was best for her
The long afternoon wore slowly
away, Margaret resi- little, and
drummcl n few tunes on her old
fashioned piano, played with the
black cat aud white kitten, and hold
the old cat curled mp in hcr lap like
n sleepy caterpillar, and at last il was
sunset.
Timo to milk tho cows and shut
the barn doors for tho night.
It was evident enough that there
was going TO I've a storm, for the
north and west wore dark with
ominous black clouds, and tho wcst
winds sighed drearily III tho pine
woods back Of tho house. Aud in
deed before Margaret had done up
the odd jobs at the barn, tho first
great drops Of frozon rain began to
fall, asd by the time she had eaten
her supper and stained the milk, the
storm had SGT in in deadly earnest.
She closed and barred tho doors
tho windows were already fasten
} od-drew the shutters, aud piled the
} kitchen fire place full Of dry hickory.
The kitten had gone To sleep on
a cushioned chair in tho corner, anl
: the old black cat sat on tho hearth
blinking her eyes sleepily at the
cheerful blaze.
Margaret read little, and dream
ed great deal, as girls Of hei
ago arc promo to do when left to
} themselves. She made very pret-
) ty picture, If ouly thoro had boon
} somo one TO SEQ her
Her soft brown hair was unbound,
and foil rippling to her waist her
fair round face was tinted as deli
cately pink as tho inside of sea
she'll; her brown eyes were dreamy
aud full of langour; and her lips
, were sweet and wonanly enough for
any truelovor to find his rarest hap
piuess in kissing.
, Slowly at length, the oil coffin
shaped clock in tho corner struck
ton. Margaret started up. She had
not thought il was 10 late. The
evening had gone of much quicker
/ than she had expected it would II
was SO dreadful TO stay alone, aftcl
, all, she said to herself.
f; She opened shutter and peored
| ont into the night. 1t was as darl
! as Erebus, and the wind and rain
beat against the pane in n perfect
torrent Tho Judge would not thinl
/ Of returning on such night,
"Well, Tommy said she to the
cat, IL guess you and | and kitty
, will go to bed. We must DO ur
betimes in tho morning, you know
= since there will be none but us TO dc
the chores.
As she spoke, Margaret stopped tc
stroke Tommy, but to her infinite
surprise, she saw that the animal t
paw and tail wero erect-eyes had
! changed to CLASSY green of rage and
! terror, and with, panther like tread
, she was making her way toward the
, door which opened upon the cellar
stairway.
And while she gazed, Margaret saw
with horror that the latch was slowly
, lifting, and the next moment the
: door swung open with an ominous
creak, and man stepped into the
D room. lie was a short, thick. set fel
I low, with sandy hair and whiskers
and pale, ferocious-looking blue eye
set far back in his head.
) $50 ho my dear, said he "you are
sole proprietor, it appears 7" ,
, For on instance Margaret's hear,
stood still, but she was naturally
brave, and she was proud az well
and would not allow this man to set
, that she feared him.
81 have that honor she said,
coolly, "who are, you and what dc
you want :" ssi,,a-.p .tti .r.. +, ~
"I trust yon will excuse me il ]
, neglect 10. introduce myself" said
Ia a q" A