The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-05-06
And with these words she turned and

ueu, uOU looking DacK, or perhaps she
might have repented her decision.
Once in the house she sat down in the
empty sitting room, made light as day by
the moonbeams. The old dog rose as
she came in, and when she threw her
self into chair he laid his head in her
lap.
There came sound of Gathering of
plates in the kitchen on the opposite
side of the narrow passage, and her
mothers voice sounded sharply, giving
her directions about supper.
Presently she entered.
Where have you been, Ally9 How
i'll you look And you're all shivering
Come into the kitchen, child; Anne s
gone off to bed, and there's bit OF
fire in the CRATE. 1t might be winter
instead of midsummer, to feel your
hands,"
Alice rose mechanically. sShe walked
dreamily into the little kitchen, where
her mother drew chair to the fire for
her.
Presently a ruddy, good -humored
looking youth entered, saying:
Let me have my supper here, moth
er. The fire looks pleasant, though it is
summer time"
Mrs. Jervis opened the oven door and
took out covered dish that had been
kept warm there. Alice, watching her
as she placed it on the table and laid a
knife and fork beside it, instinctively
reused herself, and taking a jug from the
dresser went to the cellar to draw some
beer for her brother.
1t was a relief to her to perform this
menial service. It seemed almost an an
swer to the question she had been ask
ing herself over and over again since her
conversation with Mr.. Scrope in the
morning. She was even glad that all
around her looked so commonplace, so
poor-poorer and commoner than ever
tonight. And bitter feeling rose in
her heart and made her almost indignant
that some people should be so much
more favored in a worldly point of view
than others.
When she went to her room, instead
OF undressing, she opened the window
and gazed out towards the yew tree I'M
der which she had parted with Mr..
Scrope, and then suddenly untwisting
her long hair she turned to the looking
glass, not with any feeling of vanity,
but in order to find what had so attract
ed him.
1t was more than handsome face that
answered back her gaze, one which
showed an amount of earnestness and in
telligence not often met with. Of this
she was no judge herself, neither of the
continual change of expression which
Mr.. Scrope had begun by curiously OBJ
serving, and ended by being thoroughly
interested in. He was passing his vaca-
tion at Shelford, reading and fishing,
and had made the acquaintance of Will
liam Jeryis ON the banks of the river,
and through him, whom it was conde-
scension on the part of Mr.. Scrope to
notice, of Alice herself.
Alice perhaps understood the footing
on which they stood better than her
brother, and the innate pride in her ma
ture caused her to accept it with reser-
vations. She felt the gulf between them
and measured it by the worlds standard
Therefore when Mr.. Scrope made his
somewhat startling offer she, in spite of
her surprise, was not unprepared with
her answer.
And now that she had given it, she
asked herself if she had done right.
Mr.. Scrope was an only son; brilliant
future was before him; a world of which
she knew nothing was familiar to him.
Could she, who was accustomed to the
httlenesses incident to circumstances
somewhat above actual poverty, move
with propriety in circles accustomed to
every luxury9 Would his relatives, so
far above hers, accept her and her be-
longings She answered, "No." Mr..
Scrope had argued-what matter since
it rested with him to give her
place and position in the world as his
wlfe2 But that she knew would be a
separation for him from all former asso-
Citations, and her own unftness to move
in her lovers sphere would make her a
clog upon the life of him to whom, be-
fore she knew it, she had given her heart.
Such had been the train of argument
she had pursued, and she had struggled
free from the prospect open to her not
without pain, and had dismissed it as a
dream of beauty that had naught to do
with waking hours. And now
But it was over. The morning rose,
and she went about her tasks as usual
perhaps even more energetically, since
she needed an outlet for her pent-up
feelings. Mingled with pain there came
a sense of happiness in the knowledge
Of MIR. Scrope's love. To have it-nay,
perhaps to possess it still-carried her
into another world, in which, however,
she must always be alone, since all that
had passed must forever remain her own
especial secret.
Mr.. Scrope went abroad; and after
time he returned home to begin his
,areer.
Alice Jervis pursued her homely and
nonotonous life. She grew quieter and |
yraver, and worked more diligently. !
She believed that she had decided right !
y as regarded Mr.. Serope's happiness,
md the sacrifice she had made for his
'ake made her feel that she had right |
% be interested in him, and she lived in
he excitement of seeing his name in the |
papers and in gaining every particular of |
nm within her grasp. She smiled when |
me read his name among the presenta-
ions at court or noted his presence at |
he court balls. At such times she looked |
iown at the shabby dress and the poor
surrounding her, and |
wondered what sort of an appearance
he would have made in other circum-
stances.
At length she saw another announce
nent. Mr.. Scrope was going to be mar
led.
She turned pale, and put down the
,aper.
And yet she had expected this an
louncement-had looked for it day after
lay. Nevertheless, she felt strange