Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-05-10
For My Sake, John. .

u
'sMiss Cameron" LeOnie Cameron,
laZily looking out of bow window
upon garden flaming with autumn
tints and a sunset glow, lifted a pair of
soft eyes to Mrs. Tollman's face just
at that moment the anxiety was very
apparent to Leonie. So, after her first
careless glance, she Strengthened in her
low chair, and said quietly yet with
every appearance of interest:
''What is the matter:"
An awkward pause followed that
the inquiring glance of the dark eyes,
cleared her throat twice, and finally
said, with nervous emphasis:
John Furber,'
Miss Cameron's face seemed to freeze.
IT was a very beautiful face, with pride
for Il leading expression. Sweetness
lurked in the finely-shaped mouth, and
Intellect beamed from the radiant eye,
but pride shadowed all Ii carried the
small head gracefully erect, it swept
the folds of her rich dresses with re-
yaI motion, it touched the small, patri-
cian hands, and was evident in the
well-modulated tones of the refined
voice.
'Therer' Mrs. Tollman said despair
ingly. "I've made you mad already and
haven't said anythingr
I'm not mad" Leonie answered and
there certainly lurked a smile in her
mouth at the good wOman's consterna-
tion. "But you have not told me yet
what troubles you"
"It's John, Miss Cameron. and"
then, rapidly, as if the words were
forced by fear of her ability to finish
her self-appointed task, she hurried on ::
"He's my nephew, miss, as you know,
though mis- father is rich man, very
rich, and John is above his mothers
place in life. She's dead and John was
spoiled somewhere between the year
she died and two years ago. L don't
know where, but he was brought up an
idler upon his fathers money, and from
idleness to drinking, gambling, and BAD
ways is an easy road.
'1His father is hard man, and he
thrust him out near year ago. Disin-
herited him! He came here, for love
him. I've nothing else to love; hus-
band and children are in the graveyard, +,
so | love john"
There was piteous pleading in the
woman's face. but LeOnie's was blank,
save for an air of polite interest.
.'He was most desperate when he
came here, but coaxed him up little.
But-but-O Miss Cameron, you know
what want to say. You are beautiful,
rich; lady far above me in education
and position, and only boarding here
for country quiet. I've no right to find
Standardization fiirt with John.
He is in trouble, despondent, disinheri-
ted, and he's falling in love with you as
fast as he can. 1 believe if you play
with him he will kill himself, body and
soul"
Fairly out of breath with her own
earnest utterance, Mrs. Tollman paused
looking pleadingly into Leonie Came
ron's face. The expression of polite in
terest never wavered as the young lady
said:
"If / understand you Alright, you
wish me to ignore your nephew. 1t is
no: easy, as he is in yonr house; so L
had better leave it,"
Goodness! cried the widow aghast
at this Interpretation of her words, 81
never meant that! Where could you
find another boarding-place near here?
~ can return to the city,"
"I've put my foot in il; John Will
never forgive meI' said Mrs. TOllman
,lisconsolately. But there was no SYM
pathy i'm Leonie's face, and she turned
away at last more perplexed and more
anxious than ever. And Leonie, sink
ing into a chair, looked at the sunset
clouds and yariegated foliage, and
thought perhaps il was time to 90 back
TO the city. She had come to Scranford
weary with a round of fashionable life, =,
tired of fiattery, dancing, flirting, and
she found rest and quiet under Mrs.
Tollman's motherly care. She was rich
richer far than the landlady had any
idea of: but she had no relatives, hiring
a second cousin to keep her lonely home
and play propriety. Society constitu-
ted itself her amateur guardian; and
laying back i'm her cushioned chair, in
the sunset glow, she wondered ipdo-
lently what society would say about
John Furber.
1t would grant him rare perfection
of manly beauty of face and form, and
forgive the evident traces of dissipation
if it was known that he was the son OF
rich man, educated at college, idle by
profession. But i'm what molly horror IL
would turn away with uplifted hands
when IL was known that he was dislll-
herited, with no home but a room IN
the house of a widowed aunt who was
eking out her narrow income by taking
boarders, Ii would smile at his biting
sarcasms, his brilliant conversation,
his cynical sneers, if he were reinsta-
ted in his fathers favor, but how rude
those would be i'm poor man
Leonie, from thinking of society 8
opinion, quite uncOnsciOusly glided
into considering her own. This dark
Drowned man had made fair portion
of her summer pleasure for three
months; had been her cavalier in many
country drives, walks, and sails, had
quoted poetry under shade trees, sung
in a suDerb baritone upon murmuring
waters, looked into her eyes on moon
light porch, and whispered delicate
words of fiattery-no more than many
other men had done. A beauty and
rich, Miss Cameron had looked upon
more than one languishing suitor, had
forgotten him when her amusement
wearied her. Scarcely flirt, for she
encouraged no downright love making,
but beautiful. fascinating young wo-
man, who wounded hearts with me-ely
careless grace.