The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-07-26

Drl1g a written order. so ne Went
up the hill to the old deacon's-thst
wus yesterday. He'll be here fur
certain today. But you've got the
manuscript, miss, to look at once agin,
anyhow. Catch me a-givin' ont up
till / had ter"
Tim, you are very good, kind
fellow" said Miss Thatcher.
She took the manuscript, and it
was then that. before she read a word,
she wrote in fne pencil mark upon
the margin of one of the sallow pages
"a page she turned over leaf after
leaf especially to fnd;
| mo one to love, none to earess''
Hardly had she written this when
the sound of crutch was heard on
the mill bridge, and voices, and in
another moment the sunny doorway
of the mill was darkened by two fig
ures.
There was no escape for Louisa
She arose from her love of a corner,
with the manuscriptin her hands.
IL am sure you have come for
this, y she said to the old deacon
Then she glanced 1t bis companion.
She caught the impression in her
rapid glance of scholarly looking
young mau, with pale forehead
and dark mustaehe, who wore eve
glasses
Il believe | am the owner of the
record left here so many years ago ,"
the young man exclaimed. But
have no reason to carry it away at
this moment. / shall he in the vii
lage over the Sabbath, perhaps
through the week. If you have not
finished reading it, shall leave the
book with you gladly"
"Oh, no." said Miss Thatcher,
quickly-too quickly she afterward
thought; but embarr Issment, or per-
haps fate. urged her to decline the
strangers politeness.
She was going, and as she went
an uncomfortable impulse caused ber
to turn back and say: "If you are
kindred to the man who wrote the
book, twill make you very sad. /
hope you will feel little love for
him" F"
At church on Sunday the claimant
of the Bowles' mill manuscript ap-
peared in a conspicuous pew, aud
Louisa Thatcher felt, even when he
was not looking at her, that his
thoughts were studying her through
and through.
On Monday morning, as she trudg-
ed along the highroad to the school
house, she met him, and be evidently
expected a recognition; but intent
upon the necessity of absolute digni.
ty in o district schoolma'am. she
vouchsafed MIN none
"She blushed, though" the young
man reflected, consolingly. That
evening be called at Mr.. Seaman's
With one of the village dignitarie.,
but the desire Of his eyes cup stairs
correcting compositions" and he did
not gain glipse Of her.
At noon the next day the mother
of the faxen-haired Nettie, pet of the
baby class, came with Nettie's lunch.
con, accompanied by the indefatiga-
BILE young man, who was then for
mally presented to Miss Thatcher.
From hat time they met daily on
the way to school and the way from
school, walking slowly along the
highroad and the pretty wood path
that closed it, and giving each other
gradually, with all the trustful facili.
ty of youth and irresistible attraction,
the confidential histories of their
young lifetimes. At evening be
came to see her.
One evening the young couple were
sitting in Mr.. Seaman's parlor by
the dim lamp, dignifed by the mer-
cenary genius of Mrs. Seamen into
ian extra" looking together over the
mill manuscript.
81 find it so dull" said Leonard
Mansfield Were it not for one
conviction, | should never be able to
finish. The consideration is for your
sake. because you like it, Louisa; the
conviction was the foundation of nv
coming to claim the record. When
nv uncle's will was read seven wears
ago, one clause struck nv imagina-
tion,
"If my heirs feel sufficiently in
terested in me to inquire into my per.
sonal history, they will find my diary
in the old mill where il was written,
at Red Cedar pond. Personal appli-
cation to be made to Deacon Treat
to Squire Wells The heirs noted
this direction with indifference.
my share OF the legacies took me
through college-as 10y father, one
of the dearest and noblest men, but
never fortunate in money making,
could not afford-and furnished me
with small capital to commence law
practice had more than one CON-
Functions thought about my benefac- !
tor 1t seemed to me a shame to ac-
cept much benefits from a man in
whom | had not even sufficient in 4
terest to acquaint myself with bis
personal history This year when | |
became for the first time encourag-
ingly established iG my profession,
| determined to commence my yaca-
ton by looking up the neglected
diary. confess | do not find N.Y.
self inspired by its revelation. What
did you find, dear Louisa, TO kindle
you into the request that has haunted
me: Il hope you will love him a lit
tie
Il found words 10 it," said Miss
Thatcher. signing SO sorrowfully. as
she had not done sine she had en-
tered her new world of love aub low
ing.
Worlds of what. my dearest?"
asked the light hearted young law
yer. He was elasping her hand in
one of his as be spoke, and with the
other be turned absently the leaves
of the time-stained book that lay on
the table. A little biz of handwriting
that be knew struck bis vision; it was
the line on the margin: