The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-12-06
She made no snswer. His anger

=
Withdraw your trust, then, Mr.
: Ii ardwicke.-
The quiet answer cut him like q
( keen blade. He threw the dollhouse
blossoms at her feet, and turning on
his heel, strobe away.
IL was an an idiot to act as | did.
She looked in trouble, poor thing,
, She has some reason she cannot tell,
perhaps. I'll go back"
And back be started. On the
| edge of the thicket which interviewed
between the Hall aud the Bectory,
the sound of voices arrested him: He
I turned in the direction of the sound,
, and, clearly recognizable in the white
moonlight, he saw Janet. She was
hanging fondly on the arm of a tall,
bearded man. and speaking with tear
ful eagerness.
'Good-by, Ralph, darling. Don't
forget my last words"
II won't Janet"
He ch sped her close, kissed her
again and again, and was gone.
All the blood in Eugene Hard
wick's body went seething to his
brain. He lesped forward Ike a
madman,
This is why you changed your
mind, is it,n be cried, seizing the
frightened girl by the arm "Yoa
wanted to meet another lover. But
| won't be trifled with. No woman
living shall play fast or loose with
me. Our engagement had better end
at once"
A little flush lit up Janet usually
dove-like eyes. She drew her figure
up with dignity.
"You have said quite enough, Mr.. /
Hardwicke Our engagement ends
this minute Here is your ring, and
bid you good evening"
/ The following morning dswned I.
eheerless and stormy; bat despite the
bad weather at an early hour Lillian
HardwIcke drove down TO the Rec
tory
"What is it, Janetg" she asked. en-
teTiDg The little room where Janet
sat at her embroidery. What is the
trouble between You aud Eugene!
He has gone off this morning, We
don't know where To India be says;
and forever. But il cant be What 4
has happened, dear!"
Nothing that can explain, Miss
Lillian. Mr. Hardwicke could not
trust me, that was all
And Miss Hardwieke was forced to
return as she came, wholly unsatis-
fed
After that the slow years drifted
by, dull and uneventful. What a fat
affair life is when some cruel blight
mas swept away all the bloom and
dew sparkle, aud left only ihr dull,
bare ield-. But Janet did not repine-
Like the little brown birds in the
hedges which chirp, aud aut,er, and
keep heart, in the midst Of the winter
frosts, she was always cheerful, aud
her willing hands never tired of work
And work is the great panacea Of all
human ills.
The summer roses blOomed and
fell aud winter SHOWS whitened the
blue hills, and nothing happened to
break the quiet monotoDy OF life at
the old Rectory.
One autumn night when it was
cold enough to have a blaze in the
chimney, Janet SAT- sewing, while
her father wrote oct his sermon for
the coming Sabbath. A sharp rap
resound through the quiet house.
"Wnc eau it be that raps 50 loud
and 50 late!" said the Rector, laying
down bis pen and going to the door.
A tall figure pushed forward.
Father Father"
For an instant the old man hesi-
lated. and then he opened his arms
and sobbed out
My SOM {
janet flew to Join them
oh, Ralph. Have you Gomez"
I've come, little one; I've come
all right this time. | couldn't for
get your parting words | haven't
touched card since" !" I've tried to do
better. and I'm a good biz on the
right rode, | hope Bot here's an :
old friend. Don't you know him!
Father, Nr Hardwieke
Mr.. Hardwicke entered ,Ianetis
heart beat wildly, bGt she met him
With serene face and cool brow
He knows all, )" cried Ralph i'm
petuoGsly, land be is come for your
pardon. Fate threw Us together, oat
there in Iudia; be caught the fever
and nursed him, and one night
when be fancied be was dying, be
told me the whole story of his trou-
ble."
Forgive me Janet" said EUgen;,
taking her band, his hendsoIae eyes
telling her that ais heart was loyal.
"Uh, there's nothing to forgive,
Mr. Hardwicke, and 10 another min-
ute she was sobbing on bis bosom.
Later there were foil explanations.
you can't tell how i, grieved me
to give up the ball, y she said, all the
pent up pain flowing out Of her
wounds, "bGt had nothing to wear
| intended to buy a nice dress and
the lovel.est Sc: Of PINK eoFals. On
Nr Hardwicke, it grieyes me TO
think Of them yet, they were so love
iy; bot you see, had to let poor
Ralph have the money"
"You are an angel, Janet" was
the reply, and deserve every 5ii
of the pain have endured. should
never have docbied you" I
",,ever doubt me again, dear she
>aid softly. (,
On the morrow when Eugeae
came again, bringing his sister with
him, be put prettey jewel case ia
Janet's hand She opened it and
Sc. OF pink corals,
The silly boy travelled all night
to obtain them, janet laughed Lii
lian
Janet said nothing, bat her eyes !
brinmed over; and a month later,
when the happy Wedding day came,
although Mr. Hardxieke insisted
that pearls were proper ornaments
for bride, Janet insisted upon wear
ing her pink corals--EH.Ds1 Gdrri-
sou Jones: PrtersoH's Magazine