Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-02-23

l sat down, resolved to think over 1t al
calmly. and then to dismiss Sfacy Per
cival from my thoughts forever; onl,
thus. knew, could l hope to recover
my best peace.
He had taught me to love him. ane
then he had gone silently away; hat
been but summers pastime TO him
yet, no! he was too noble and good Il
have acted thus; 1t was my own vanit,
alone that had led me to believe that
was more to him than simply the init
mate friends of his cousin.
He had shown me every attention
vet, how could he avoid so doing. when
because of our mutual affection fol-
Laura, we had been thrown so con.
stantly together?
A quick step close by startled me from
the painful reyerie, and raised my eye:
to meet the earnest, searching gaze Of
Stacy Percival.
"Mabel!" he exclaimed, passionately
Il have something that | had meant
to have told you week ago, but nv
aunt hurried me away to the city so sud-
denly that l had no chance to speak t.
you alone, and then business compelled
me 10 hasten to the West. Mabcl, have
Travelled night and day that | IN ght IT,
turn TO you, and tell YOU that love YOU,
aud want you for my own-all NV own.
Mabel, dear. dear Mabel, why do you
turn from me. Speak TO me, Mabel,
speak TO me! Not a word! Then have
offended you. Forgive me. | was Il
fool TO think you could love one like me.
He turned and walked away, and
gaZed alter him with longing, fast
tirobbing heart, that would not let me
call him back. 1 stroye 10 speak, but
my tongue seemed paralyzed.
Suddenly he relraced his steps, his
face white and stern.
''Mabel, oh! Mabel, do you know
what you are doing driving me To des-
peration and despair Mabel, Mabel,
why did you let me have hope: You
must have seen that each passing day
was making me love you more and more,
and yet did not check me. You per-
mItIed me TO think oh, Mabel,'
His Voice died away i'll deep drawn
moan, aud sinking down beside me, his
head dropped on my knee.
found my voice then. The sight of
his suffering broke the spell which held
me silent.
STACY, dear Stacy" whispered, ,.'do
not grIeve 50. You are wrong. IL"
He lifted his head, and never was
human couutenance more ra,iianI with
! JOY, for the truth which my lips had re
fused 10 utter was Enthusiastically written
on my teli-tale face.
WI IA giad, triumphant cry, he caught
me in his arms.
My own, nv own, all mine, Mabel.
is it Lot so. My wife, my treasure |,
On! my darling, 1 don't deserve such
happiness As this"
How long We sat there beneath the
trees 1 know not, nor when the iuter-
view would have Terminated, had not
the voice of my aunt, sunnoniug me 10
the house, broke III upon our sweet con-
verse.
STACY" said |, as he bade me good
bye, ARE you sure Mrs. Wilton and
Laura will approye!"
He looked down at me with a startled
expression, and his cheeks flushed.
hy, yes, why should they not?
My aunt has always liked you, and
Laura Is your uear friend Oh course
they Will approve. But what if tiiey
should not! and he pressed me To his
side with n Mid energy. "Wh hat care
we, my darlingI They cannot separate
us, who love SO dearly; we are free
agents. And now, good-bye, my pet.
L must hasten To the city aud report my
return"
He walked hastily away, and looked
after him until his tail nsure became
lost in the distance. Then 1 welt back
into tie house, my heart filled with
mingled emotions oi joy, aud bewiluer-
ment, and lear, Ior cUulu not dismiss
the feeling that such happiness could
not endure, but mus, be the precursor
OF coming misfortune.
Strange how the shadows of the future
will sometimes cross our hearts and
darken them, even in the miusI of the
MONDAY of joy.
The next day 1 received letter from
Stacy. Business would detaiu him from
me several days. l wrote in reply, as
he desired, and with his second letter
(yet distant from it, came a note from
Mrs. Wilton. requesting me to meet her
at her country house, bali a mile dis
tant, on the following dav.
Wondering what the strange sum-
mons could import, L proceeded with
not little trepIdation, 10 Rayenswood,
and found Mrs. Wilton awaiting me.
She seemed greatly agitated, and
alluded at once TO the object of her visit.
"Miss Mabel, 1 have left the city, Sc
cretly and hurriedly,t TO ask you whether
you think it is the part of one friend to
steal from another that which she most
values! Tell me, truly, is such an act
honorable, or like friend ?" t
"No-no - certainly not" / stam-
mered, while my heart grew cold, for L
dreaded what was to come. -J-
''Yet you have done this" she went
OH, in a hard, ringing voice; ''you have
prOfessed to be Laura's friend You
have tried to take from her the heart of
one who has taught her to love him,
who has told her that she, and none
other should be his wife. In short,
Miss Markoe, you have beguiled an en-
gagged man into whispering love ditties
in your ears, and fOrsaking one to whom
he is bound by every tie of honor and
humanity. DO you hear, girl. He is
"A faithless, dishonorable man. and but
that Lara would die of a broken heart,
you might have him i'm welcome. Oh
Mabel! Mabel!' she added, her voice
changing TO one of pleading, with start
ling rapidity, 'Fhave pity OH your friend
Stacy has whispered of love to her for
years past. She has twined her affec-
tions around him, until. to lose him
Now, frail. weak girl that she is, would
be her death blow. Oil Mabel, give
him up; send bin from you. and he
will return to Laura. Be just, be
generous, and Heaven will reward the
deed."
She knelt to me-she, that white
haired n.other-wringing her hands ib
agony, and l listened with stolid, stony
comp0sure.
''lf Laura were only stronger; if she
were able to bear the shock of his faith
lessDess-but she must never know how
nearly her happiness WAS wrecked: the
knowledge would bring her to the grave.
Give him back to her, Mabel; tickle,
dishonOrable as he is, her life depends
on her belief In his truth. He taught