Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-07-25
Yes, or No.

Terrible weather-quite an Old-fash-
ioned Christmas-the snow falling fast
in flakes as large as dimes, and an icy,
penetrating wind sweeping across the
country. with fierce determination to
have its own way. Everybody said it
was the coolest winter ever known; but
that is the annual saying.
At the Elms, the seat of country
gentleman, in one of the Northern
States, a large party had assembled to
spend the Christmas holidays. Mr..
Fowler. the owner of the Elms, was a
man of both taste and liberality, and
enioved nothing better than to gather
his friends around him. He was Il
widower. with one child-Lucilla, a
sparkling, sprightly girl of nineteen or
twenty.
The party consisted of several friends
and neighbors of Mr.. Fowler, and their
wives and daughters. There was, of
course, prOportionate number of
Young men. and among them a certain
Captain Wilfred Herbert, a great ad-
mirer of Lucilla's, without, a Yet hay-
ing actually declared himself. 1t
needed not much discernment, however
TO perceive that he was devotedly at
lached to the young lady, while she on
her part was not Indifferent to him.
But Just let me tell you a word about
.ucilla. She WAS one of those dear be-
vitching creatures that will make YOU
think that you are very nice sort of a
fellow, and that you are just the kind
of 4 man that she always admired: then
without any perceptible effort, will
cause YOU to suppose that you are a
great, blundering thing that astonishes
himself By his own conceit in suppos-
ing that he. for moment, could COM
pare himself with her; hut underneath
ali this. there was 4 woman's nature
that could be loving, and even sincere
Now. her father. who strange 10 say.
could not read young ladies like book
seeing only a coquette in his charming
daughter. was much pleased by the
preference paid her by the handsome
Young officer. who came of an excel
lent family. and in addition TO his pro
fession. had an ample private fortune,
and. in his parental solicitude. was de-
-irous OF seeing her happily settled with
some deserving and eligible young
man. Mr.. Fowler himself was verging
on seventy years, having married late
In life
IL was about midday and the scene
in the grounds of the Elms Was AM
mated and striking. They were OF
great extent, and in summer most
beautifully laid out. Now, however,
their beauties were veiled beneath
waste of snow. The immense elms,
yews and cedars which skirted the lawn
30 extensively as almost To resemble the
open space in Il park, were weighed
down by fantastically shaped conglo-
meration of snow, and the lawn itself
was a vast sheet of white, reminding
one as much of Siberia, and its sable
and mink hunters, as of an American
landscape and party Of American
ladies' and gentlemen.
The guests of Mr.. Fowler-some
thirty in number-Seemed 10 be ENJOY
ing themselves amazingly. Some of
the young men had, for the amusement
of the ladies, contrived to make huge
figure of snow, and they and their fair
companions were now engaged in pelt-
ing the giant with snowballs. Others
had rugged out. Russian fashion, some
pretty little sleighs, which, drawn by
three ponies adorned by silver bells,
and each capable of containing two
persons. afforded an opportunity for
firting not TO be lost by people showed
up in country house. Most of the
Young ladies were clothed in fur suits
from head 10 foot, while the gentlemen
in fur caps and jackets, contributed
their share TO very picturesque tab
leau The tinkling of the sleigh bells.
and the merry shouts of the party en-
gagged in pelting the snow giant formed
most pleasing accompaniment Ia the
hilarity of the scene.
Miss Fowler. who had been sleighing
in turn with half the young men OF the
partv. had left the merry throng for
one moment to confer with her father
On some matter of domestic economy
Very pretty and piquant looked Lu-
ella Fowler, mufiled III suit OF rich
,ables. her black eyes twinkhnS Ike
those of squirrel and her nose DIS
PLAYING just the faintest suspicion OF
red in the frosty air. She laughed
chatted, mimicked, and flirted outrage
ously. aa- o.e
You will have to take care whai
YOU are about, Lucilla, pet, ;" whispered
Mr.. Fowler to his daughter, warningiy
"or Herbert win 'cry off.
'.He has never been 'on' yet, papa,
returned she, tossing her head indig-
nantly. Gle has never asked me, and
ii he did, l should say NO "
"oh, pooh pooh.'' said the old gen
tleman, good humoredly. Tell that
to some one else, Lucllla: il won't &c
down with me-"
And he turned away from his