The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-04-19
ALL FOR LOVE.

There were two things favorable to the
success of Dowley's love suit with Miss
Orville-his perseverance and her friends
opposition. To the last named cause he
was already much indebted. Marion's
brother-in law, whenever he found the
aspirant for her hand in the parlor,
growled out the briefest possible saluta-
tion and turned his book on him, while
her sister, still more cuttingly, ignored
his presence in the house altogether, or
if she CHANGED to come into the hall as he
was taking leave, was in the habit of cast
ing suspicious glances as if she feared for
the overcoats, and meditated calling q
servant to attend to this very doubtful
unknown intruder.
After a scene like this Marion could
not, as she otherwise might, forget the
young man the moment the door closed
on him; occasionally her beautiful dark
eyes flashed with Indignation as she
thought upon the injustice of these family
friends, and the insults they dared heap
upon one from whom she chose to re-
ceive attentions. Sometimes the petted
sister fancied Mary and Charley treated
her with coldness on Dowleys account
and then she would weep and long for
affection which was devoted and un-
changeable and unexacting-such, for
example, as Job Dowley had ventured to
hint he carried about with him, ready
for her acceptance. She fell into the
habit Of wasting the midnight gas in
poring over poetry and novels pertaining
to "love that cannot die" thwarted at
tachmonts and runaway matches. Under
these circumstances, and possessing a
fair share Of engaging qualities, lover
would be pretty sure to win. Marion's
admirer was not remarkable for either
personal or intellectual endowments. If
we sum up the former we find them to
consist of beautcous mustache, upon
which its owner placed great reliance.
4 good deal of time wasted away, and
still Job was unable to perceive that in
his love affair any material advantage
was gained. 1t would not do to let things
go on so much longer. He knew well
it was not safe to make formal declara-
tion yet; but while he waited, content to
receive the smiles of the angelic girl,
some one else might carry off the prize,
leaving poor Job, if possible, in a more
deplorable strait than even his ancient
namesake.
How would it do to affect illness and
have Miss Orville sent for? Seeing him
on the threshold of eternity, might not
her precious, waxen heart melt sufficient
ly to allow his image to be surely i'm
pressed thereonl When her blessing ap-
peared about to take its fight, it would
brighten to her vision, according to the
poet, giving him the opportunity of max
n II of
immediate surrender,
There were fevers-very respectable
disease, to be had at short notice-forid
face no objection. The malady of all
others to which he seemed adapted. He
resolved to have a fever-a genuine ty-
phoid, and no hypocritical pretence,
which at the best may not succeed. In
view of the glorious results which were
to follow, he could afford frst-class ar
ticle.
His room was in the third story. 1t
was a windy winters night, with the
thermometer within whispering distance
OF zero, and the moon careering in the
blue heavens as glittering as bride in
tulle, satin and diamonds. Unable to
keep off the shivers, Dowley had rung
for the fire boy three times in as many
hours; and while the latter heaped coal
on the CRATE, the former heaped maledic-
tions on the grinning, woolly head. This
was preuiovs to Jobs fever attack.
The wind had risen higher; it ratified
and shook and rocked whatever it came
in contact with. But its violence bore
hardly comparison to the force of Jobs
determination. The lower sash of his
window was raised and pair of nude
feet thrust unhinchingly across the sill,
the nucleus of the coveted fever. The
residue of Mr.. Dowley lay back in his
chair, smiling benignly as the shadows
of coming events passed before his men
tai vision, seeming intensely real
He drew a deep inspiration. "Ah,
my Marion my angel why does she
not come to me?"
Affecting the treble he answered him,
self-"I am here, Jobie-your own
Marion is by your side, holdin' on to the
bedpost with both hands, the better to
bear the anguish of my heart Don't
die, won't you? Say quick ?"
Job here raised his head and glanced
through the whitened pane, to see how
his feet prospered. His toe nails appear
ed to be edged with frost, and, in fact
UI6 tuulI6 lSeb lOOheu very mucu uhe
couple of eccentric loaves of wedding
cake. But he was not yet sure whether
they were done enough. He was in
hopes he began to feel structure in the
throat; and certainly he did, with only
reasonableef effort, cough very triumpantly.
The treble tones were heard again,
but Job interrupted himself with sneeze,
then he snuffed and tried whether he
could say Marion, and found to his de-
light that it sounded -Balryodd.
There could be no mistake now, he was
catching cold sweetly.
The bell rang sharply. Job did not
hear it, since he had business of more
importance TO attend to, but it was
the second application which had been
made at the house to the same end. The
servant came bouncing up stairs.
"It's the perlice," said she, "and
he axed to know was it a corraps that's
crapin' out backward out of the windy
in the third story, and he reckoned it