The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1877-01-25

7OAeH uAL suddenly, 80 Aunt SSnfOFl
seemed to think.n
|, His father has been here onIr
: twice since Johns return
> Tnere was q strange expression II
Claudia's eyes for moment, but j
|, was quickly replaced by one whiet
J suggested triumphant antieipatiOu
ana II may De even more; F; but sht
i. made no verbal comment. An ho1
! or so afterward, as Lney Ferre
, slipped into the sitting-room at thl
Sq9ire's, she met him just going cut
Claudia Wayte Is here. met be-
] at the gate as / passed the house,
did you speak to her p
Yes and-and she asked. after vol
! and john stammered Lucy.
It was = long breath and a hard on,
but the Squire turned and went % e
MS room at once. When he came
down stairs again he Wss dressed
J rom head to foot 10 one Of the new
. suits John had brought him, and
Lucy noticed the change with an
nnwonted feeling Of pain at hsr
heart.
There we're more changes than that
t1 come, she could but think, for hel
only friends and for the home which
bad sheltered her 50 long. No won
der the plain, afeetionate, .difldent
girl should begin to take the signs OF
their coming so seriously. She could
hardly understand John, however, he
seemed so busy from day to day, and
so wonderfully cheerful.
He didn't love her very much.
she thought. Not at all like poor
joe Roberts. He never even men,
toned her name 80
But II John was q puzzle to Lucy.
the Squire was g greater one to Mrs.
Wsyte and Claudia he Certainly
was 3 noble-l0oking man, younger
than most atforty, and his clothes be-
came him well, and be was exceeding
~ cordial and polite. Claudia had
hardly imagined he could be so court
ly-so almost refined in bis speech
and ways.
~He is richer than Mr.. Bascom.
too she thought, and, o, won't be
even with John Chaplin before Pm
done with him .
Very beautiful she looked, indeed,
and the Squire thought he had never
seen any living being smile SO sweet
~, except it might bs-WelI, be could
hardly say about that, it was so loug
ago.
That evening, however, John Chap
| lin and his father were alone awhile
In the sitting-rO0m, while Lucy busted
herself with her household duties, and
the Squire suddenly cleared his throat
as II some mighty obstruction were
half choking hin.
John = he exclaimed.
Father y
T've quit bein' q fool this long
time, Jonn, and I think you Ort to
know it."
4 never thought you were one,'
said bis astOuished son.
"YOu never said 80, but UNDER
stood some things without your sayin'
'em. / forgot, for awhile, how you
and Claudy used to run together, and
forgot q good many other things.
was an awful old foOl.'
Father p
Hear me out, John, you're the one,
of Us two, to take q bride into the nav
house. I'll make q fair division with
ye, and pu stay here. She's q girl
thst'll want plenty Of money and
you're q man that would like to give
it,
1T can't be, father began John,
but the Squire said
1t Isn't your turn to speak yet, my
boy, but Iil just tell ye on thing. I
got mixed and foolish, and I didn't
gee right till one grand, moOnlit even
ing, while you were away, and l did
the best job OF work ever did in all
my life, and that was'-
What p asked John, huskily.
'Clearin' away four feet ofdrift from
q grave over yon, on the hill said the
Squire, as he sprang from his chair
and began to pace up and down the
room. It'll snow again, John, some.
time, but it'll never settle so deep Jest
there, agin. Not another word, lest
now, John guess PHI take q walk
A few minutes later, when Lucy Fer
rer came into the room, John Chap
lin wes sitting, all alone, with his
head bowed upon his hands.
Does your head ache, John p
It was raised, as she spoke, and
Lucy thought she had uever fn all
her life seen anything so noble, but
there were traces Of tears or the
bronzed cheeks. She would have re-
treated, but he said.
Lucy, dear, you must not be afraid
Of me any more
Afraid of 3 man like that, and
with tears on his face p
So she thought, aud yet she was
trembling from head to foot as she
came and sat down beside him.
You remember my mother,
Lucy p
why, John, she was almost the
only mother ever knew
Let's talk about her q little. There
will never be any other mother in
this house,
Lucy's heart beat strangely quick,
for it seemed to her almost as IL I
Claudia WAyte were in the room
with them; but she sat still and
talked with John Chaplin until it
seemed to her as II there were moth
ing in all the wide, wide world to be
afraid Of. Such strong, gentle, pro.
tecting sort Of presence there was
around John Chaplin.
The next day was glorious with the
sudden bursting OF the very late |
spring. one OF those days when we
find that the blossoms have come up-
on US unawares, and Mrs. Wayte |
deemed it most appropriate thing
that Squire Chaplin, all in bis new
suit, should maze q morning call on
Claudia. It was even 3 more i'm
portaDt matter that be should ask the 1
latter to take q walk with him.
The paths are dry he said, iand
it's as warm as q young summer.
Come along, Claudy.'
PerilOusly beautiful she looked, as
she tripped out by his side, ana ths
widow noticed the glance Of adniring
pride that he bestowed upoR her.
And Claudia's heart was fairly
swelling within her, for, as they
walked up the hill, and sha looked /
back down the valley, she thought
how much Of it all she would soon De
mistress Of.
'ClSudy,l said the Squire, as they
passed under q great glow Of blossom.
laden branches that reached over into
the road, aud be drew her. arm
through his. 'Ciaudy, Iye got some.
thing to say to you. 1 talked with
your mother while you was away, but
l didn't get it jest right, and 1 want
to fix it. You and John are Jest
made for one another, and so I've
given him the new house, and Pm
goin' 20 give him half OF everything
else, and you must let him come and
take you home with him, some day.
I'll be a5 good fzther to you as pve
been to him."
Even the Squire could hardly have
guessed why Claudia began 10 lean 50
heavily on his arm, but, just at that
moment, an open carriage came
whirling down the road, with trunks
10 it and 3 single gentleman, az IL it
had come from the railway station.
SO closely elung the beautiful girl, ia
her CONSERVATION al the meaning Of
the Squire's unexpected address, aud
30 full was she Of the strange bitter
ness Of her own tbOughts-in short,
30 near she came TO a dead faint, that
she took no note Of the undisguised
on the Strangers lace
she did not even recognize him.
In q brief space more, however,
Claudia's will and brain had so far re-
covered the mastery that there was
even sad and gentle In the
tone Of her reproachful reply.
fYou ought not to have said this to
me, Mr.. Chaplin
Ought to have left iE for john, you
n = Z I