The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-09-10


asked. ..
Rachel tossed box down on the
counter; the old man bent his specta-
cled eyes down to survey the goods.
How much are these"
"A dollar pair"
But am a poor man; have you
nothing cheaper?"
Mol" snapped Rachel, CT told you
to go elsewhere, have no patience with
paupers."
beg your PARDON" said the old
man, "I am not pauper."
"Well," observed the girl, scornfully,
"you look like one."
Appearances are dreadful deceitful.
Did you tell me you had cheaper
gloves ?"
81 didn't tell you any such thing ~
" Rachel ~ demonstrated her cousin.
"Let me show you what you want,
sir, she said, softly, turning to the old
customer. We have some very nice
gloves at seventy-five cents"
Seventy-five cents is great deal of
money to pay for pair of gloves" said
the old man looking sorrowfully down
on the mended fingers of those he wore,
"but the weather is getting very frosty,
and l am not so young as l was"
" should think that was quite evil
dent" said Rachel, with heartless tit
ter.
Ruth bent toward the old man saying
in low, sweet voice:
"Take the warm worsted gloves, sir.
The price is seventy-five cents, but you
shall have them for fifty. myself will
make up the difference to the store
You are an old gentleman, and 1 am
young and able to work"
But am nothing to you, Miss"
Ruth folded the gloves neatly in a
piece Of paper, and handed them to
him.
&C For the sake of the dear father who
died year ago, old age can never be
nothing to me, sir. Please don't
thank me; indeed L deserve no graft
tude."
And Ruth drew blushingly back,
while Rachel burst into laugh.
upon my word, Ruth, you are the
greatest fool ! ever saw |" she cried
while the old gentleman hobbled out of
the store. CT would see the old beggar
in Jericho before would have given him
anything. Why doesn't he go to the
poor house"
nrnnt r.
Harry Meredith astonished little Ruth
Durr very much by asking her to be his
wife.
1t was as if the gates of Paradise had
been suddenly opened to her-the mod
est little girl, secretly worshipping Har-
ry Meredith in her heart of hearts had
never dreamed of the possibility of such
good luck being in store for her.
That evening she told her cousin
Rachel listened in silence. The prize
had been near her grasp once, but some
how it had slipped away.
ct think you must be mistaken,
Ruth" she said, acrimoniously. "I
think Mr.. Meredith never would"
She checked herself, for at that in
slant the door opened, and Harry Mere
dith was announced.
"Well, Rachel" he said, pleasantly,
care you ready to congratulate me upon
the sweet little wife L have won ?"
Rachel muttered one or two formal
sentences, but she was very pale. Mere
dith observed her with smile.
"Ruth," he said, turning with q
smile, ct have something to show
you.'
He put tiny parcel in her hand. She
opened it, and out fell pair of worsted
gloves.
She looked wistfully into his face, then
the whole tide of memory came back
upon heart.
g Harry! were you the old man 20
~ was the old man, my dearest"
And then Rachel knew why it was
that the ship freighted with all her
hopes had drifted away, when 1t was so
near the haven. She had been weigh
ed and found wanting.
Where She was Fooled.
Il