Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-11-06

love with the name, do you? But pray
accept the offer for both gentlemen,
Fan, and write this morning, dear"
Then Clemenune returned to the
consideration of the lace in coquilles
TOR her new evening dress.
The plan SO hastily sketched was
subsequently thoroughly discussed and
carried out. The cottage at Ryebank
was taken, and one evening at the end
of June the two ladies took possession
of it. The new Widow Clare had en-
gagged maid in New York and fell into
her part with charming ease and very
pretty assumption of authority, and
the real widow, in her plain dress and
pensive, quiet manners, realized effect
lively the idea of a cultivated but de-
pendent companion. They had two
days in which to rehearse their parts
and get all the household machinery IN
order, and then the gentlemen arrived
at Ryebank.
Fan and Clementine were quite
ready for their first call, the latter in
rich and exquisite mourning cos
tune, the former in a simple dress of
spotted lawn. Clementine went through
the introduction with consummate ease
of manner, ana in half. an hour, they
were very pleasant party. Johns
''cousinship" afforded an excellent ba-
sis for informal companionship, and
Clementine gave it full prominence.
Indeed, in a few days John began to
find the relationship tiresome; it had
been, ''Cousin John, do this,'' and
cousin John, come here" continually,
and one night when Cleve and he sat
down to smoke their final cigar, he
was irritable enough TO give his objec-
tions the form of speech.
"Cleve, to tell you the honest truth, l
do not like Mrs. Clare
81 think she is a very lovely woman,
john"
81 say nothing against her beauty,
Cleve; don't like her, and have no
mind to occupy the place that beautiful
ill-used Miss Marat fills. The way
Cousin Clare ignores or snubs a wo-
man to whom she is in every way infe-
rior makes me angry enough l assure
ycu."
Don't fall in love with the wrong
woman, John"
"Your advice is too late, Cleve; I'm
in love. There is no use in US deceiv-
ing ourselves or each other. You seem
to like the widow-why not marry her.
| am quite willing you should"
''Thank you, John; | have already
made some advances that way. They
have been favorably received, Il think"
"You are so handsome, a fellow has
no chance against you. But we shall
hardly quarrel, if you do not interfere
between lovely little Clement and my
self"
81 could not afford to smile on her,
John, she is too poor. And what on
earth are yor going to do with poor
wife? Nothing added to nothing will
not make decent living"
Il am going to ask her to be my wife.
and if she does me the honor to say
yes, will make decent living out of
my profession"
From this time forth John devoted
himself with some ostentatiOn to his
supposed cousins companion. He was
determined to let the widow perceive
that he had made his choice, and that
he could not be bought with money.
Mr.. Selden and Miss Marat were al
ways together, and the widow did not
interfere between her companion and
her cousin. Perhaps she was rather
glad of their close friendship, for the
handsome Cleve made a much more de-
lightful attendant. Thus the party
fell quite naturally into couples, and
the two weeks that the gentlemen had
first fixed as the limit of their stay
| heightened into two months.
II was noticeable that, as the ladies
became more confidential with their
lovers they had less to say to each
other, and it began at last to be quite
evident 10 the real widow that the play
must end for the present, or the denoue-
ment would come prematurely. Cir
cumstances favored her determination.
One night Clementine with radiant
face. came into her friends room and
said, Fan, have something to tell
YOU. Cleve has asked me to marry
him."
Snow, Clement, you have told him
all; L know you have"
.Not word, Fan. He still believes
me the Widow Clare
seDid you accept him."
"Conditionally. | am to give him
final answer when we go TO the city
in October. You are going to New
York this winter, are you not:"
Eyes. Our little play progresses
finely. John Selden asked me to be
his wife tonight"
81 told you men think and act in
pairs"
"John is noble fellow. Ipretended
to think his cousin had i'll used him,
until l was ashamed of myself; l abso-
Iutely said, Clement, that you were a
sufficient excuse for Mr.. Clare's Will.
Then he blamed his own past idleness
so much, and promised if would only
trv and endure ''the slings and arrows
of your outrageous temper, Clement,
for two years longer, he would have
made a hsme for me in which | could
be happy. Yes, Clement, L should
marry John Selden if we had not one
fiye-dolIar bill between u.s."
81 wish Cleve had been little more
explicit about his money affairs. How
ever. there is time enough yet. When
they leave to morrow what shall we do |"
"We will remain here another month !;
Levine will have the house ready for
me by that time. l have written 10
him about refurnishing the parlors.
So next day the lovers parted with
many promises of constant letters and