The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1878-08-17

ing in field adjoining our garden. and
he remained with me. Shortly after
when he found that queer feeling in
his head agreed with the same discomfort
in my poor Uranium, he brought a-chair
behind the counter, and in low, tender
voice he detailed to me the interesting
diagnosis of his pet malady.
On-the other side of me the ministers
son, who was home from college, and
suffering from that period of egotism
which comes to young men of his kind,
remained during the entire evening, to
show his contempt for the young, the
fair, the frivolous. A few old married
friends, whose wives were sick or away.
lowered about the grocery counter, so
that it really did happen that [ was sur
rounded by men. The evening was pass
ing pleasantly enough. Ny dark corner
was well patronized, and every woman
who has to do with church entertain
ments will understand my qualification
when found it was ten O'clock and all
was well. At this time letter was put
into my hand by one of the post-office
messengers-we always made feature
OF the postoffice at our festivals, where
pink and parti-colored missives, with
doves and other doting designs upon the
envelopes, were distributed at extrava-
CANT rates of postage. | had Just been
favored with liberal offer from Gus
toner, and, elated with my bargain,
proceeded to put up my bundles, not
giving much heed to the love letter from
the neighboring booth. Truth to say,
| felt a little tingling of the blood at the
idea of the mockery that might that
might be concealed therein by one OF
those witty village youths, and the letter
lay there for full half hour, when some
body said, in the most commonplace way.
$50 Jack Hunter is back from
China.p .v -r
In a moment every thing was black
before me. l dropped my hands and
my eyes to the counter, and when this
sudden dizziness was gone, | saw upon
the lite tawdry envelope Jacks scrawl-
| ing handwriting. Here was the little
line Ihad coveted all these years. and
this is what my half-blinded eyes made
out:
Il came home because | was mad to
see you-because all these years, and
your old perfdy couldn't kill my love
for you. | find you just as | expected
to, in a space small enough to be filed
outside and inside with-men You are
as beautiful and fascinating as ever, and
as fond of admiration. [ hear that you
are about to be married to the grocer at
your elbow, who SO engrosses your atten-
ton that you do not care to look at the
passers-by. God help him, and God
bless you! / have had my lesson. Now
| shall, perhaps, be satisfied. Good-b by"
Five minutes after that | was running
home, without my hat, and with his note
crumpled up in my hand. The people
at the festival no doubt thought that
mamma was taken suddenly i'll. They
could not have fancied [ was running
after Jack, because he had been there at
the church for an hour, and had been
totally unconscious of his presence.
Dear heaven! how could it be that |
didn't know, that something didn't tell
me, that didn't feel he was near me?
But | did hot. | went ON talking to
the grocer about remarkable operation
for an ulcer that he had undergone,
when Jack must have been only few
rods away | ran down the road, my
heart in my throat. Fortunately the
village street was deserted. Every man,
woman and child were at the festival,
except those who could not be out at all
so | ran on unchecked, dim fear gain
ing weight with me that Jack had not
unpacked his trunk, and was off to
China again within an hour. But when
[ reached his house, which was next
door to my own, saw him sitting out
on the balcony smoking cigar, with his
feet perched upon the railing. But his
face grew very pale in the moonlight,
and his feet clattered speedily down
upon the porch when he saw me run in
at the gate. The cigar fell from his lips,
the ashes tumbling over his broad while
waistcoat.
why, thank God" he said, "this
must be my own dear little girl. Now,
see here, Jenny" he began, scolding,
minute after; but he kept tight hold of
ness as I did. -ss4s Asek - q =
Nothing can persuade him that am
not a desperate firt, as beautiful as an
angel, and irresistingly fascinating. /
have not the least doubt that half the
village are laughing at Jacks ridiculous
devotion and jealousy; but the we'll
meant endeavors of his friends and fam
lily to convince him that | am plain,
faded, unattractive, and neglected old
maid he laughs to scorn as conspiracy
of envy or jealousy. And how can l
wonder at his delusion? Mamma says
Jack has terribly aged during these
years of loneliness and exile, and looks
older and not so comely as our neighbor
the grocer; but to me he is still the
handsome, alluring, in every way adora-
bic Jack. He is walking up and down
the little balcony next door at this pres
ent moment, and hidden by our odorous
honeysuckle vine, / am listening to him
trill out the last words of his favorite
ballad: A%
q So girls be true while your lovers away,
For cloudy morning for a cloudy INFORMING
Oft proves pleasant day"
-Harper's Weekly.