The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-14

| to this night, being DER my head, as Ie
winged messenger OF heaven but
you had better open the window and go
within, for there is shower coming up
and you'll get your wings wet. Besides,
you've been out too long already"
"Thank you, sir / will 60 in imme-
diately, since you have watched me so
long as to grow tired of me-" and she
turned in very dignifed manner to the
window, quick as love always is to take
offsnse at nothing, and secretly not
little vexed that he has been walking up
and down there so long and not spoken
before. But the unlucky window closes
with a spring, and is FAST One or two
frantic efforts to lift it, and she stands
still.
A low, amused laugh from below.
"You don't mean to say the window is
locked? Well, that is too good. Say
you are sorry for being indignant at
nothing, and I'll run up and let you in.
"The door is locked too," says the
disconsolate Juliet and this wicked
man, straightway seeing the comical
side of the affair, goes off into long,
low laugh. But he is stopped by an
other heavy roar of thunder, and in
| moment more he has thrown off his hat
and is climbing hand over hand up the
wooded vine that grows against the side
| of the house, and twines over the bal
cony. As he climbs he says, in ierky
way. not at all dramatic, "With loves
| light wings did o'erperch these wallis"
and getting over with great scramble,
| tears very unromantic rent in his coat.
But, as he stands beside her, all that
is ludicrous dies out of his manner, and
he takes both her hands in his own in
that caressing way that she thinks, poor
child, is peculiar to him, and looks into
the dropping face.
1t is dangerous TO stand on balcony
on summer night alone with girl
that loves you, and that you love, un-
less you mean to make her aware of
your feelings. Any resolves in the way
of firmness are apt to melt into nothing,
and float away ont of reach.
Outlet" he says, in tone that is
little constrained, "are you going to
marry the minister"
just little whispered "No" for an
swer, but it makes him happier than
such word is apt to make man on
such an occasion.
"Why not ?" a little more hopefully.
Because, Rex, I don't love him."
A sudden pressure of the hands that
hold hers, and then Rex draws her,
shrinking and trembling with rapture
that is half joy, half pain, to his breast,
and says words that are like benedic-
tion to her.
Few men make love we'll, as regards
eloquence but words that are common
place enough in black and white can
easily blossom into q marvel of beauty on
summer night with one who loves you
devotedly to listen.
The storm gathers faster, the thunder
mutters louder, the wind shakes the
trees, and Juliet has no idea how long
! these sounds last, when great drop of
rain falls on their face Git could hardly
fall between them).
"That says I must let you in hope
haven't kept you out too long al
ready"
81 hope you haven't" she answers
demurely.
He turns to the window, takes out his
jack-knife, and shivers one of the panes,
which are, fortunately for Mrs. Gray, of
a fanciful shape and rather small, reach
| es in to the spring and raises the win
dow, and they both step inside, just as
the rain begins to come down in torrents.
"Juliet," calls the cautious voice,
not of the garrulous nurse, but of her
aunt, as they light the gas and open the
door. Rex slips an arm about her and
they go down the hall, and, leaning over
the railing, look down.
Auntie Gray is one of those restless
sort of people that are always prowling
around the house in nervous dread if
there is storm in the night and there
che st ,nds in wrapper and slippers
with night-lamp in her hand, calling
softly to know if Juliet's windows are
down, and if she thinks it will be very
severe storm.
A sudden impulse comes to Rex
he tightens his arm about Juliet, and
draws her down the stairs. When they
stand in front of the astonishe1 woman
he says coolly, not at all minding
Juiet's burning cheeks: "May I have
her for my wife, auntie?"
"Well, well - she cries, looking from
one to the other in a dazed way as if to
find out what it all means, if that
don't beat all | What blind old fool
I've been, to be sure. But Providence
always does provide some way" setting
her lamp down carefully, 30 as to hold
up both hands. in her surprise. "Here's
dear DR.. Speecham asked me to marry
him, and I wouldn't do it, because I
thought you loved. him, and I knew,
being man, he couldn't help learning
to love you. There, there |" and she
breaks off with little sob that is half
strangled by Juliet's arms about her
neck.
So the curtain falls on our little drama.
Let us hope this "love en- balcony"
may prove to be of the right sort that
will last through life [; that none of them
may ever take poison and that the
stream that often has it's rocks and shall
lows, sharp curves and rapids, may in
this case, in spite of the old adage, "run
smooth"