The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-06-07
Miss Dinah'S Rash Vow

Beautiful, miss" said Teresa, having
thrown open the shutter and looked out and
up, now looking in again, with ever so
pleasant smile on her round, homely face,
now almost handsome in the cherry sunshine
that streamed in. "Not cloud no rain
to-day, miss; aud he will come for sure"
"Do you think 2" returned Miss Dinah,
smiling brightly also, and rising from her
bed to run across the floor and peep over
Teresa's broad shoulder.
No longer young was Miss Dinah Prynne
quite fifty, and perhaps even morei but
wonderfully active, with eyes as pretty and
bright as in her girlhood, not much wrinkled
and faculties clear as they had ever been.
With sprnging step and quick motion, she
fitted about the room, making her toilet,
humming to herself, stopping now and then
to scold old Teresa who hobbled after her
that sort of scolding which is, under certain
circumstances, an expression Of especial good
humor such as possessed Miss Dinah this
morning.
"And you think it will not rain ?" she said
for the tenth time. "This time ofyear thun-
der storms come up very suddenly, remem-
ber." She spoke as if Teresa was some i'm
portant officer on the staff of the clerk of the
weather, and had better be careful about her
predictions.
"Tutl September thunder-storms are rare
MISS and he amt afraid of a little wetting
do suppose. A little thing like that
wouldn't keep him back" replied Teresa
with scorn.
Miss Dinah ate her breakfast in feyersh
lmpatence, which she strove to hide. AT
terward she put on her sun bonnet and nit.
tens, and went into the garden, attended by
old Teresa, with watering-pot, trowel and
rake, and other tools, together they worked
among the flowers. Miss Dinah, as she
progressed, shipped off contributions for @
boquet-very near as large as a cabbage
head.
"IIe always liked flowers, Teresa" she
said smelling this horticultural marvel when
| ~ was COlI Ipletcu' llc never ldIlcu W IcuN'
me bunch every morning. Sometimes
let them wither to vex him." and she
laughed at the memory of her beautiful
girhood's caprices.
at was a pity to worry him, miss" said
Teresa, with honest reproval.
Pooh the more did the fonder he was
Of me. There was nothing wouldn't do tt
pain him sometimes. That was thirty years
ago." and with little sigh, she glanced
backward, as one may in minute through
that long vista.
"Thrty yearsr' said Teresa, " and you
amt seen him since, and changed he mus
be now-as changed as you, miss. mind
your petur' upstairs"
"I was nineteen then it's very like
everybody thought So" interrupted Mis-
Prynne.
Nobody could tell it for you now"
DO you think so ?" said Miss Dinah dis
appointed. "Itwill be shock to him when
he sees me. They say old sweethearts al
ways think of the face that was, aud never
of what time must have done. 1t is so, too
l can't call him up except as he was then
I've tried hundreds of times, but Garland
he was fine young man, Teresa "a beauti
full young man, with great large blue eyes
and straight nose, and white teeth, and
chestnut hair, and a tall and graceful figure
nobody that I've ever seen since is the least
bit like him. And he is not bit altered
Teresa" and she laughed again, almost be
lieving it.
But he is, miss. lie is old and crooked
and feeble, and ou will feel bad when yoI
see him, as bad as he will feel when he see'
+, you," said Teresa, who was jobs comforte
sometimes
Miss Dlnah looked pained, and sigheC
again. almost wish was not to see hin
again, and sometimes believe | shall not
Perhaps he will not come after all. Yol
know II made such foolish VOW" an'
she looked little frightened.
1 You often promised to tell me about il
. miss" replied her ancient handmaiden, VIII
5 felt profound curiosity in all that concern
I ed this great meeting that was to be to-day
al will-I'll do so now, and hear wha
you think. 1t will frighten you, dare say
but you must remember it was only girl
folly, and God knows I've repented since"
! They stood now in the shade OF the grea
!, cherry tree at the end of the old garden
: thin little Miss Dinah, with her great bon
e net on, and stout old Teresa-homely fg
I ures, but the picture was pretty one. Brigh
was the September sunshine, and the fra
grant air full of the sweetm ofthe bird
And as they stood thus, Miss Dinah glance
back again through that long vista of thirt
years, and told ber story of her girlsh love
. simple, but not without its tragedy an
pain.