Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1879-09-30

- And a don't feel enthusiastic
either" he blurted out, his face redden-
ing under her surprised, innocent blue
eyes. The fact is, / went bewitched
over pretty face, and somebody ought
to have kicked me from here to Jericho
before made such deuced-ass yes
of myself" ttf4s
[ Jacks widow drew down the white
shade, so that the invalid bear would
not have the western sunlight too direct
in his eyes. r5qs4yaf -1rt <.f
i4It isn't SO bad as that, 1 hope,
! Slingerland, is it? Well, don't let's
bother about it any more just now. Be
quiet little while, while l run down
and see what can find for your sup
per-"
She went away, leaving Mr.. Valentine
thinking all sorts of curious thoughts,
very prominent among which was what
a good wife poor Jack had. and what a
deuced fne-looking woman she was yet,
and how amazingly he liked to have her
around. and what the dickens he would
do when she went away.
Up in the Shawangums the August
days were royal in their pulsing ardor,
and Effie and Cousin Harry had, quite
some time before, decided that it was
the most delightful summer of their
lives, when, into all the sweetness and
beauty and content, one day there came
a letter to Aunt Hepsy from Mrs. Her
man, saying that Mr.. Slingerland Valen-
tine was coming to see his betrothed
and that Effic was to treat him accord
ingly. -i.tt -4
And, three hours later, the gentleman
himself appeared. to the awe Of Jessie
e -
ple-minded auntie, who ushered him,
and all his glory of massive gold watch
chain and sparkle of diamond studs, into
the prim, cool, dark "parlor;" where
the chairs-six of them sat in straight
rows, and the carpet was the identical
striped one that had been bridal pres
ent-and rare and costly one in those
days-to Aunt Hepsy and Uncle Zeb.
Effie was all afush as she went in to
greet him, and her eyes were shining
resolutely as she crossed the floor to
shake hands with him.
And Mr.. Valentine also had an unu-
sual look in his forid face, and not q
little resoluteless in his eyes as he rose
to meet her.
hope you are well, Miss Effie; you
are looking, as usual, most charmingly.
Sorry l have such q short time to stay,
but-but the fact is, just ran up on a
little matter OF business, you see, and /
won't detain you longer than is neces-
sary.nsra .asc -iiels .shMiH .s7seO
His heart was humping very undis-
ciplinedly, but when one takes into con
sideration the business y that had
brought him, it was scarcely to be won
dered at-business which only the mem
ory of Jacks plump, buxom widow
made him brave enough to, transact,
after he was actual face to face with
this blue-eyed girl.
g He means to give me lecture. and
mamma has told him what said, y was
Efie's thought; '.and I'll never, never
marry him, and I'll tell him so-now,
this minute!'
So she looked up at him, very frankly,
very honestly, very bewitchingly.
ou have good reason to be vexed
with me, | know, Mr. Valentine, but
what / told mamma to tell you / must
repeat. I don't love you, Mr. Valen-
tine, and-and / cannot marry one / do
not love. Please don't be angry, will
youp" ae--~sr,
Angry Every nerve in his body was
dancing jubilate. Angry, to be thus
gracefully, charmingly given the free
oOl1 liC Idu COlIlc W CRAVE.
He laughed outright -'
s'Can it be possibleP Why, Effie,
came purposely to see if you wouldn't
let me off, because, you see, my brothers
widow is very fine woman, and"
Then Effie caught his hand impul-
'sively.
"Oh, that is just the very thing for
you. Mrs. Grey! Yes-why, you ought
to have thought of that long ago. And
P'-and delicious blush came to her
lovely FACET am engaged to my
cousin Harry, Mr.. Valentine, and oh,
do love him sop
And that was the result of the trip to
the Shawangums, and Mrs. Herman bit
her lips in vain at the result of her own
little bit of generalship.