The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-06-13

hero had not come upon the scene.
Sometimes / was tempted to recall
Joshua, to put an end to being har-
assed by mother and Jane. could not
ask for new apron or collar but they
would sigh, and complain OF our scanty
means and say, IF I'd married Joshua,
ETC." Some times really wished Joshua
was at the bottom of the Red sea. But
in the middle of October relief came in
the shape of letter from my aunt,
Caroline, who lived in Barstowe, large
town sixty miles away, asking that either
Jane or 1 should pay her long visit.
/ felt sure that mother would say at
once that Jane must be the one to CO.
She was the eldest, and generally had
all the nice times and the best of every
thing. My prophecy was true one,
for as mother finished reading the letter
she looked straight at Jane: "You can
get ready to go by the LIST of November,
jamie. You can stay until May; end l
tell you what ] will do: I will give you
my pearl-colored silk, for you will see a
great deal of company at your aunt's.' >
The pearl colored silk! Was it indeed
true that mother had offered Jane that
wonderful and mnch-prized garment?
o, could but be Jane!
II shall not Co." said Jane, very
quietly, while my eyes distended In
amazement at her refusal of this boon.
"Leah can go, for she will enjoy it more
than 1 should"
"But, Jane, wish you to go. Leah
is younger than you are, and does not
deserve any pleasure after her stubborn
folly of last May She may come to her
senses if she has to stay here in Pike
vile, and Joshua may possibly give her
another chance"
Nevertheless, I shall not co." per-
sisted Jane; $50 you might as well let
Leah take advantage of aunt's offer"
So, when all persuasions and argu-
ments failed to shake James resolution,
mother told me rather ungraciously that
might prepare myself to go to Bar
stowe.
will you let me make over the pearl
colored silk, mother?" 1 asked, my
heart beating high with hope.
Certainly not" was the cold answer.
"H you had chosen to marry Joshua
Hobbs, should have given it to you
with pleasure, as a wedding present"
/ actually felt sorry / had not mar
ried Joshua, SO great an admiration did
have for the pearl colored silk.
AS / whirled along in the train to
Barstowe in the first week of Novem-
Der, 1 INDUCED myself in building many
air castles. Of course I should now
meet my hero, the ideal lover Of my
vivid and romantic imagination. In
May l should return to Pikeville bring
ing him with me; and when mother
should see that noble form, the eyes
like midnight stars, the hair rivaling
the color of the ravens wing, the marble
pallor of the naughty brow, and the
proud carriage of her son-in. law, she
would rejoice with me that had not
been sacrificed to homely Joshua Hobbs.
So vivid was my imagination that 1
almost expected to see my hero in the
car, but there were only four boys and
an old woman, SO l waited, with what
patience 1 could, my arrival in Barstowe
My aunt greeted me very kindly. She
lived in handsome house, and had but
one child, son, who was at present sta
toned at fort several hundred miles
away. Thinking the winter would be a
lonely one without her soldier son near
her, Aunt Caroline had sent for one of
us girls.
I expected to meet my ideal at once,
but three weeks slipped by and still he
had not made his appearance. / never
went out of the house that did not
think that this might possibly prove a
red-letter walk, and bring my lover to
me. But, as time slipped by and he
came not, began to grow uneasy. /
home without solitaire diamond ring
on my finger, and the prospect of
plain gold one, whereby should cause
mother to confess that had been in
the right all along.
One rainy day in December I put on
my waterproof and overshoes, an old
hat and q once-discarded dress, and,
with a family umbrella the worse for
wear in my hand, started to go to the
worsted store in the town for some split
zephyr with which to finish tidy / was
working as a Christmas gift for my
aunt.
The cutters were so swollen as to be
almost too wide to Jump. The deepest
and worst of all came in view just as l
neared the store. But I was not to be
checked in my career after wersted by
gutter, so 1 gave little run and a
spring and landed in the middle of
the muddy pool. My hat went off at
the same moment and the old umbrella
went crashing against the curb-stone,
and became wreck at once.
/ scrambled out on the pavement
just as amelodious voice fell on my ear
ALLOW me to assist you, Miss"
l locked up, turned scarlet with
modification and pale with surprise and
dismay, for there, wonderful to relate,
stood my hero. Yes; there were the
flashing eagle eyes, the marble brow,
the hair like the ravens wing, and the
naughty mien. I could only stammer
out something about being very wet.
You must go at once to your home"
said the musical voice of my hero; "and,
if you will permit, / will hold my UNI
brella over you"
stammered my thanks as walked
by his side in the direction of my aunt's
housa How hitterIv 7 reoretta1 my