The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-03-05

I, ou0 bofu sue was uot ttIeu, duu uti
! ding the lady good evening, turne
, to 20.
Il But Miss Herrick called to her, an
! laying ber white hands on the lit
! girls shoulder, looked at her searel
ingly, and said:
"Do your friends sometimes ca
you Brownie pm
In her surprise, Bernice a1swere
yes.
Then the other added, hurriedly
II have not time to talk with yo
; now, but can you not come to N
soon | want to speak word wit
you"
Stupefed by wonder. Brown
promised to come on Wednesday
and went away trying to conjectur
what this lovely girl could want Q
her.
"How strange she acted" she solil
oqnized. Perhaps / remind her O
some one who was dear to her, and !
now dead, but how did she know tie,
called me Brownie !"
Then, in thoughts of her lover. sb,
forgot the fair Miss Herrick and hel
words.
Alice Herrick was engaged to q
man she deemed worthy a lifetime 0
affection.
4
She had known him a long time
and few evenings before this, hs
bad been showing her some photo
graphs, and accidentally left his pock
es case at the house, and 10 the morn
iog she found it in the parlor, and
not dreaming there were any be
would care to conceal from her, she
had looked at them again, and among
them discovered one be had not
shown her, the face Of this little beau
ty from Madame LIS, and on the
back, 10 her future husbands writing
were the words. ''My Own Lit:le
Brownie"
Her betrothed was Charles Eaton
He was good enough fellow, in
the main. but pre-eminently weak
He had been pleased with Alice
Herriek. She belonged to bis set.
sang, played and danced well, besides
being an only child of a father worth
something more than two hundred
Thousand
Compared with Bernice Floyd,
she was like pale dawn to noonday.
in splendor, and the more be saw Of
this fash of Sunshine, the less be ad-
mired bis sfianced.
He had not really meant TO make
love to the music teacher in the ster.
eotyped way, but her wit, beauty and
lively good bumor wen him quite
away from himself, and after that
night. when be told her be loved her,
be bad serious intentions Of asking 8
release from the other entanglements
and marry hsr
Yes, for fully two days be carried
about with him this decision, TO give
up Miss Herrick's money and posi-
tion, and marry Brownie for love" !"
for that was the name by which be
designated the sentiment with which
be honored Miss Floyd.
After that be became more ration,
al, laughed at his folly, cursed bis
fate and comforted himself remember.
ing be bad not really committed him
sell to Bernice.
0n Wednesday Miss Herriek and
Bernice were together a long time
They parted firm friends and have
remained 80 ever since.
What passed betweel them, only
themselves ever knew.
Charlie Eaton received from Alice
a note releasing him from the enga ge-
ment, and the diamond she had worn
to remind her of his true aud lasting
love.
She would not even see him when
be called on her for an explanation
She was q woman of principle ard
her idol was fallen.
When Eaton again saw Bernice,
sbe was the same as Of old, only her
bushes did not come quite so quickly
at bis bidding, bat she laughed and
chatted with bin. was just as witty.
bright and beautiful as before; but
when be took her, one stsrlit night,
for another sleigh ride. out to the
Boulevard, and bent again the hand
some head to the starry eyed face be-
side bin, and said in his lowest, sweet
est tones;
"Bernice, l love you Will you be
my wife ?"
She answered him
"No.p
And the "sweet bells jingledD ln-
mnsically 10 the ears of a man who
had been twice rejected in one single
week, and once by music teacher,
too.
If be has any conceit Left, | am
sure it is not the fault of eircum-
stance.
One night, soon after. be saw both
these girls q, tie opera, and together,
accompanied By distinguished look
inR gentleman.
For the 6rst time. be wondered if
be hadn't been 'awfully given away
IS be expressed It.
The gentleman was James Russell,
who had come from abroad, and be-
ing for a couple Of weeks 10 Chicago.
had betbouRht him of the little girl
for whose musical instruction be bad
provided four years ago aud sought
her out.
He was more pleased than ever
With her fresh. bright besuty and
freedom from sffectstio, and the U.s.
nal ''isms" of young ladies. and she
wss always grateful TO him for bis
kindness 70 her fathers daughter,
snd 10 all those long years she had
rarely touched the piano, that she
bad not breathed blessings on the
giver
Before se went home be asked for
The hand Of little Bernice, but shs
vas strangely intuitional { suppose
the life of self-reliance had made hes
SOL, and she seemed to feel that for
some reason be vss not just what che
required in . husband, and he had
gone back alone.
What strange fate led him. . year
later. to marry Misss Alice Her
ricki
Bot be did on New Years night,
and sRa sometimea aavs IN her hest