The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-06-11


Miss Minerva Blair, spinster, on
the shady side Of forty, and her niece
Miss Hope Alexander, also single,
bat on the sunny side Of twenty, ss'
in the pleasant sitting room of q
( pleasant country mansion, listening
70 the rumble Of the afternoon rail
way train. which was just arriving
at the depot
"Mr. Harvey will De here in few
minutes. Hope" said the aunt; 'and
you must be cordial with him, unless
iii is your desire TO offend mel
IL wish the trsia had bad colIis.
sion !" was the rather vindictive re.
ply, though sly hslf-smils showed
ths, the words were hardly meant
Hope !" cried the other, somewhat
s;ernly. "You are positively sinful
to be so malicious. Why should you
bate gentleman you have never
seen ~
Il might in turn ask you why
should | love q gentleman | bad nsv
er seenl
Nobody asks you to love him, de
they? ~
mo. But you wish me to marry
him.
"Well,n apologized the aunt, 81
would like to see you as well settled
as you certainly would be with Wal
ter Harvey The love can come faf-
terwsrd | know you will like
him."
"Whv, Aunt Minerva, you hare
never met him yourselfn
Not since be was little boy.
But | have always known his pa
rents, and they are very worthy peo-
ple.n
80 were Hope Alexander's, |
think pJa,iugly said the younger
lady. "ASd yet you zee what per-
verse scapegraee you have got for q
niece
Even Mis- Minerva's grim features
had to relax little. But any fur
ther conversation was cut OF by a
ring at the door.
HE has ccme," said Mis- Blair.
Yoo must 81 least treat him civilly,
Hope"
Indeed | viii, aunty. for your
sake" said the giil. with a touch Of
good feeling.
Miss Minerva went herself TO ad-
NIT the visitor.
"Mr. Harvey" she said to the
dark bearded, handsome young man
whom she admitted
at gives me genuine pleasure
welcome you to this house / have
kaown your family 80 many years,
that you almost seem friend"
Indeed. | hope to be one," was
the reply
"You must let me send my niece
to you,D said Miss Minerva, as soon
as the newcomer was fairly seated
Il am housekeeper, you know. and
cannot neglect my duties, bot you
viii have substitute whom you
must learn to liker
You would hardly say tha. if you
knew all," the gentleman remarked
sotio rOce.
II an afraid l have humored her
into being little willfal. bat she is
kind hearted and good"
And with these pleasant words,
the kind old msiden lady left the
room.
She was gone scarcely long enough
to allow the young man to collect
bis thoughts ere she again stood in
the doorway, saying:
"Mr. Harvey, present my niece,
Miss Hope Alexander"
And slender, rustling figure was
half pushed into the room, where it
stood bowing with q semi-haughty
air.
Something like q smile was upon
the young gentleman's eountenance,
And be kept his eyes fastened upon
the girls face bot she did not look
up, waiting in silence for him to
speak
Bu, he too seemed wordless, and
only gave vent to an embarrassed
"Ahem y
Miss Blair wondered little, and
irowned little, At her niece's per-
verse behavior. But she wisely con-
cluded TO leave them together
Il must attend to getting supper"
she the said
Il will leave you together for a |
time"
As soon as she was fairly gone, !
Hope y cried the young man.
The girl raised her bsshfui eyes at
,nce.
Arthur, Is i, you, IL did not
expect you thought it was your
,ousio Walter that was coming
1T viii require quite talk TO ex-
plain all, my Hope" be answered
And | almost fear your aunt NAV
,verhear Us"
His arm went about her waist
Sly Miss Hope. not to have told her
lunt the secret this action implied
Miss Hope, to deceive SO
rood 3 relative.
AT present she was only charming
Miss Hope 10 the only eyes that
ooked upon ber, and in soolh she
Fas flushed and very pretty.
I'VE viii stroll into the garden,
Arthur. There We Gao talk without
Isager of h.iay overheI-i
SO they walked out into the pleas
INT paths Of the home grounds. and
'ver the greensward. to the roots of
! great buckeye tree. where they
ound cozy seats
"Have you ever told your aunt
!bout me, Hope p
Il could not. Arthur She has
'een SO welded to the idea of uni
ing myself 10 he son Of her early
riend. John Harvey, that any oppo-
ition would have made her unhap-
". So l have left the matter 10
ime But you have not yet told
&c how you come 10 be here
ssIs is not too wonderous strange.
dy consin Walter and myself are
xrellent good friends, and as be hap
ems to have al attachment of his |
wa, be is just IS adverse to being
orced into Q marriage with . ssran-