The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-05-28

II was the season OF peaches ano
melons, the roasting season when IDLE
people hunt cool places and devout
people hold camp meetings. Alice
went TO q camp meeting with her
father. mother, and Aunt LetItia- Is
there anybody here. wonder. who
doesn't know what 9 camp meeting
is like? If there is. let her go to one
and Gnd out for herself.
rather and mother sat up among
The worsblppers, and close to the
preachers platform Aunt Letie sat
half wey back in the congregation.
like q who was doubtful in Der
mind as vet whether to separate her
self from the world or not, while gid
dy-psted Alice didn't pretend TO sit
among the congregation at all, but
lowered awsy back on the extreme
borders, where the preachers voice
could be scarcely heard at all. Their
position in the camp meeting audi
ence was an exact barometer Of the
devotional states of these excellent
people, namely. father aud mother,
Aunt Letilia, Alice. Inpoint of fact,
the young people on the outermost
borders Of that devout assembly were
flirting with all their nigut-if
you've never been Il q camp meeting
4 don't mild telling yon-tbat is
mostly what young people goto camp
meetings for. Alice Esmerslda XII
dare was flirting with Tom Creighton
Her betroihed, the slim, handsome,
loDg-bsired student, coming home to-
morrow.
when the cats sway the mice
will play, aud the mouse will play
ill the very last minute before the
cat comes, kItce bad remarked, to
herself, ast1be admired her bright,
brunette face in the glass that morn.
Jog.
So she sat upon one Of the rude
wooden benches under a tree, and lei
Tom Creighton talk soft nonsense 10
hall whispers TO her. Was all this
wicked, OF a Sunday. at camp meet
iDgY
Yes: certainly il vas: but two.
thirds of the young people about
them were behaving 10 the same
wicked maaner Suddenly Tou
Creigh;oo's soft, lazy voice ceased,
and Alice locked up presently, t.
see why. She could hardly keep
down G cry, as she saw approaching
them, her own bstrothed, the slim
handsome student, who had beer
gone a whole year. Somehow she
felt dresdfully guilty as she csugb
his bright gray eyes. 1t was sncI
fun TO firt, but-desr me
The slim student passed her, will
a cold bow. His mother was on hit
right arm, aud be led her To g sea
up among the devout people around
the preachers platform. Alice
heart beat q little queerly, and Ton
Creighton watched her keenly. |
; wasn't pleasant, and Alice hated IN
pleasant things. Suddenly her be
trolhed came back toward them
He had seated his mother and lef
her. He touched bis hat to Alice.
4 beg pardon, Missskildare, but
wish to ask you something in pres
ence Of this person. / may not havl
the opportunity again. | may not Sc
. you again soon, indeed
he took a paper from bis poke
and nnfolded il.
! Read that, if you please said tn
; slim student to Miss Alice, who By
this time was beginning to be con
~scicns Of a powerful Inclination to rul
away.
TIE paper contained an exact cop
of the slauderous statements wbicl
Alice bad allowed Tom CreightoI
80 rspr.sr 70 her concerning e oe
trotbed.
i only wish to know said the slim
STUDENT. with simple dignity, 'wheth
er Won allowed this person to tel
you the stuff that is on that paper !
: Alice did Dot answer.
She wanted worse than ever to ru.
away, but to save Der life she coult
not have gone past that wrathful gra.
, eve, which was fixed on her like
seige-gun.
"A very short answer is suffieieu'
Yes or no, Miss Kildare?
4 won't tell you said Alice, pou'
|. ing-'Do you think you can max
: me do anything | won't do?'
Il beg your pardon,' said the sir
student, with icy p~oli.eness. i woul
not for the world ask you to do any
thing which is d~isagreeable to yol
Allow me to witch you gc5d morr
ing
But ss be strobe away and lie
! them, Alice didn't like the looks {
: him. Consequently she 6irted hard
er than ever.
During the dinner recess, ate
! Tom Creighton had gone away an
!. left Alice, suddenly there arose a tet
rible roar aud rumpus in the edge Q
the woods.
! Then there was O pistol shot, an
tie next moment were heard cries {
Prize fight! 'Murderl Part EN-
! Give il to him little one!'
, Those who rushed to the quartz
! whence the cries came saw a slende
man, all bloody, and fosming like
wild beast, mad.y beating and pound
ing a big fellow who wes trying faith
, fully 10 shield himself from the blows
= which were raining down upon him
And before they could be separate
|, the slim student had beaten Tor
Creighton half to death.
!. And good enough for him. sal,
everybody who saw the encounter
But who'd have thought that a slim
fellow who wrote poetry could d,
it-Y'
Il seems the two rivals had me
> somewhere 10 the grove. Angr,
words bad passed between them, an
at last Tom Creighton, who SCENE,
to be in a constant terror lest -;
other would pitch into him. the boy
said, suddenly drew his pistol, wi.h
out g moments warning, and q
claiming, Don't you come near me
fred at the slim student.
The blood stresmed from the youn,
mans arm, aud be fell to the grount
wounded, stunned. Tom Creighton
torned to run away, but had not ia
ken three steps before the slim stu
dent, who wrote poetry, was upol