Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-02-19
A Girl Hero.

You can't guess who's married,
Susie,"
Jenny Carter was almost breathless
with haste and excitement, as she ente-
red the pleasant kitchen, which, bright
and sunny as it was, looked dark COM
ing in out of the binding sunshine.
Attired in pretty gingham, with
her round, white arms barred abo> e
the dimpled elbows, Susie Barnard
stood at the molding board, as sweet
picture of youth, health and beauty as
ever poet sang of, or artist painted.
Without pausing for reply, Jenny
went on:
John Harmon, who boarded with
you last summer. He's married rich
Boston lady. They pass through
Lakeside on their bridal tour, and stop
over night at Judge Leighton's.
And, oh Susie ,''-Susie had sud-
denly disappeared through the open
door of the pantry-"Mrs. Leighton is
going to give them a receptions lawn
party, What do you think of that?
You're invited; Mary Anne, Mrs
Leighton's niece, said she saw both our
names on the list Won't it be delight
ful?''
Susie reappeared with the powdered
sugar she had gone for, and began 10
sift it over the eggs she had beaten.
Jenny gave little scream, as she
glanced at her.
Goodness me, Sue, what is the
matter? You are looking - pale as
ghost."
"Pale?" responded Sussic, the blood
that had receded to the heart suddenly
returning and crimsoning even the
temples.
"well, yes. At least, l thought you
looked so a minute ago." said Jenny, a
little puzzled, but too full of herself
and the news she had come to tell, to
give it more than passing thought.
Jenny stayed few minutes longer,
rattling away without pausing for
reply. in her usual reckless fashion,
then she went away.
A few minutes later Mrs. Barnard
came in from the garden. Susie had
heard, through the open window by
which she stood. Jenny talking with
her mother, as she passed out.
Seating herself in the low, broad
windowseat, Mrs. Barnard began to
sort over the ripe clusters of currAnts
she had gathered, glaneing in the
meantime furtively over at her daught-
er, who was ''iceing" the cake she had
just taken from the oven.
"Dld Jenny tell you the news:"
There was motherlv anxiety in the
look and tone of the speaker.
"About John Harmon's marriage?
Yes. Don't you expect Mr.. and Mrs.
Coles today"
This drove everything else from Mrs.
Barnard's mind
''I had forgotten all about it! They
wrote they were coming in the noon
train, and / don't believe there's
thing done 10 their room.
mo matter; / shall have time TO fix
it. / have got the baking so far along
that Mary can easily finish; so perhaps
| had better 90 now.'
81 think you had; they'll want to 60
to their room as soon they come. You
know which one it ?''
Susie looked back from the half-clOsed
door,
"Yes; it's the one Mr.. Harmon had
last summer"
As busy as Mrs. Barnard had been
last summer, with her house full of ci-
ty boarders, she had not been alto
gether unmindfull of what was passing
around her.
"She don't mind it," was her inward
reflection, as she listened to those re-
treating footsteps. al was little
afraid; but there's no nonsense about
Susie"
No, there was no nonsense about the
bravehearted girl; but, as soon as she
found herself alone and secure from
observation, she threw her arms up,
with look of agony and despair upon
the young face that was pitiful to see.
But 1t was not like Susie to remain
idle while there was anything to do.
Springlng 10 work. she soon brought
order aud beauty out of chaos that sur
rounded her. AS her mother often re-
marked, with m0therly pride, "every-
thing that Susie did was done we'll"
Nor was there anything omitted now.
The bed and the toilet-tablewere draped
in the purest white, not speck of dust
could be seen upon carpet, chair or bu-
reau, while the mirror was polished
until it glittered in the stray sunbeams
that fiickered through the vines that
clambered over the window.
Knotting back with rose-colored rib
bons the muslin curtains, Susie
glanced around. How fresh and pure
and sweet everything was upon which