The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-03-12

Rose met John Allen silently and
sadly. She sat down ia her little
rocker. without daring to look up,
until John said, in his quiet way,
Rose, wouldn't you like walk up
the Peak tonight? We may never
have another chance. and it ia very
lovely = Rose stopped her nervous
rocking, aud donning her jsuDty lit
tie imported hat, which. to Johns
eyes, made her look prettier than ev-
er, went out beneath the rsys of the
setting sun.
We will not dwell on that quiet
walk Tim coming home 10 the twi.
light, with the good night on the
low yeranda. Roses pillow was
wet with tears that night, because
John was letting her go from him
without exacting any promise from
her but that she would write him
every week.
John Allen sat by the window tha.
night, looking toward her home,
thinking Of the dark and dreary ia.
ture before him and, not till the
morning light began to break, did be
realize now the darkest night of his
life had passed
Mr. Matthews arrived, and was
pleased aud proud to see the little
Rose be had left behind him In such
delicate health now grown TO such
beautiful and stately maiden.
AS be folded her to his heart be
told Der how much she looked like
her mother, aud how happy be would
be in her society," until Rose mur-
INJURED to herself, 4 shall never leave
bin rlonp sRaiq.'
The days few by. and Rose Lade
adiea to all of her friends.
John Allen has had no chance
since their quiet walk to look into
the brown eyes 50 dear to bin, and,
as be calls with the other neighbors.
the night before her departure, to
say goodbye nothing 10 his man
peF tells Of the anguish within.
But Rose notices the pale, baggara
lock, and longs to cheer hin. Bat
no word or look from bin encour-
ages Lsr, and so she lids h.m good
bye with q slight trenor 10 her
voice. and gentle pressure Of the
hand.
Mr. Matthews and Rose arrived
safely, and were soon ensconced in
their home seross the sss. Bot It
was not in the little Swiss hamlet
that Mr.. Matthews bad intended to
settle down quietly in, but 10 the
CAV and eiddy Paris
The ezeitement snd beauty Of this
city had such a charm for r ,se that
Ar Matthews could not think Of tax
ing her from it,
lie saw that something Was wear
ing upon her mind, and often ques.
toned himself if be acted wisely in
bringing ber from her old home and
associations bat be could mot bear
10 think she could ever care Tor any
one more than she did for bin. SO,
ihinkin; he might dri3e swGy the
shadow by continual changes, he
kept her in this gay aud festive
iraln.
All admirers of the haIdscm me
American were treated well, 80 that
Rose gould have sll the escorts she
wished without feeling obliged to de-
pend on him.
Bat 10 them al she had been cold
ly polite, until q gentleman from
New York brought letter Of intro
duetioa to them 10 Paris.
He was tall, finely formed, aud one
o; The most brilliant eonyersatioaal-
lists Rose hed ever met
Even Mr. Matthews felt mere 10
bis welfare and acquaintance than be
cared to admit.
Rose had never forgotten har
promise TO John Allen, ana hed not
failed 10 writing to him every weeb
since ber arrival at Paris, until after
two montbs' acquaintance with
Mr. Fred Hey wood Then beT let
ters grow shorter aud less frequent,
until she began 10 bs ashamed of her
'giFlish folly as she called it, and
when she looked in the little locket,
hanging on her chain, aDd saw the
plain, matter-cf-fact face, with that
far away look ID the eyes. she found
the comparison between it aud Fred
Hey sood's SO marked that she clos
ed ii wiki scarcely sigh of re-
grer
il mas Valentines Eve, aud Rose
sat amid the gathering twilight,
thinking Of the last Valentines Day
she hsd spent in America
The ride in the moonlight, through
tbe keen, frosty air, enveloped 10 buff
falo robes, aGd tucked away so care
fully that she could scarcely move
her arms; watched over by calm,
quiet fellow, who anticipated her
slightest wish, and over whose quiet
face smile stole every little while
ia answer TO her pretty little saw
ings
Then the little 1ote in the morn
ing, brought by the hired man, from
the farmhouse on the bill
Bat over The bright picture a shad
ow fell--a shadow Of uncertainty and
unrest.
Rose could rot tell Why this pict-
uTe looked so dismal to her this even
ing, unless it was because John Al
len wss so sober and old-fashioned /;
aud. somehow, she was tired of such
prosy fellows.
Now. Fred Heywood was bright
and cheerful. and so polite? She
was positive be loved her better than
matter -of-fact John Alien did. And
so ber eyes took softer lock, ard a
brighter glow came over the fair
youGg face as she built castles 10 the
air, of the near future, when she
should have the pleasure of saying
yes TO the question she longed to
have asked her by Fred.
Bot, somehow, as the evening
shadows erept in. and the picture Of
that far-swsy Valentine Eve was
o'ershadowed with the sombre hues
of John Aliens ghost. the present
picture and castle buildings seemed
not half as pleasant as the castles
built in the far-swav farmhouse
among the hills.