The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-08-19
sRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher.

wouldn't marry me. Atlee useu 10
have the name Of being too level headed
for anything like that. He wouldn't be
such fool, would hep"
The small brown bat went slightly
upward with sudden movement. II
don't know" said the owner OF it, why
you should call it being fool"
"You know better than I do about it,
of course" assented the white-haired
critic. perhaps that's exactly what
he's done. Is itP"
81 heard some one saying they thought
he was disappointed in love-" Bertha
answered, rapidly and ungramatically.
"And you don't blame him" haz-
arded he, indulgently.
"No, don't. 1t shows that he feels
deeply, anyway"
"Well, now," continued the old man,
with drawl which indicated an ap-
preaching relapse into garrulity, it's
queer enough should have met ye, amt
ftp And you from Glyddon, where l
used to live: and learning news of Atlee
this way. Queer enough! Well, l must
see his folks when l git back, and find
out if they know where he's gone"
After this they talked of other things,
until they came to Wingfield, the end of
the Journey, he making himself agree
able all the way, so that when the mo-
ment came for parting, Bertha was
aware that the journey had seemed very
short, and that her casual acquaintance
was really an entertaining one.
Maybe 1 shall see you again" j"
he suggested, as they descended to the
platform together.
"Do you ever come to Glyddon ?" she
inquired, with polite reserve.
"Guess 1 shall before long," he re-
Piled. "You wouldn't be surprised, l
suppose, if old Clifford should drop in to
see you some dayP Ana now think of
it, what's your nameP Will you tell
meph
She told him, and he promptly wan
dered off, after giving her nod, appar-
emily intent upon his own affairs.
should think he might have said good
bye little more as if he was interested"
mused Bertha, not wholly pleased at
having him appear to dismiss her so
easily. And yet, what else could mere
stranger, fellow conversational of an
hour, doP Besides, Bertha reflected that
old men could not be expected to show
the same interest and gallantry as-well,
as Guy and other young men.
When she got home that evening, she
bethought her 10 inquire of her father
whether he had ever heard of an old
village. MIR. Finch dimly recollected
him years before. "But | thought he
was dead" he added.
"No; l met him to-day in the train, u
his daughter informed him, land had q
very pleasant chat. He was so nice.
| do so like old men. Somehow when
al ,,.Nltt tl
embarIass you, and they seem to be true
for what can an old man expect to gain
by paying a compliment that he doesn't
mean"
Pm afraid the appetite for feminine
approval only increases in us with age,
laughed Mr.. Finch.
In less than week from the time of
his departure the village was aston
ished by Guy Atlee's temperance
81 went UP to Woodruff to see my
folks" was the explanation; and he
expected to make light of the manner oi
his going. But though his escapadt
was a good deal criticised, he appeared
to have gained rather than lost in pub
lie esti alton by it.
When he went TO see Bertha Finch
he declared that jealousy had brought
him back. Il learned of Irritation
you were carrying on with an old gen.
| tleman in the cars-old Clifford; anC
knowing your preference for mature
men, thought my chances, if l haC
any left, were in danger
You are very impertinent to sup
pose you have any chances" was tn,
retort to this.
"But is it true about GiffordP" h
persisted.
cit is true that l met him. Oh, he'
a perfect lovely old man!'
"He would be very much tlattered i
he knew you said that. Snail | tel
him ?"
"You can if you like; I don't care,
said Bertha, airily. 81 believe he
coming to call on me-"
did he tell you SOP Then he prob
ably wants to sell You some pills"
" Mr.. Atlee, what in the world do yol
meanPn
Simply that he's patent-pill ped
dler.h
"How disgusting!" exclaimed tn
n real pleasant old fellow"
4" It's part of his trade to be So" ex
planned Guy. But Judge, from you
admiration for him, that you still scor
poor young boys like me-"
81 never said scorn,'" she an
swered, land l think it was cruel c
you to make us all think you had per
haps committed suicide. 1t was COW
ardly to make me feel 1 might hav
caused it,"
"I didn't mean it so," he pleaded
q hardly thought. l wanted to g
away out of sight, and l didn't wan
any search. Couldn't you forgive m
for being foolish, and, as you call i
cowardlyP'"
6" don't know"
"You see, didn't suppose, from wins
you said, that you cared what becam
of me-"
The little face that so often seemed t
be looking down was really bent wit
some confusion at that moment bl
its owner, obeying a whim, said, "Pel
haps didn't, after all"
Guys manner changed at once.
"Oh, do forgive mel" he cried, mocl
ingly. 81 would do almost anything {
secure that-even to growing sever
years older, if you would only stop grow
ing, and wait for me-"
"There, that's just like a boy. Yo
} can't be serious two minutes together
Bertha rallied back at him.
And so they parted.
J The very next day Clifford drove by
, withered little buggy, apparently FIRE!
from Vermont, and stopped at Il
2 Finches'. But Bertha was not at HON
7 so he went on, after leaving box
pills, wrapped up in boastful adve
tisement.
Toward evening, q few days later. q,