The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-10-26

iHhiliy; WISH yOu u llSub Jne lhuips
it's going to be an awful dark night"
Emily arose and did as she was re-
quested, then she drew the curtains,
bolted the outside door, resumed her
seat by the fire, and taking book from
the table, was soon absorbed in its con-
tents. Miss Debby commenced to con-
verse on the subject of fevers and sick
people, half to herself and half to her
sister, who did not seem to be in talka-
tive mood, but knitted away In pensive
silence, every now and then raising her
head to wistfully regard her daughter.
Emily" she said, after long, long
pause, ~ don't think Kate Sawyer's
friendship is any great loss, after all.
Do you know L have always cherished
suspicion that she was the cause of Joe
Ashton's strange behaviourp l think
that she spread the report of your flirta-
tion with John Foster on purpose to
put an end to everything between you
and Joe. She wanted him herself;
everybody saw that"
Emily colored violently, but made no
reply. Joe Ashton's g name had hardly
been mentioned in the family for years.
He was an old lover of hers, but she had
not seen him for eight long years. She
was twenty-six now, and he had left
the place very suddenly and mysterious
ly when she was only eighteen, and she
had never heard from him since. There
had been no actual engagement between
them, but they had been lovers ever
since she was a little girl of five and he
boy of nine. He drew her to school
on his sled, he whipped the boys who
teased her, he brought her big red apples
and many boarded bit of candy. AS
they grew older, he escorted her to and
from singing school, he waited for her
in the church porch every Sunday he
chose her as his companion on all the
sleighing parties and picnics which
were held in the town. They took long
walks together in lovers lane. He
always spoke of the future as If they
were to share it; indeed, he had often
spoken of the time when she should be
his wife, and they had planned what
countries they would visit together, for
he was sailor. She loved the hand
some, manly fellow with her whole
heart, and trusted him entirely, and
everybody said, what fine couple they
are, and what suitable match it will
be, or at least all but Kate Sawyer, who
was second cousin of Joe's, and Emf
Ixyto 1oiol, nor nj fri ho,,
little girlhood she had been exceedingly
jealous of Emily, though as she grew
older she tried to hide this feeling. But
she often said, 81 don't seen what Joe
finds in Emily that is SO fascinating.
She is a dear girl, to be sure, but she
never will have cent of money of her
own, and she is so pale aud quiet. 1
call her plain, and he is so smart and
handsome
The summer that he went away he
had never been more devoted. Emily
saw him every day. He talked of giving
up his sailor life because he could not
bear to leave her, he said, and was look
ing for situation in some mercantile
house in the city. Then all of sudden
he disappeared without one word of
good-by. He left no message behind
him. He wrote no letter of explanation.
His grandfather, with whom he had
always lived, for his father and mother
died in his infancy, merely said that he
had gone on another foreign voyage.
In less than q year afterward the old
man died. There was none of the Ash
tons left in Bloomville, and people
ceased to talk of Joe.
For two or three years his name was
scarcely mentioned. Then there came
rumor that he was with his uncle,
rich old bachelor in the West Indies.
Some sailor from the Port had seen and
talked with him there, but still Emily
heard no sound. She had up to this
time believed him dead. Other lovers
sought her favor, but all in vain. She
would never marry, she said She pre-
ferred to remain as she was. She was
too busy to indulge in any vain regrets,
for great misfortunes had come to the
family, and she was obliged to teach
school to keep her mother, Aunt Debby,
and herself from actual want. In the
first place the bank at the "Port,n
where all their possessions, with the
exception of the rocky little farm upon
which they lived, were placed, failed.
Then the crops failed entirely one year,
the best cows sickened and died, and, In
the midst of it all, Mrs. Rollins fell i'll
of fever which lasted two or three