Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-04-08
The Belle of Wolf Run .

4 company of strolling players in barn.
The great space is lighted by lamps OF
every description, the most ambitious OF
which is circle of hoops stuck full of can
dies This does duty as the grand chand-
elier and is quite effective.
Seated near the stage, before which hangs
a green curtain, are two persons-a man
and young girl, whom, even the unprac-
tiCed eye might take as rustic lovers. He
is a tall, finely-formed young fellow; with
a noble head and keen, sparkling blue eyes.
She is the beauty of Wolf Run, faultless in
figure and feature, and with something in
her expression denoting that she is not quite
satisfied with her position, even as the belle
of the village. or her surroundings.
Margaret Lee had never in her life seen a
play, therefore she was prepared to realize
all the emotions of novelty, terror, wonder,
delight, with which a novice looks on the
strut and action of these who cater to the
profoundest emotions. OF course she for
got where she was; of course she was daz-
zled and terribly stirred at the love scenes,
which were, as usual, exaggerated.
The hero of the drama was handsome,
worthless rascal, who learned, before the
evening was through, to play at our unso-
phisticated little Margaret, reading her ad-
miration in her eyes, and enjoying the
smiles, tears, and almost spoken interest,
of the beauty of Wolf Run.
"Pretty good-wasn't it?" said Charlie
Vance, as he held her tieecy red shawl TO
wrap about her, at the close of the perform
ance.
Margaret had no words, she only gasped:
''Oh, Charlie!r % as they gained the door,
and caught at his arm for there stood
the hero of the stage, still in his bespang-
led velvet tinery, and evidently stationed
at that particular place in order to catch a
glance at her lovely face.
"Confound his impudence." Charlie
Vance muttered between his teeth.
Margaret shivered little as they left the
barn. Everybody was laughing and talk
ing. The soft, clear, round moon shed its
light upon a scene of sylvan beauty; but the
two spoke but few words until they had
reached Margaret's home-a square white
house set back in garden.
GA little of that goes great ways, said
the young farmer, who had evidently been
thinking the matter over. ''They stay here
a week or more don't care to 60 again,
do you?"
ooh, do believe 1 could go every
night" said Margaret, fervently.
They're hard set, Maggy, said her
lover, a little malice in his voice.
Chow do you know? Are you sure of
that ?" she asked, eagerly and reprovingly.
''Oh, they're generally thought to be-.
Well, goodnight, Maggy;" and he had
gone ten steps before it occurred to him that
they had parted without kiss.
II don't care" he said, sullenly, half
aloud; land that fellow stays at her uncles
tavern, too. Why should it nettle me 30,
anyway"
Now Margaret and her cousin Anne were
almost as irseparable as sisters. 1t was with
a quick beating heart that the former took
her way to the tavern next day, meeting
Anne as usual at the private entrance for
the family.
ooh, Mag!" cried Anne, her eyes spark
ling, ''you have made conquest"
"What do you mean?" asked Margaret,
her fair face flushing, her pulses beating
tumultoudy. :.
'eWhy, YOU know-last night. Oh, isn't
he glorious Exquisite? and only think he
asked papa who that very lovely girl was
n pink ribbons in the second seat-and
that was you! Papa laughed and told him
his niece, and somebody else said something
very handsome about you at the table, and
then papa up and said you were engaged to
Charlie Vance, which sounded SO ridiculous.
And give you my word OF honor the gen.
tleman turned pale"
s'Nonsense!" said Margaret; but the fiat
tering words had accomplished their work,
and it was not hard to persuade her to stay
to dinner, where of course her lovely blush
ing face did not little execution
''Well, Maggy, what is it to be|' asked
Charlie Vance, sternly. This was only q
week afterward. All the softness had gone
out of his face as he spoke. His eyes hac
lost their gracious. sparkling beauty. II
might be that his cheeks were trite thin,
and certainly his dark face was haggard.
ooh, Charlie ''-she stood on the othel
side of the spacious hearth, dropping anc
timid, her face very white, and the large
ewes startled in expression, like those of
frightened fawn.
"You are changed, Maggy. Idon't say
it alone. God help us both, it's talked al
over the place. Last night, when heart
something at Dilleways, / felt like going
home and blowing my brains out"
'Oh, Charlie!"
The voice was more plaintive, and tn
little figure dropped yet lower.
"And it all comes of that internal villain
1t all comes of your going back and fortl
to the hotel, and with your Cousin Anne
! to see him"
"He is going away to-day she cried, {
great pain in her voice.
"And you will see him before he goes?'
ooh, no, no, Charlie. Oh, don't look s.
cruel. can't see MIN now you know lcan't
"Since you've heard that he's got wifi
elsewhere, eh?"
s'Charlie / don't care; it isn't that, sh
answered. chokingly. How could sh
add-eIt is because l have found him base
untrue, when he seemedto me like an aHge
of light"
Her red lips quivered; the tears stoo
large and shining on her lashes, her eye
were downcast, her hands folded with tn
rigid clasp of despair. :,
! 81 shall never see him again, she whis