The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-05-20

the young man, on the last of these oc-
caSiCns, Ito know that / cannot ask
your aunt for your hand because have
not a thousand dollars of my own, when
know that there is plenty of room and
love and everything r-you at the old
stone cottage. Oh, Dolly, if you would
but brave her anger, how gladly I'd
make you my wife this moment"
"Dan," interrupted the girl, with
dewy eyes, "it isn't her anger-though
l feel that it would be most ungrateful
in me to provoke it-but the promise
my mother made for me on her death
bed. And if it had not been for that
promise, Dan, you must remember,
should have been the inmate OF an Or
phan asylum, and we would never have
met" Adding, the sunshine coming
back again, Don't you see how much
worse things could have been"
"You are right, my darling, as you
always are," said Dan; "but think-it
may be years before Ihave the bond. y"
81 can wait, Dan. Yes with a
misehievous little laugh l can wait
until am as old as Aunt Lorinda"
God forbid, love ~ he said, catching
her in his arms and kissing her sweet
lips. "And now good bye; am going
a way again to morrow, to be gone can
not tell you how long. Oh, Dolly,
| heaven speed the time when little wife
shall be waiting with the old father and
mother at the stone cottage to welcome
me home!"
She raised herself on tiptoe, clasped
his face between her two tiny hands,
gazed into his eyes with a wealth of
tenderness In her own, and said: "Who
knowsP Good fortune may at this very
moment be on it's way to u.s."
And the very next day, Januar. 3,
1880, as Dorothy, with a crimson shawl
thrown over her head, was out in the
garden scattering crumbs on the snow
tor the sparrows, she heard the jingle
down the lane with sled load of wood.
" Mornin', Miss Dorothy" he called, as
he reined up at the back gate. Here's
letter for you. They thought it
might be important, at the Office, and
so, knowin' how keerful be, and that
I was comm this way, they asked me
to fetch it to you" And the old man
tossed the letter over the hedge, into the
girls cutstretched hands and drove off.
ga letter for mel" said Dolly, in tones
OF the greatest amazement. "Why,
never received letter before in all my
liiem Then she turned it about. and
inspected it curiously. The envelope
was a common large yellow one, and
bore the printed address OF a law firm
in n adjoining city, as well as her own
address, written in a plain legal hand.
"Who can it be fromp" wondered
Dolly; and then opened it, to find her
question but partially answered. A
sheet of blue paper and a smaller en-
velope were inclosed. A paper con-
toi in q ho iph hol
| addressed the letter, these lines:
MISS DOROTHY WALDO:
Dear Mddnne-We send you the ac-
companying check in compliance with
orders received to that effect from a
client in Europe whose interests in this
country we represent. Please acknowl-
edge recent.
| your obedient servants,
| FIND q PROVE.
january l, $780,"
Dolly's lovely eyes opened to their
widest extent. "A check!" she ex-
claimed, and with trembling fingers
tore open the second envelope, which
was also addressed to her, but in a dit
fercnt, more elegant hand and sure
enou III there was q check-a check for
a thousand dollars, payable to the ord er
of Miss Dorothy Waldo. And on a
slip of paper which had kept it COM
pany were these words: g. In payment
for slice very large slice-of bread
and butter" And that's all the young o
girl ever knew about it.
For one moment she stood dazed with
joy and astonishment. The next she
thought of Dan. Perhaps he had not
started yet. How could she get to
him through the deep snowP Sleigh
bells again. Farmer B ers coming
back without the wood. She ran out
int the lane. "Oh, do take me with
your she cried, to the great surprise Of
the honest old fellow. II must see
Dan-Mr. Howell, l mean. must see
him as soon as possible"
Jump right in, my DEAR" said the
old man, land I'll have you q t the cot
tage in jiffy."
Away they went, the gray mare max
ing excellent time-for her; and as they
neared the house, Dolly caught sight of
Dan just leaving iG.
Dan! Dam" she called, her clear
young voice ringing on the clear air,
and madly waved her crimson shawl.
Dan turned, saw the bright flag and
her sweet face below it, and came
| bounding over the snow in time to re-
ceive her in his arms as she jumped
from the sled.
You couldn't-no, not if you guessed
forever" she said, half crying and half
laughing-"youc couldn't guess what
brought me here this morning"
| Whatever it was, heaven bless it a
thousand times!" said her lover.
at is-leap-year, you know. Dan ="
"Yes, now think OF it, it is. But it
can't be possible you have come here to
propose to mep"
"Very possible indeed" answered
Dolly, slowly and deliberately. "Mr.
Daniel Howell, will you marry mep"
"Mr. Daniel Howell's" only reply
was to fold her in so close an embrace
that, being The tiiliest of maidens, she
almost disappeared from view.
"And has Miss Cross" he began,
when the pretty blushing face, all dim.
pied with smiles, was again raised to his
own.
mo, she has not" interrupted
Dolly. "She knows nothing about it
But it's all right, DAN" carefully tuck.
ing something with her dainty lett hand
Dan held the right-into the breast
pocket of his overcoat. You may
come and see Aurt Lorinda as soon as
you choose. Y ou didn't know it, Dar
dear, but you we got a thousand dol
lars. ."-HaYper'S Bazar.
|
Joshua Halbert, of Crawford county
Mo-, although running close into cen
tury of life, has been confined to his be,