Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-08-19
The Bachelors Will.

The sun of All August day was sendin!
golden shafts through the interlaCin!
foliage overshadOwing limpid trou
stream.
A young man was kneeling beside it
pole in hand, ostenSibly fishing; bat tht
! speckled deniZens of the brook had bu
little cause for alarm. The cool brain anC
ste ady hand, 50 dangerous 10 peace nde
ordinary circumstances, were not really
putting forth any effcrt against them.
Ii was handsome young face turned IL
such evident eagerness toward the family
defined foot path leading through the woods
TO the sylvan spot The features were al
most too regular for masculine ideas OF
beauty; but the firm way the red lips wer,
set together and the massive chin redeemed
| them from weakness.
He started to his feet as the cracking OF
dried leaves and twigs betrayed an ap,
preaching footstep. Another moment, anC
breathless young creature was beside
him, painting from her rapid approach.
Il began to think you were not coming,
Dot, and that my holiday was to prove a
! failure"
1T was by the merest accident that got
away. Father hardly trusts me out of his
sight. But he was called off on uneXpect-
ed business, and I've run every step. feel
so guilty all the time-l can't do it unless
things change"
Dot" Legan Philip reproachfully.
Il know 1t is hard,' continued the girl,
but am as much the sufferer by it as
you. Though, Phil" with a sudden in
tensity in her voice, lone thing | can do,
/ solemnly promise never to marry any
one but him | love, and that is-you know
whom
''That is poor comfort, Dot. To know
that the girl you would shed your heart s
blood fer cannot give you a kind word
now and then to keep up your spiritsl |
shall half the time think you are forgetting
me, and making up your mind TO marry
the man your father is so taken with.
"You are very different from the idea l
have of you if you give way to any such
feeling. Why, Phil, all the people in the
world couldn't make me believe you false,
| if you had promised to be true. But
must go | just came to tell you-no mat
ter what happens-that force could not
drag ME into the marriage with Dram
Dinsmore, and to say goodbye until we
can meet as we used to, with the full con-
sent of father"
.'That'l never be-" was the gloomy an
swer. ''It's goodbye forever, am sure.
/ wish that old cousin of yours had left his
money to some one else. 1t has destroyed
our happiness. Your father s emed tC
like me until that will made you an heiress,
and Dram Dinsmore began coming to the
house Much as he might have been taken
by your looks, he'd never bothered his head
about you unless there had been prospect
of adding to his possessions. | know him
of old, and he's as tight as the bark of 9
tree. te
ssReally, Philip, you sre complimentary
So money is tie sum of my attractions, is
it2"
| But there was no vexation in the eyes
she turned upon his troubled face. Hers
was a true, truthful nature, and she under
stood her lovers meaning, though she triec
to speak lightly and playfully to prevent 8
painful parting scene Tears were neal
her eyes, but she forced them back; she
must be strong for both. She held out hel
hand.
Goodbye, Philip Don't be dlscour
aged; all will come right yet"
Philip took the little hand in his brown
palm and gazed longingly into the swee
young face. Then he said:
'Won't you give me one parting kiss
Dot2"
eyes, Philip, kiss fAe here" touching
slender finger to one of he4Esoft cheeks
'and from this time that place will b.
sacred from the touch of Other lips unit
we meet again.
Philip kissed the cheek, which flushed
redly at The touch of his lips. Dot wa
chary of permitting caresses, and though
they had been fond of each other from
their boy and girl days, Philip had neve
presumed to kiss her, unless when playing
a game of forfeits in some of the merr.
gatherings which are sometimes given II
country neighborhoods for the double pur
pose of drawing the young people togethe
and helping the farmers to husk their corn
or get the rosy produce of orchards int
festoons of neatly pared and quarteret
apples to dry, on the principle that man
hands and nimble fingers make light an
pleasant work.
The next moment he was following tn
1.-the little figure with sad eyes until it ha
disappeared under the overhangini
branches He lacked Dots faith in tn
kindness of the future. He could only an
tlcipate long separation, and perhap
estrangement; and it was with heav
heart that he gathered up his fishing tackl
and started for home. A distant relAtiv
of the Ingrahams had lately died, and ha
wiIled his property to his cousin, Doroth.,
Ingraham. During his lifetime he ha
never shown that he was aware of the ex
istence of our little Dot, and it was gres
surprise to her when the old gentle
mans solicitor came from New York wit
the intelligence that he had made her b
heiress. At first it was great pleasure
the girl, and she built many pretty ''ca'
ties in the air. about the way she wOul
use her wealth, until change came owe