The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-10-04


as well try to make myself over into a
handsome man, Huldah, as to stop
thinking of you"
"Well, there wor time Seth," said
Huldah, as she stirred the sugar and
the spice into the golden pumpkin, and
taking on more confidential tone, "that
1 were willing to own up that l was
tempted"
"When was that, Huldah ?" inquired
Seth, with a sigh, though his eyes were
dancing with fun.
When you got home from the war;
spell, cried Huldah. "Then it seemed
to me it wor my duty to take care of
you and remember well the day I'd
made up my mind to say so. was
looking up the road expecting to see you
come hippity. hopping down as you had
been doing, when 10 and behold there
you wor as fine as fiddle, without any
crutches at all, and walking almost as
spry as you do this minute"
81 give 'em up before 1 really ought
to, Huldah," said Seth, because
thought you hated the sight of 'em and
now ind when it is too late, that they
were my best friends. They're up in
garret now, and l II get 'em out if you
say So"
Don't be fool" said Huldah,
with snap. 81 just wanted to get it
into that thick head of yourn, that if
you needed me you'd have me i'm spite
of anybody in the created world. Stir
up them Goals again ~
Once more Seth did as he was told,
and as he raked the glowing embers, the
door opened, and Miss Caroline, the
mistress of this great house, and sole
heiress of one of the richest estates in
Massachusetts,, walked into the kitchen.
She might have been thirty and even
more, but she looked about twenty three
or four with her fresh, almost childish
complexion, light brown hair and beau
tiful gray eyes, with her long, dark,
sweeping lashes. She was little above
medium height, aud in face and figure
was the very personification of grace
and delicacy. Caroline Wyndham could
never be called pretty, but she was as
handsome and as proud woman as
ever walked the earth.
$50 Seth is tormenting you again, is
he Huldah ?' the lady inquired laugh
ingly. "You were so quiet down here,
that didn't known but that you had
forgotten all about Thanksgiving prepa-
rationsl !"
Now, Mis- Caroline" said Huldah,
annoyed as much as she could be with
the mistress she was fond of.
"I've been talking kinder of serious
to Huldah, Seth broke in. But L
can't see that it has amounted to any
thing"
Keep tup," Miss Caroline replied.
there is nothing in this world tells
like determination 1t is very strange.
that Huldah holds out so long against
becoming Mrs. Smith," and now the
lady brought spoon and tasted of the
cooks pumpkin mixture, which was
almost ready to be poured into the pie.
plates. "a little more sugar, Huldah,"
she continued, and then, with another
laughing glance at the awkward lover,
who stood with his back against the
kitchen door, added "Why, Seth,
should have given in with half as much
cOaxing as Huldah has had"
There are some folks you know,
Miss Caroline, who are too proud to
beg" said Seth, with quick look at
the lady; "but Pm glad amt asham-
ed to hang on to what 1 want. Huldah
has been telling me that if I'd been
obliged to go on crutches little while
longer, she'd had to give inn Miss
Caroline turned away, and looked out
of the window, but not before Seth had
seen the color fade out of her face, and
little shiver creep over her supple fig
ure. :" was down to Boston yesterday,
Miss Caroline" Seth continued careless
ly.
Well, 1 suppose Boston is as well as
usual, y the lady replied, with poor at
tempt at facetiousness.
Lively as ever" Seth responded
81 run up to the West End to see how
Colonel Lowell was getting along. 1 al
ways like to call on him whenever 1
get chance"
If Miss Caroline imagined that Seth
was going to volunteer any more infor-
nation she was certainly disappointed.
After pause of few seconds, she re-