The Republican journal., 1881-04-07

an old friend would relieve the embarrass-
ment directly. To speak plainly. your
Harry seems strangely affected, is in de-
cidedly morbid condition-we understand
how it is-and it is my opinion that moth
ing short Of a fit of jealousy will get the
delirum out Of his head. His heart is all
right vet. I'll answer for that"
Molly drew herself up with an air of of
Tended dignity, and stammered something
about there being no occasion-she was
satisfied, and nobody else need
Tut, tut :" said Dr Stone. II have de-
liberately undertaken to serve you and
shall not be deferred except by very clear
and emphatic reasons. There is no sense
in letting Harry 90 on so. That wild and
unprincipled girl, Clara Evans, is doing
| her best to draw her rnet over him She is
| playing high game and may win. Such
a thing is possible, and it will avail ilnether
| him nor you anything if he finds he has
been mistaken when it is too late
Here the doctor paused, and looked so
long and pensively down upon the grassy
| path that Molly was convinced that the
! popular suspicion which had attached it
self TO his previous history, and which al
| tected to account for his protracted cell
hacy, was not wholly unauthorized. Her
heart suddenly opened to him when she
thought it not unlikely that he had been
| the victim of such arts as were DESTROYING
her peace.
Il am older than You are, Molly" he
continued, land have seen more of life,
and therefore my advice may claim Your
attertion. As | said, nothing else than
| fit Of jealousy will give Harry his wits
again. Let him see that there is a chance
| Ct losing YOU, and his flashing COUSIN may
| 60 home again sudden V. HI wager he
| hasn't said a word to YOU about the pie
/ mic, and there isn't girl who hasn't re-
/ ceived her invitation three DAYS ago. Miss
/ Clara will tell him it is sufficient lust to
let you have time to put your bonnet on.
and that's all the ceremony they'll stand
| upon
Molly burst into tears
Tut. tut ! don't loveto see little girls
| cry SO wipe Your eyes, and wellspeedily
/ set the tide the other way. | haven't been
with the young people these many years,
| but with an excellent object in view am
| happy to depart from my usual custom.
and if YOU will accept Il conceited old
beau like myself I'll take you down to
Green Valley on Saturday with my fleet
est horse, and Wen make quite an i'm
preston"
"What will people say ?" inquired Molly,
buJ half persuaded.
'What we wish to have them say is
that you have given Harry the 60 by, and
/ that | intend to settle down like other
| sensible gentlemen, and all that sort of
/ thing. You are q girl of spirit Molly. and
| III wager if you'll twist your curls anew,
and put On the pretty white dress, and
fall into your old ways Of laughing-aIl
for my editicaton, Of course shall
have people talking fast enough and
I Harry ut your feet before day after to-
/ morrow night.
The picture was SO pleasant that Molly
/ laughed involuntarily.
'Now be Il little stiff, Molly," said the
I doctor when they parted ''don't yield AT
I once, and I'll wager that we shall not
need to give your Harry another lesson.
I III manage it for YOU"
At the next turn Dr. Stone fell in with
1 Aunt Goodenough. an excellent old lady
who came h0bbling along in her big bon
net and spectacles. After passing ditfuse
compliments and discoursing with con-
siderable proliXity upon the weather and
| the rheumatism With cognate ills. Aunt
/ Sally proceeded to remark
I "Nell, doctor, expect if we was young
we should te going to the picnic along
with the boys and girls"
DR.. Stone plainly WINGED.
"loung, do YOU say? lam sure never
was more vigorous than am at present.
| don't think YOU ever saw a gray hair in
my head" Aunt Sally had been purblnd
for years.. Young, indeed, There isn't
a tresher, gayer Young man in these
| parts. think have done myself an in
justice in allowing the grave cares of
business to force me into undue sobriety,
and | have determined to assume my
proper character, and shall begin 10y 90
ing to the picnic with the rest"
\ smile OF intense astonshment broke
over The benevolent cOuntonance of Aunt
Sally, and an additional point painfully
stimulated her curiosity.
'Oh, Ia, now, always said you would
take Peggy Williams" :"
Miss Williams, indeed Why, She is
| old enough to be my mo-that is, a very
deserving lady, but not quite suited to
my years. A girl Of twenty would do
very WE'LL"
Il see you going up street with Molly
Brown little while ago Now, if she
wasn't engaged should say twas her,"
suggested the distressed Aunt Sally.
There is no reason why she shouldn't
| be guided by her own preference" return
ed the doctor, medestly; ''and am quite
willing you should know in confidence,
Mrs. GoodenOugh-W are old friends
and can trust you-thut Miss Brown is
the lady. I'm sure you'll say there isn't
prettier one in the village. Remember
| trust you with a secret"
1T shan't be made public" gasped
Aunt Sally 'But I'm so tired | guess
| III 90 in and see how Miss Simpsons
foot gets along" And the worthy old
woman shot through the next gateway
and into snug, brown house, where
dWelt one of her esteemed compeers.
Aunt Sally was as good as her word.
She didn't make the doctors secret pull
lie, but this unexpected and startling
revolution in affairs was discussed sub
rosa, in not less than dozen places be-
fore the evening bell.
Upon the morrow Harry Lanes ears
were assailed by strange intelligence.
The rumor was confirmed by innuendo
and Jest from every idle neighbor who
came along, and, as the forenoon wore
away, began to assume to his compre-
henslon very definite and portentous
aspect. The doctor had wealth and repu-
tation, and was in the prime Of life.
Molly was as good and beautiful as an
angel Harry planed a panel till he could
see through it. Such consideration and
destruction were uncomfortable. The young
carpenter made neat toilet and was at
the school promptly at four. But his
rivals stecd was paving the earth close
by the entrance. AS soon as Harry could
make his way through the noisy, dispers-
ing children, he entered the schoolroom.
There he found Molly pouring over her
desk, and the doctor beside her, saying,
Heaven knows what, to call up such