Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-05-12

though OF proposing to any one. "She
thinks to marry me for an establish
mentr' and, rs soon as he decently
could. he made his bow, returned to his
room. looked in the glass again, felt the
bald spot, and then sat down in the
great chair and stared in'the fire, as
much perplexed as ever.
Mr.. Greenleaf soon perceived that
fretting about his hair only made it fall
out the faster, and when spring came
he resolved to try country air, exercise
and amusement by way of renewing his
youth and forgetting his troubles. Mrs.
Wilson strongly opposed the plan. She
prophesied damp beds, close rooms,
snakes, wet feet and broken bones-but
in vain. Mrs. Armour only sighed and
asked him to what part of the country
he was going. He said he had not yet
decided-for the truth was he had n
secret, underlined fear that she would
follow him and throw herself in his
way, and so get him after all. This
fear is a compliment which men some
times pay to the irresistible power of
the weaker sex. So Mr.. Greenleaf
slipped off clandestinely, rs it were, and
soon found himself in part of the
country where there could be little
fear of any traps but those set for foxes
or weasels. Here he felt quite safe, and
went cunning and fishing very industri-
ously, rubbing the smooth spot on his
head every night with an infallible
specific.
But one day when he was coming
home to his lodgings after mornings
shooting, he saw in field which he
was just about to cross an old lady and
a beautiful Young girl very much terri
fed by some unruly cattle. His gal
lantry was aroused, and he instantly
prepared to climb the fence to hasten to
their rescue; but, unfortunately, as he
set his gun down, a twig touched the
trigger, and small charge of shot was
lodged in his shoulder. He heard the
ladies scream and saw them run toward
him, but he knew no more, for every
thing swan before him, ladies, cattle,
trees and skies, and he sank fainting on
the ground.
He recovered, as heroes should, lying
on n bed in a neat chamber, with
charming face leaning over him. But
this sweet vision was soon exchanged
for the less aminble one OF an old coun-
try doctor, who examined his wounds
and extracted as many of the shot as he
could, giving as his opinion that if it
had been a little more this way or that
way no human skill-not even his own
could have saved the patient but
being just where it was, he thought it
might be done-so, after thorough
probing and many cautions, he left some
huge walls OF medicine and departed.
Poor Mr.. Greenleafl Is it to be Won
dcred at that he thought of Mrs. Viii
sons wise remonstranccs? That his
memory reverted to that snug room
which had 50 long accommodated him,
and the careful hands that had antici.
patcd all his wants? But his present
hostess left nothing undone, and when
household duties called her downstairs,
she left to watch the patient the same
pretty creature whose fright had first
excited Mr.. GreanleaFs gallantry. II
he must be wounded, and away from
home and Mrs. Wilson, he could not bc
better off.
Before many days he was able to sit
up again-for his wounds had been for
tunately scarcely more than skin-dccp- I
and then he became more and more &C.
quainted with the old lady and her
granddaughter. Their name was Ret /
ford, and the young one was called /
Jeannic. She was n sprightly creature.
with bright, dancing eyes and cease
less flow of spirits, and Mr.. Greenleaf
found her society in the sick-room so
charming that he almost wished to re-
tard his conference.-the with the
return Of health must vanish every ex-
cuse for remaining longer a guest at
Mrs. Retford's Shc treated him with
all the attention of daughter, and an
affectionate one, too. little thinking
that the staid old bachelor was mean
while speculating on the feasibility Of
making a wife of her. Here was case
in which the establishment could have
no weight, since Jeannie and her grand
mother had seen nor heard of it. Here
was sweet, simple, lovely creature,
expert in all delicate householdry, do
mestic in her habits and evidently
affectionate in her disposition--disen-
gagged, of course, for she had never seen