Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-01-06
youth and country air asserted them
selves, and l was decidedly hungry.

came in sight, pointing TO n vacant seat
on her right. l obeyed, unfolded my
napkin, took n cup of coffee somebody
handed me, said, Yes, thank you," TO
an offer of roast chicken. when Adeiine
Eliza, with her mouth full of succotash,
turning 10 her neighbor on the left, re-
sumed the story which my arrival ap-
parently had interrupted for a moment
"A grsat, tall fellow with big"
jumped up hastily. There was an un-
occupied chair at the children's table.
"Pll help take care of the little ones"
said |. and fed once more.
Dinner lasted about two hours, and
shortly after stalwart, brown-faoed
young farmer bashfully proposed a
swing, or n " SOUP" as he called It.
eagerly accepted his invitation. Any
thing. anything, thought, to get away
rom those "big black whiskers )" and
keep Gabriel and that forward Price
girl out of my mind. Besides which,
was very fond OF swinging. So in few
moments was merrily flying up among
the tree-tops, and in another few mo-
ments a shrill, too well known voice
followed me. glanced down. Adeline
Eliza stood beneath an adjacent tree,
talking to her deaf old grandfather.
" No, no, didn't say black sisters"
the screamed; BLACK whiskers-big
black whiskers."
And thereafter, no matter how high
scared. that wretched story scared with
me-"
II gave him n choke" yelled Adeline
Eliza.
No. no, not joke 1t wasnt no
Joke but real burglar"
Let the cat die" murmured 70 my
farmer friend, and before 1t was fairly
dead sprang from the swing. and pre-
cipitately Joined a noisy party who were
playing Follow my leader" with
shouts OF laughter that could have Ger.
tainly been heard a mile away.
Supper. Another heavily LOADED table,
and people eating rs though they had had
no dinner. Adeline Eliza sat opposite
lone. An elder sister, who had Just
arrived on the scene of action-her car
riage having broken down and tumbled
herself and children into the dust five
miles up the road, from whence they
had all trudged, while "pan went to
look for blacksmith-took her place at
my side.
II declare, when that wagon went to
pieces. said she. I was almost scared
to death"
Scared to death II repeated my sister
in-law, with an accent of scorn.
Guess II you'd a walked up and seen a
burglar In your room, as did t'cther
night"
mol" exclaimed her sister.
No mo- about it," replied Adeline
Eliza, guiping down her ice-cream in
such hurry that her nose turned blue.
and | shivered. "A great, tall fel-
low"
started to my feet. pumped An open.
eyed, open-mouthed archin into my
place, handed him my cake and ice
cream, and rushed out into the old.
fashioned garden. Even there my evil
spirit seemed TO pursue me, and iancied
the crickets chirped over and over
again, &c A great, tall fellow" and the
treetosds and kAtydids joined in with
Big black whiskers, big black
whiskers."
"Oh. Gabriell Gabrielr' said I, elf
you but knew what have suffered. you
wouldn't even speak to that Price girl.
let alone play croquet with her. AL
suppose you have been doing all after
noonw
And i wandered about among the
sleeping flowers until the crickets and
tree-toads and katydids had resumed
their usual song, and then returned to
the house, hoping to find the old arm.
chair that stood at one end of the porch
without an occupant. Il was. All the
party, as saw when peeped through
the white muslin window-curtAins.
were assembled in the long. !ow-cefl.
inged pArlor. Adeline Eliza sat In tn
center OF the room. one OF her children
asleep in her lap. "And woke IN.
she was saying, land there stood"
Where. oh. where shall nyP" ex.
claimed /. in nervous agony; and in my
agitation and the darkness, missing the
porch steps. l stumbled. and fell into
the arms of--Gabriel. my Gabriel.
who are you flying from, dear ?" he
asked, rs he gave me kiss.
A great, tall fellow" began I.
He put me away from him sterniy.
While have been at home alone all
day" he said. thinking OF you. and at
last, unable 10 endure your absence any
longer, have followed you here. you. IL
seems. have been firting-"
No, no, Gabriel" almost shouted:
you are mistaken-ever 20 much mis-.
taken. Ycu can't imagine you never
could imaQtue-what thia d.v h.. 49,