The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-11-11

am very much obliged to him whether
he was acquainted with me or not" in
terposed Jane, sharply, drawing her
mothers fire.
"I remarked" returned the latter
Lady, in a powerful baritone voice, 81
remarked, Miss Porter, that the gentle
man was very good but" she added,
with great emphasis and significance,
"the question as to the propriety of re-
ceiving such marked kindness from
strangers.
ssIf am to be left to the mercy of
and gratefully, too, "retorted Jane, shut
ting her lips very tight.
II was about TO remark. Miss Porter,
if you had given me the opportunity,
that your father and brother are both alb
sent, and you can hardly expect thatI-"
CO "Oh, no no, indeed never for
moment INDUCED in any such fond delu-
sion" interrupted Jane in an ironical
tone. tllH ~ isslr
This little episode between Jane and
her step-mamma, seemingly SO trivial,
proved of the utmost importance to me.
Driven to undertake my defense by the
criticism of her imposing relative, Jane
was led perversely to take an interest in
me which L might otherwise have vainly
striven to awaken, and L was rewarded
on leaving with a cordial invitation to
call.
was not slow in awaiting myself of
the privilege, but the first time l went,
and while was sitting in the parlor,
with my heart all in a futter, waiting
Jane to come down, the door opened.
and who should walk in but the red
headed youth. Here was situation.
He coolly stared at me. fiercely
glared at him. He took no notice of
this, but threw himself Familiarity into a
chair and crossed his legs, as though he
had come for the evening. This was
more than could stand.
"Sir," 1 said, inhamed with wrath
and jealousy, :" there is one too many
of us here. L came on invitation; if you
are going to stay, 1 will leave"
"Eh Who the devil are you?" he
exclaimed, with impudent sang froid.
CT! No matter who 1 am, sir.
We two cannot stay In this house to-
from my seat in transport.
At this minute Jane came in. She
shook hands cordially, smiled, and then,
turning toward the red headed youth,
said, "This is my brother, Mr.. Petit
bone -
Mrs. Porter looked upon me from the
first with a disapproval which rapidly
ripened to aversion. AS for me, / may
as well be candid and say at once that /
was afraid of her. And with a good
cause; she was woman born to rule.
She held the little doctor and his auburn
son completely under her thumb. Jane
was the only member OF the family who
dared withstand her. 1t was, perhaps,
the consciousness of my shrinking dread
of her step-mother that made Jane mere
than usually gracious, and rendered my
progress swift to degree that proved to
my conservative temperament somewhat
bewildering. AS my ardor cooled before
the prospect of daik encounter with
this family Gorgon, Jane became, in
turn, more tender and encouraging. In
deed, in after years, when Mrs. Petit
bone and lat rare, very rare, intervals
have INDUCED in little mutual, mutual
let us say explanations-I have some
times timidly limited in self-defense that
she did the lions share of the wooing !;
for which have been instantly and per-
haps deservedly silenced by the unpal-
atable avowal that she chad only mar
ried me to spite her step-mother.
What good ground there was for these
mutual accusations may be best gathered
from a little conversation that took place
between Jane and me one evening on
the doorstep, conversation which, L
may say, sealed my fate.
1t was bright moonlight evening.
We were sitting in the shadow of the
porch. L was absently holding James
hand.
Mr.. Pettibone," she said, suddenly,
chow long have we known each otherp"
"About three months, believe.
g 1t seems ever SO long. doesn't it?"
"Well, ye-es 1T does"
cts because we've seen so much OF
each other"
CT dare say"
you've been here a great deal,
haven't you?"
"Have / 2"
l dropped James hand with discom-
flied feeling. She let it rest on my arm,
and edged little nearer
"Why, yes L never had gentleman
call SO often-that is, not lately"
Elm sorry" faltered.
dispose it must look rather particu-
lar"
"Eh Why SOP" 1 inquired, with a
vague feeling of alarm.
"Why, it might-that is, folks might
| say that you-you almost must mean
something !"
James hand was again lying in mine,
though didn't put it there.
" Mean-mean something's" echoed.
eyes"
James head was now leaning on my
shoulder. / don't know how it hap
pened. L only know L had not
J stirred.
"But II assure you 1 DON'T" /
stammered, very much embarrassed.
What's that?" cried Jane, sharply,
sitting bolt upright and withdrawing her
hand violently.
"That is, I should say-of course,