The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-10-06

olOWly bne Two "AO Wv" VI ~ hOueo
Ned trying to su. nmon up co nrage to
address the pretty, neatl i-dressed
maiden, who had gro wn from little girl
to young lady in hen two years alb
sence while she, her loyal nc art tlutter-
ing at the sight of her o'd sw eetheart,
tried to look unconscious OF his pres
ence.
Nearer and nearer to the farm door,
the distance between them narrowing
every moment, they saunitHr ed on, till
at last they stood oppoHiit the old
farmer, neither daring 30 speak the
first word. The pretty flow ers were in
danger of being eaten up. .as Ned bit
nervously at the stems of the pinks and
roses, while Susy's pocket hs ndkerchieJ
was rapidly becoming transft 'rmed into
rabbit in her gloved !dnger J.
How long they would have remained
thus can only be guessed; b ut clear,
ringing laugh from Kate. 81 'conded by
her fathers hearty bass, broke the
spell, and Ned said:
I'm glad you're home a, yain, Susy !"
and managed to present l is flowers and
hold open the gate before her bushes
faded away.
1t did not need much arging 10 turn
the long walk into a t ak in Katie's
room, while the farm er and Ned
assumed their "go-to-m Getting" garb,
and by some slight of hand Katie found
herself transferred to her father, while
Master Ned escorted the fair Susy to
church, and not week p, used before
all Allentown knew that Ned Clarke
and Susy Willis were st i'll excepting
company"
Ned and Katie Clarke were the only
children of old Farmer Joi 'hua Clarke,
whose wife had long befo e died and
left him to be both father and mother
to her handsome boy and girl. They
were still little ones when they became
motherless, but Aunt K ate, Katies
godmother, had filled her sisters place
at the farmhouse until Katie was six
teen, when, thinking her niece trained
for perfect housekeep er, dear Aunt
Kate consented to go brig hten another
home, whose master had ' Vaited for her
since her sisters death. So the three
in the old homestead were left to link
! their love still closer in IL le absence Of
the wonted housekeeper, and Katie's
pride was to let no comfort be missed
! no deficiency tell of their Loss.
In easy circumstances, devotedly
fond of his children, finding love all
around him, Farmer Clarke was the
most CHEEKY, bright old farmer in AL
lentown. Universally respected and
beloved, his old age bright sned by his
children's happiness, he was ready to
enter heartily into any youthful
scheme, to give his full sympathy to
all the Young boys and girls who came
to him for advice, and above all to
watch, with almost boyish glee, all the
VILLAGE courting. Katie, being a uni
versal belle, had as yet selected no spe-
cial favorite to torment, so the old man
had full leisure to watch Ned, visiting
his loom for sly remarks, dropping
words that brought up the frank blush
so becoming to manly ff ce, or even,
at times, letting his symps thy bring the
roses to Susy's cheek.
Never did the course of true love
promise to run smoother. Susys father
P was travelling; peddler, whose journeys
, often led him hundreds of miles from
Allentown, now east, now west, north,
or south, as his fancy or pack sug-
+ gested. His earnings were good, and
{ Mrs. Willis rented pretty cottage and
0 lived in comfortable style, while Susy
d could boast of two years schooling u
: a. the academy of B., miles away
from her native village. 1t is true that
] Jim Willis, the peddler, was counted a
; hard man, one keen at bargain, and
3 close-fsted in business; but no one
doubted his love for his wife and Susy,
g their only child. There had been al.
ways kindly fe cling between the family
e and the Clarkes from the time when
Ned drew Susy and Kate to school or
Q one sled, or tossed apples from the
r boys bench to the golden-haired lassie
on the girls side. Mrs. Willis knew
! Ned's worth; his sturdy upri ghtness
d his frank, generous heart, his bright in
telligence and faithful love; and she
IS wished no more brilliant future for hel
Il darling than the life of Ned Clarke
II wife promised to be. So the long sum
& mer walks, the confidential talks, the
:. thousand devices to win favor that thC
youthful swain proffered his love, wer'
d all smiled upon by the inhabitants o
J. farm and cottage, while Susy's gentle
loyal heart never dreamed of coluetry
IS but let Master Ned read in every lool
/, ana blush the tale of his success in WOO
e ing.
/, The summer months sped merrily
y duu IL WAS well uuuCioVOou IL hiiOh
town that when Jim Willis returne'
e there would be wedding, while not
IS "boy" in the village would hav
y dreamed of daring to court a smile o
l. word from Susy.
" The long evening shadows of Angus
e were falling from the houses and trees
81 when Katie sat dreaming in her littl
N room. Tea was over. Her father ha
gone to town the day before with pre-
er visions, and would not return until ia
u into the night. Ned had gone to Sc
ut Susie, so there was no one to interrur
j. the musing. She was thinking whethel
g. when Susy came to the farmhouse, sh
u might not think of quitting it, and th
D. various pros and cons of Bob, Harry an
to Will fitted through her coquettish Ii
IS. tie heart as she deliberated on the
ell several cases, her heart free to choos
be from all of them.
It, Suddenly looking up she saw Ne
tn coming slowly down the path from IL
rs, cottage. He reeled from side to sid
lis as if intoxicated, while his falterin
he step, his bowed head and droopir
figure terrified his sister greatly. E
he must be ill Very i'll indeed he locke
g ? as he passed the gate she had hastene
nd to open for him. He made no answ,
ng to her piteous inquiries as he passe
d. her to enter the kitchen, where he sar
,ss down upon the floor, resting his hes