The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-10-26
THEIR COETTIOEJ BOND.

Several explosive sneezes interrupted
Loye Travis as she added the last
touches of charming disorder to the
fringe OF curling bronze hair which lay
on her forehead. AS a particularly
energetic Ah-tish-ool' rent the air,
and caused her to perform an invol-
untary courtesy, her straight, dark
brows met in the thoughtful little
frown which was peculiar to her, and,
looking meditatively into the mirror
she observed that her blue-gray eyes
were inflamed, and that her pretty
nose, with its suspicion of tip-tilted-
ness, had, on this occasion, more than
suspicion of redness.
8" can't have taken a cold" Love
meditated. "It must be; yes, it is the
fifteenth of August" she exclaimed,
as she glanced at the calendar which
hung on the wall of her room. alt
has Gomez she announced, solemnly,
as she walked into the room where
the family were assembled at break
fast.
"What? The Day of Judgment, or
a cyclone?" demanded Kate, Loye's
younger sister.
"None of your flippancy, miss !" re-
buked Loye. "What evil genius has
dogged my footsteps since my earliest
teens, lying in wait for me, and pounc-
ing upon me with mathematical pre-
cision every year on the fifteenth of
August? What diabolical spirit, may
I ask you, holds me in it's clutches
from that date onward, making me
sneeze, and gasp, and cough at its own
sweet will-(nOt mine, assure you y
until frost releases me from captivity I?
'Of all sad words Of tongue or pen,
The saddest are, Hay fever time again"r"
she continued, with mock despair and
real veXation. "Dut," Frightening,
and speaking with sudden resolution /:
".Ts well for us all that region lies
Where the infusoria never rise,'
and I'm going there this summer p
Mrs Travis, Kate and Johnny stared
in amazement. Had Loye developed
latent lunacy? Only last evening
they had all assembled in solemn con-
clave to discuss ways and means to
pay the butchers bill, and here was
Loye coolly announcing that she was
about to take'a pleasure trip
"How?" inquired Kate.
"'She'll take her knapsacl on her back,
And travel on the railway track"
sang Johnny, in an irritating falsetto.
"You know I'd be glad to have you
go to Michigan, or to some of those
Northern States, dear, but began
Mrs Travis.
Eyes" interrupted Loye, 81 know
the family eXchequer is not filled to
over1owing. But L have a plan, and
if Kate and Johnny will stop glaring
at me as if were two-headed lady,
I'll tell you about"
She accordingly unfolded her plan,
and, after many feeble jokes and much
scoffing on the part Of Kate and
Johnny, great perpIeXity on the part
of Mrs. Travis, and much triumphant
proving of points at issue on thepart
of Loye, she won her mothers con-
sent to what she wished to do, and
cheerfully dispensed with the approval
of jeering Kate and Johnny.
4 4 4 < X
One afternoon, late in August, Don
aid Trafton stood by the river at a
Wisconsin summer resort skipping
stones. AS he was sauntering along
the wooded banks Of the Lac la Belle,
it's smooth eXpanse suggested a re-
newal, at thirty, Of one Of his boyish
sports at ten. Acting upon the sug-
gestion, he had collected small noun
tain of thin, smooth stones, and for the
past ten minutes or more had been
laboriously trying to make them skip
properly. But instead of giving the
graceful little leaps which Trafton had
expected them to do as a matter of
course, they Intellectually grazed the
surface of the river and then plunged
at once beneath. They made a pretty
show of sparkles and dancing rings on
the water, it is true, but they were not
by any means fulfilling the duty OF
skipping stones. Donald paused and
ruefuily admitted that his success was
not brilliant. So evidently thought an
unseen spectator, for, to Trafton's