Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-09-28

Naturally Selvidge was impatient
but he was also discreet, SO he did no
ljeopardize his prospects by undue haste
One day, however, when Miss Perrll
was ann essly handling some g ,ods thai
she had been looking at, she mixed
them SO inextricably that she had some
trouble in rearranging them. Selvidgt
fastened to assist her, and when hi,
hand met hers under the folds of the
material, he did not resist the tempta-
ton to indulge in n little squeeze. As
the hand was warm and soft, and Its
owner showed no inclination to with.
draw It, Selvidge continued to hold it,
Suddenly, after quick glance Mt the
door, he withdrew it and kissed II,
Kate gave him shy look, without q
bit of repreach in it, from under heI
upper eyelashes, and this so embolden-
Ell hun that he leaned across the
counter and kissed the young lady 5
cheek. The counter would have been
too wide for such an operation had not
Kate considerably helped the young
man by leaning slightly toward him.
Then, with cheeks aglow, Selvldge
looked ardently into the face that was
of deeper crimson than his own, and
murmured-
Forgive me, my darling, but 1
couldn't help it, for l have long loved
you-oh, so long u
Kate was not equal to the situation,
for she said, with downcast eyes:
81 guess I've loved you, too; I've
only Just found it out. But what will
faith say ?"
Don't tell him, my precious one, 1"
replied Selvidge quickly. Leave mt
to do that, at the proper time"
Kate promised, and then, rather
frightened, left the store, but not until
Selvidge, leaping over the counter,
had followed her aud given her a close
embrace and several kisses behind one
OF the front doors, which, by the merest
accident, of coarse, Kate partly closed
by touching it with the toe of her boot.
During the few weeks that followed,
the course of love ran smoothly though
secretly. The couple met daily at the
store, and occasionally in the Perris
garden at an hour that should have
found Kate asleep in bed. But the
young mans prospects were rudely
Dllghted one night, when old Perris,
unable to sleep ON account of the heat,
left his bed and strolled in stocki1ged
feet, and with pipe in his mouth,
about his garden. An unusual appear
unce Of shaded rustic seat that at.
tracted his attention proved, on in
vestigation, TO be due TO Selvidge,
with the head of Kate piilowed confid-
ugly on his breast. Then there was O
drew, ana Within nve ise1 1|iRs
nad made al humblY apology, in which
had also promised to leave the town at
once anu forever, old Perris kindly
giving him a Thousand dollars with
which to set himself up as village
Merchant somewhere else.
Selvidge departed, without saying
goodbye to his employer, within, twen-
ty-four hours, but not before he had
bribed one of the 'Perris servants to
give Kate letter containing fiord
plotestations of eternal devotion it
also contained his photograph and his
address, which he had determined
should In future be at New York.
Within week, old Ferris suddenly
took Kate off for trip, the unannounc.
ed destination of which was o country
boarding-schooI where the espionage
was reported to be very strict. But
fortnight did not slapse before, in spite
of sly father and strict school principal,
the lovers were exchanging letters that
bore double or treble postage.
Arrived at New York, Selvidge did
not make haste to 60 into business for
his capltal-now about $4,000-was
too small to enable him to buy an IN
terest in any firm strong enough to
command the respect of old PerrIs in
the good time that Selvldge assured
himself must come sooner or later. On
the other hand, he could afford to live
well and keep up appearances and as
any well dressed adventurer of passable
manners can readily find his way into
some New York sets that contain many
respectable people, Selvidge soon found
himself in a grade of society where all
the gentlemen wore dress coats when
making evening calls.
Then it struck this discreet fellow
that it might be we'll to have two
strings to his bow. Kate was darling,
and must be her fathers heir; but sup
pose she were to die, or the old man
were to fail hopelessly, as he saw some
New Workers of high standing doing?
To think was to act, 30 after skillfully
informing himself about the young
ladies in mis- set, Selvidge began to pay
special attention to Miss Florence
Wernton, who was the reputed heiress,
in her own right, of one of the hand
somest estates Ill Western New York.
Miss Florence was the counterpart OF
Kate i'll almost every respect she Was
slight, sentimental and retiring; but as
she had heart and had not an accepted
lover, she soon succumbed to Selvidge's
atten tions, while the young man, who
never before had met a lady of her
kind, really lost the heart which he had
gwen to Kate so he declared his love.
He more than limited that there was
temporary obstacle to their union, but
there was just enough mystery about
this to bind the sentimental girl more
closely to him.
Meanwhile he Was not neglectlng any
promising opportunities to pick up any
fortune that might be had before mar
riage. He went West to look at q
mining adventure that promised well,
and some letters that were forwarded
to him Went astray, so when he re-
turned to town ne was greatly aston
ished and disappointed to lind that
Elornnoo on6 bar roothar hod loft tho