Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-04-27

friend. Isn't it q wretched dayP"
"Wretchedis no name for it, answer
ed little, golden-haired Lizzie. "Mam-
ma is up in her room nursing her peri
odical headache, and I was on the point
of running over to see you. But. dear
me, have you heard the newsp"
"No," Jessie replied tossing back a
stray curl from her forehead. What
is it, Liz?"
Seth Morris is going to marry Miss
Archer. She told me all about the en-
gagement this morning. Don't you feel
well?"
For poor Jessie's face suddenly turn
ed deathly pale, and look of horror
crept into her eyes,
''Is it true, Lizzie?" she asked, try
ing to quell the culver in her voice.
Every word of 1t is true" Lizzie re-
sponded. 'Of course know about
that little love affair between Seth and
you, but you are very foolish if you go
mourning over the loss of such heart
less lover. Theidea of Seth tying him
self down to that dlsagreeable Miss
Archer when he could have got you.
And she had the impudence to tell me
that you had treated Seth shamefully,
and it was no wonder he didn't ask you
to marry him. Oh, Jessie, when she
said that, / few up in terrible passion
and gave her piece of my mind, and
so the end of it was, we had q fearful
quarrel. She is the most spiteful thing
] ever encountered. Now; don't feel
badly about it, because you are not to
blame for Seth's faithlessness."
But all through that afternoon there
was dull, aching pain at poor Jessie's
heart, and, at last, she bid Lizzie good
bye, and went slowly home with a sad
look upon her pretty face-a look that
did not even Aunt Lydia's eyes as the
girl entered the sitting-room where the
old lady sat beside the dinity-ourtained
window.
Of course Jessie gathered up her
courage and told Aunt Lydia all that
she had heard, and the old lady almost
beside herself with amazement. could
only try to soothe our little heroine in
her kind. motherly way.
And then poor Jessie tried to be brave
and womanly, but o spiteful sense of
desolation and heart sickness clung to
her despite herself.
Oh, if Seth had only known how
dearly she loved him. she felt confident
that he would never have cast her aside
so cruolly.
Then the handsome face and blue
eyes of Harry Eldridge would suddenly
loom up before her, and she would find
herself wondering which of her two sui
tors she really loved
"Well, at any rate" she thought, III
put Harry to the test now since Seth
has been weighed in the balance and
found wanting"
But Jessie was saved the trouble OF
taking that romantic step, for an hour
later John Howard came into the kitch-
en- with the starting news that Mr.. Har-
ry Eldridgs had been arrested for being
implicated in o daring bank robbery
which was committed in Boston about
two months ago.
Jessie listened like one in dream. It
seemed to her as If some cruel hand had
suddenly gras ped her heart. But at
last she managed to slip up to her room
where she had good CRY, and finally
declared that she was the luckiest girl
in the world to have rid herself OF her
two faithless lovers.
although can blame no cne but
myself for having lost Seth" she thought
sadly. 81 never for moment guessed
how dearly I loved him until I heard OF
his engagement to Miss Archer. Oh, if
some prophetic voice had only told me
what bold, wicked man Mr.. Eldridge
was I'm sure I'd not have hurt poor
Seth's heart so cruelty"
But the next day when she returned
home from O walk i'll the woods, she
found Seth patiently awaiting her in
the sitting room.
"Jessie," he said, holding out his
hand to her in his frank, manly way,
"do not think too harshly of me until I
have explained all to you. have come
to contradict the rumor that Miss Arch
er is to be nv wife. She was to have
married my brother William, but Ae was
killed in a railway accident, and since
his death her brain has weakened and
she has fancied of late. that I am her
future lord and master. / never could
feel angry toward the unfortunate girl,
but in turn have always humored her
hallucinations. The Archers have tried
to keep her insanity secret, but she is
getting worse, and sooner or later the
world cannot help but guess the truth.
Oh, Jessie, do not turn from me now
while you have the power to make me
one of the happiest men on earth, for
you are the only woman l ever loved,
and want you TO be my precious little
wifep'
With low, glad cry, she few to his
breast, and sobbed out her happy an
swer.
"I cannot say no. Seth. because, oh,
love you-I love you sol"
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