Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-05-10
81 thank you for helping me SO

ing you 1 should not have done it ir 5,
awkward manner"
After that there was no more cere
mony. Miss Archibald soon went int,
the parlor after tea, played little or
the cracked piano, sung some simpl
ballads in a fresh young voice, an,
finally it was the usual thing to Sc,
William standing. raptly attentive, a
one side of the piano, Smith behind her
Morrison, the newspaper reporter, in
lounging chair wheeled SO that he coui.
watch her face, and Timmins, tn,
hardware dealer, turning her music. I,
be sure, he did not know one note from
another, and she was obliged to sto,
her song and say. 'Nowi" as q sigma
at everypage.
found that the gentlemen regarded
William with certain GOODNESS, as
owing to the affair of the celery, he wa.
on more familiar footing with bel
than any of them.
As for me liked Miss Archibald very
mach. She seemed sensible little
tnlng, aud, beyond that, was SO ex.
travagantly pretty that one could but
admire her.
She invited..me to go on shopping ex
peditions, and found she was swing 8
number of elaborate dresses made, about
which my advice was asked, and ol
course, that Difference 10 my opinion III
the matter of dry goods had a mollify.
ing effect on me
William became more and more in.
fatuated, as did the others, and l grew
provoked. As IL men of their age ought
not to have something better to think
of than being at the beck and call of a
child in her teens!
One night l went into the parlor to
wait for Mrs. Jerrolds, who had invited
me to a lecture, and IN the darkness
for Mrs. Ford was too economical to
encourage the lighting of more than one
gas iet-saw Miss Archibald on the
piano stool with her hands resting Oh
the keys, while William was standing
besile her. looking eagerly in her face.
''Ies, Miss Bessie" he was saying, -
friendship is such a noble, such an eie-
waiting thlngl How it lifts us above
petty commonplaces to know there is
one heart will be true to usl''
Charming indeedp' said 1, dryly.
eyes, William, as You say, there is
like friendship"
1t was wicked ofme, know, but l
was abundantly repaid by the start he
gave and the expression l could imagine
but could not see on his countenance.
Miss Archibald was uldisturbed and be-
gan playing softly as 1 went out.
Vel, things went on in the same
ratio until | used to see William coming
in with little white parcels, unmistaka-
bly, from the florists, aud Miss Archi-
bald wore vlolets aad daisies at her
throat.
One morning we came down to break
fast and her seat was vacant. Tlmmins
over his breakfast, but she did
Eot appear; Smith was silent and preoc-
cupied, Morrison read the morning
paper nervously, and William played
with his biscuit.
At noon she did not come, and the
four lunatics became still more agitated.
In the meanwhile l had ascertalsed
that she went TO Dorchester the previous
afternoon and had spent the night
there, but ny opinion was not asked
and OF course did not volunteer IN
formation. After disner, William,
instead of going out as usual, waited for
me IN the hall and said:
Deborah, won't you go upstairs and
s if Miss Archibald is ill?''
"No, I'm sure l shsn't, said |, eoolly.
''Not even to oblige you"
Deborah, how unkind you are!'
cried he dramatically. ''Is this all the
sympathy one woman has for another?
Why, person might die In boarding
house without a soul near,
William" said l, impressively,
"take my word for it. you're making a
decided simpleton of yourself" But
William had shut the door forcibly and
was gone.
In the middle of the afternoon Mss
Archibald came to my room, fir esh and
rosy.
"Such a nice time, dean Miss Fraser, u
she said. "And now may 1 tell you a
secret?"
"To be sure, my DEAR" said 1, strok
ing her soft cheek as she knelt beside
me, for / couldn't help liking her.
well, all my shopping is done. and
| an going home tonight Unexpectedly
at six. Harry has come for me
and insists tuat shall 60 back with him
He said papa give hun full liberty to
lake me whether was willing or not.
..And who is Harry?"
That's the secret, Miss Fraser,
though after 1 am gone you may tell 1t.
He is Harry Starr, and We are to be
married in three weeks.
so that was why you had so much
shopping to do" sand /. well, my
dear, hope you'll be very happy"
81 helped her pack. was introduced
to Harry when he called for her-f
handsome, broad-shouldered fellow
and said good bye with blessing.
That night at tea felt that had
mission to perform. All were early, ant
the gentlemen as they came In glanced
ouickiv at Miss Archibald's seat only te
fnd it vacant. A general gloom settled
over the table. Finally TImmins couio
bear 1t 10 longer and said to ne:
SIS Miss Archibald Ill9"
"Oh, no." said 1, coolly. "She has
gone home rather suddenly. The gen.
tlemsn to whom she is engaged was II
town. and thought it would be pleasant
for her to go down on the same tralr
with him."
l cast a glance round the table
Smith and Morrison were eating rapidly
William pushed back his chair and lei
the room, but only TImmins could no
be satisfied.
''The gentleman to whom she Il
eneaged?" he repeated fee5ly-
"Yes," said /, helping myself to but
ter with the utmost cheerfulness. "Sht
is TO be married in three weeks.
William never mentioned the name o
Miss Archibald, and l noticed that tn!
four gentlemen settled back immedi
at lv into their former staid and sobel
ways, and gave up cultivating th'
graces of youth.
Nv brother has been quite hnmbi'
Nj /