The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-08-15
hopes were on the point of realiza

nOpeS were on the point OF redllZa-
ton.
Alfred and his wife came one day
from the city, in their usual style
with driver and span, and with them
came a gentleman whom it will
hardly do to call young, though
some years this side of forty. He
was a distant relation of Alfred's
wife and a member Of a great firm in
New York City, which was amoug
the leading houses in that city. He
was tall, slightly bald, but very fine
looking, courtly in his manners and
address, and intelligent in the ways
of the world.
He was looked upon by the fam
lily and the people OF Thornville, for
he spent several days there, as quite
lion.
The very thing which Mrs. Thur
Der desired did occur; Mr.. Hurlburt
fell deeply in love with Julia, but in
credible to relate, Julia was as cold
and distant toward him as though
it were impossible for her heart ever
to feel the soft passion OF love. Her
mother bore it for time in silence,
but when she saw no signs of the
giving away of the icy fetters which
seemed to hold her heart and soul
she took her to task, and demanded
to know wnat she could mean by
such conduct.
Julia made no reply till she had
gone to her private desk and took
thereirom letter, and handed 1t to
her mother to read /; as she glanced
at the name of the writer and ran
her eye over the contents her coun-
tenance changed, her face became
red, and the ire flashed from her
eyes.
Julia p she exclaimed, what do
you mean by holding correspond
ence with one so much beneath
your"
You have not always thought
him so, mother"
well, you know, child, that af-
fairs with us have changed within a
few years, and though Caleb is well
enough in his place, | will teach
him better than to aspire TO the
hand of daughter of mine"
You will do no such thing,
mother" said Julia, calmly looking
her mother full in the face.
DO you mean to intimate to me
that you are going to refuse the suit
of Mr.. Hurlbert and accept this
worthless boy, Caleb ?"
Il do not intimate only, mother,
but | will say plainly, | shall never
accept any intimacy from Mr.. Hurl-
bert, of whom | know no hurt; but
Caleb has my heart now, and had
it ever since | knew | had d heart
made to live"
You silly, foolish girl, COM
mand you at once to put Il stop TO
all such silly notions. l will have
none of it. Mr.. Hurlbert is Just the
match l have been hoping for you,
and am not going to be disappoint-
ed by any silly notions of yours"
Mother, did you marry father be-
cause your mother loved him, or
took a fancy to him, or because you
loved him ?"
''That is no matter of yours it is
your duty to obey your mother, who
knows what is best for you great
deal better than you, girl of eigh-
teen"
Il expect to live with the man |
choose for my husband, and not you.
You had your choice OF a man and
| expect the same privilege myself.
If there is anything to be said
against the character of the one |
choose 1t is my duty to listen to you,
as my mother, but in nothing else,
and you have no right to dictate or
interfere further"
Julia Thurberl | am astonished
and panied to the hearts core to
hear you talk so. Just see what a
life you turn your back on in refus-
ing Mr.. Hurlbert, and what a sad
fate you choose for yourself, in ac-
cepting so simple and worthless a
character as Caleb Thornton"
"That, mother, is your estimation
of the two men and the two posi-
tions, not mine"
Just look at the position of your
sister Lucy, and the society she
moves in, and the style she lives in.
| should think you would be asham-
ed to bring such disgrace on your
brother and sister as 10 condescend
to marry man whose highest am
bition is to be a farmer. Julia
Thurber farmers wife Just think
of the degradation and disgrace to
the family, Juliaw
"Mother, it is wholly useless for
us to talk further upon this subject.
| prefer to follow the dictates of my
own heart if there is nothing against
Caleb Thornton only that he pur-
poses to become farmer, than even
you, whom | never before have re-
fused to obey"
"You stubborn, wilful child" said
Mrs. Thurber, asshe rushed passion
ately from the room.
During the last year of Caleb's
services in the high school, his eye
caught the advertisement of the
Thurber farm for sale, as it stated,
''at bargain"
That, of all places on earth, was
the one most desirable to Caleb, and
it had within a few weeks become
more especially so, as within that
time Julia Thurber had accepted
the offer of his hand and heart, and
in language which convinced him
that his love was fully reciprocated.
There was a friend of his in
Thornville to whom he wrote to as
certain the lowest sum the Thurber
farm was to be had for, and found it
was several hundred dollars less
than he had anticipated, and, as it
was within his means, ne at once Sc
cured it.
When it was known he was in
tending to leave the school at the
end of the year, the authorities made
even a higher bid for his services
another year; and as he was still
xo,,no and I,,lia ctill undar fmartx-