The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-26


early Monday morning left, with promise
to return the following Wednesday that
being the day on which my leave of absence
was to begin
well, how did you like Nutwood?' asked
Lon, as soon as we met.
ITS very quiet, pretty place" said I,
And the Mouse's description wasn't as
highly colored as the advertisements he
continued.
at wasn't highly colored in the least" I
replied. II found there all he promised and''
mulch more" l was about to add, but
checked myself.
"Then what do you say to speaking a word
In my favor when you leave? | might spend
one of my holiday weeks there, anyhow
The other I've got to spend with the old
folks"
oh" said l. emphatically "Nutwood
kind of blues there in no time. It's so exceed
Ingiy-well, dull, you'd call it, You want to
be where there's some fun going on. As for
me, give me pipe and book, and Pm all
right, you know"
Wednesday saw ME installed in the eozy
room, with the wood on one side and the
brook on the other; a week or less from that
day saw rue as wholly in love with Phiiippa
as ever was city youth with bonny country
maid. She was such dear frank, bright,
unaffected girl, with no faults that |
could see-and watched her closely-uuless
u
called one. That spilled salt must be imme
diately thrown over the left shoulder of the
spiller, lest he or she should quarrel with
his or her next neighbor; that no journey or
important undertaking should be begun on
Friday; that an umbrella or parasol opened
under roof betokened a great disappoint-
ment that a crow crossing your path BODIED
ill news; that the nnding of four-leaved
clover brought good luck; all these, with
hundred other things of like nature. did
pretty Philippa believe with the whole of
her honest heart. | used TO laugh at her at
first but soon learned to humor the harmless
weak ness and threw spilled salt over my
shoulder, went down on hands and knees
being rather neas-sighted-to search for four
leaved clovers carefully avoided passing
under ladder, turned back if | met a crow,
and all the rest of it. Well, | fell in love
with her; but much to my chagrin she didn't
fall in love with me. She liked me in sisterly
sort of way--that l could plainly see; but
she never thought of me as a loVer-that l
could also too plainly see. She walked with
me-Tim, the embryo farmer, generally ac-
companying us; listened to my readings
from my favorite authors; let me help her
feed the chickens, taught me how to make
butter and pot cheese; but not step further
had l got when the last day of August
arrived and my vacation came to an end.
You will come to see us?' said Mrs. Day
ton. when | was taking my leave.
'Yes, indeed, if you would like to have
me, IL replied
Come as often as you can; the oftener the
better we will be pleased"
But Philippa said never a word though
friendly interest shone in her beautiful hazel
eyes. However, remembering the old pro-
verb, Faint heart never won fair lady" l
did not allow her non-invitation to keep me
from fulfilling my promise to her mother,
and fulfilled it so we'll that went TO Nut
wood.every Saturday afternoon, and remained
until Monday, for three months longer.
Then, winter setting in in earnest, | was
obliged to bid the farmhouse good-by, with
out having received from Philippe the slight
est encouragement to tell the story that was
always trembling on my lips.
December and part Of January passed away
and had heard nothing from Mouse's only
sister, when, one day looking up from my
desk, saw him standing beside me.
give got a note for you, sir" he said, "fro.2,
| Phil" My heart began to beat wildly st
came in one she sent me, and she told me to
put it into your own hands,
l could scarcely thank the little fellow
was so surprised, and taking the note from
him, opened it quickly and read as follows
Dear Mr.. Loveioy-T send you a lock of my
| hair (my heart fairly galloped), and would be
ever so much obliged to you II you would take 1t
| TO Sgnor Riato, ana ask him TO burn it and tell
my fortune from the ashes. l also tnclose card
| with date of my birth, etc. He told Melinda
| Wells's In that way, and it's come true, and she
is to marry tho very one he described, on the st
nj March; You are to be asked to the wedding
She Is the girl that went blackberrying with us
once and you said looked like an Esquimau L
wouldn't trouble you, but Roderiok is too youn q
TO trust with such an errand, and you are the
the reason don't send directly to him by mail is
that IL Will be so much more wonderful if he
reads anything true from the lock of hair not
knowing from whence or from whom it comes.
Yours truly, PHIIIPPA DAYTON.
p 5.-Be sure to come to the wedding.
what nonsense" said to myself (my
heart having gone back to its usual trot) as
soon as | had finished reading it, and for an
instant felt like throwing the whole thing
out of the window But only for an instant
Then [ opened the inclosed envelope took
gut the long shining auburn tress, looked at
1t with admlring eyes, came near kissing it,
folded it up again, and put it carefully away
in my vest pocket. And while putting it
carefully away in my vest pocket an idea
came to me like flash, which. justifying
myself with the thought that "all's fair in
love and war" began to carry out as soon
as Lon came sauntering in from his lunch.
Lon" said l, do you think yourself capa-
BILE of writing out full and true description
of the undersigned?'
What the deuce do you mean?' was his
rather irrelevant reply.
Just what [ say" says l. "Alonzo For
dyce, can you, and win you write out. moth
ing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice,
full and true description of your unworthy
friend Tom Lovejoy?'
Certainly, if you are in earnest, and be-
gin to see you are. And it isn't to be at all
fiatteredT'
Not at all. Lean little TO mercy's side,
of course but do the work so that your con-
science can never reproach you for it."
We'll, here goes" and seizing pen and
paper Lon began.
''That won't dc" said I, looking over his
shoulder.
"What won't dor" asked he.
why, Tom Lovejoy. No name must be
mentioned. Begin thus He is about five
and twenty.'
"All serene" said Lon, taking another
sheet of paper and alternately scribbling and
looking at me for about ten minutes, at the
and of which tirna he bandad n,a tba daeor;,,