Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1883-02-08
IN A MOMENT.

one of the retrospective memories she
did not very often give way to.
But to morrow was New Years Day,
and in the old times that seemed so fal
| back, it had been the gayest happiest
day of all the year for her, when the
elegant parlors in her fathers mansion
on Madison Avenue had been decorated
with flowers, and the windows darkened,
and the gas had been lighted Ill pink
and sllyer globes, and every luxury and
| delicacy been served on the New Years
table by the waters in the Jeffrey
livery.
And Isabel queened it over all
young, fair, rich, happy, hopeful.
Five years passed, and now she was q
woman OF ftwenty-three. whose best dress
was a cashmere, whose home was III
three rooms, whose father had been
dead ever since the terrible breakup III
his financial affairs. and whose friends.
whose name had been legion, were scat
tered she never knew where.
1t had been pretty much the same old
story.
Isabel Lad had to face the world, and
she had done it braYely.
She had been fortunate enough to OBJ
tain position in store. and on her
hardly learned salary of six dollars a
week, she managed to make a fairly
comfortable home for herself, her deli
cate little lady-mother, and her ten
years -old-sister.
Of course it was hard-awfully hard
to stand it but people have to endure
just such things, and the more brave
and cheerful and phllosophic they can
be, the easier it is for them although
beyond the philosophy that Isabel JEFF
ray hrnu0llt- -lAn------.s. :. .-lior'>'--,
her sweet patient trusting that helped
her so much, that kept her very gentle
and accomplishing all these dark days.
when, more keenly than loss OF pro-
peTty, or home, or friends, was the ever
constant memory of Jack Mervin's hand
some face, and bold blue eyes, and
charming voice, and caressing manner.
They had never been, lovers, that Is,
engaged lovers, nor had Jack ever said
much of anything special to her.
All the same though Isabel had been
very sure of him.
So sure that she was perfectly content
to wait Just as long as fate ordained.
And then, just at the time when he
should have been staunch and true, ii
his love were worth anything, so Isabel
reasoned, Just as bitterly, he had gone
with the crowd that had deserted the
Jeffreys in their reverses.
And III five years Isabel had meyer
seen him or heard his name spoken.
Poor little soul
The big tears would start to her lovely
wistful eyes as she stood there between
lights that New Years Eve. that might
have been so different.
For perhaps half an hour she stood
there looking down into the brilliantly
lighted street below, with its throngs o.
pee pie hurrying through the stingine
cold, the solemn moonlight shining
high, and pure and holy above all.
"If only Jack had not gone with the
rest !"
"Oh, if only he had stayed and lovet
mel"
That was the burden of her thought
just as heavy that night, five years from
the time since she had seen his hand
some smiling eyes, as at the first.
Unwomanly?
Well, think not-certainly not.
She had carad for him from the yer,
first and she would care for him to tht
very latest throb of her loyal heart
choosing-nay, perforce, having t.
suffer her loss of him, rather than ENJOY
another mans love.
Directly, with little sigh, she dashed
the big slow dropping tears off he
lashes, and obeyed Bessie's Cheerful
summons to supper, and went slowl.
out to the neat frugal little meal o
buttered toast and cold thin-sliced han
and mustard.
And delicious steaming tea and wee
taste of canned pineapples.
Then she returned to the store, where
after hours, Dell Amber took her conf
dentialiy aside and impaired dellciou
bit OF information and al invitation.
"i4randma Amber, up in Jersey yo1
know, Isabel, has sent me the lovelies
invitation, to spend New Years Da..
with her at the farm, and she wants m
to bring somebody with me.
you'll enjoy it ever so much If yo7
like sleigh-riaing and want turkey, an
mincepies, and cider, and walnuts and
roaring big fire in the open fireplace
and everything old-fashioned and cour
tr, fed. You will go with me, won
you?"
An unusual little thrill of delight crer
yer Isabel.
Oh, what blessed, blessed rest da