Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-06-20

| "'e any idte tildJ would Tree me iron
this thraldom,
Finally | must have fallen into an un.
easy slumber.
The sense that tells us someone is
near awoke me.
Standing motionless looking down
upon me i'll silent pity. was Mr.. Shields.
hurrledly started up. muttering some
KIND OF APOLOGY, and very much ashamed
OF my tear-stained face and rumpled
hair. | requested him to be seated, and
he sat down, not on the chair near him.
but beside me on the sofa.
was confused, and knew not what
to do or say.
suppose he had perception enough
to notice my agitation. He was all
calmness and ease.
wondered if it were possible he could
hear my foolish heart beat, and see the
tremor of my lips, when | tried to
answer his questions.
You are il trouble tonight, Mona?''
shall remember to my dying day the
laeXpresSible sweetness of those SYM
pathizing tones. L thought, as always
have since, that it was the most musical
voice | had heard in all my troubled,
dTeary life.
uwere sobbing in your sleep when
| came in; what was it? Are you lone
ly? Aunt and cousins are gone. aren't
theyr Well, cheer up; will stay here
until they return. Are they unkind to
you?''
could not tell an untruth now, with
the tear-stains still on my cheeks; so
replied Miss Geraldine scolded me be-
cause | dropped her fan and broke the
mirror. and Aunt Hester, too"
Here l completely broke down, and
cried as if | was never going to stop. He
sat awhile in silence, and let me sob un-
disturbed; then he said, laying his hand
upon my head, Don't give way to YOUR
grief; come, cheer up; you are hurt by
cross wsrds and reproacheS, but there is
sunshine after rain. Mona, tonight you
and | are drawing very near to each
other; | too, have been Stung by ingrati-
tude | have sounded the depths of
bitter waters and by the perfidy of one
person | was sunk TO the depths of des-
pair. But | am out of this slough of
deSpond, and am now far happier than
| would have been had affairs gone diff
ferently. l am in position which per-
haps / should not have attained if Ihad
gained what L coveted above all these at
one time. L outgrew my bitter dis
appointment, and in my work l found a
panacea.
Now | am in very tranquil state of
mind; and Mona, little friend, | have
observed you, and am aware you are not
happy.
I'VE viii sympathize with each other.
and in our mutual friendship dispel part
of the gloom"
His kind words, SO mildly spoken, the
most gentle that it had been my good
fortune to hear since l was an inmate of
my aunt's house, went TO my lonely
heart like a soothing balm.
L rallied and soon We began to talk.
The hours flew by rapidly.
you and | are only beginning to
know each other, Mona" said my new
found friend at last.
1--WE are going to be capital friends,
and"
No more was said, for aunt and
cousins came in, and our evening to-
gether was cut short
They were profuse in playful re-
proaches. and Mr.. Shields was scolded
in pretty way for not attending the
party.
He said. ''Wen. you see, / was de-
tanned 10y important business until L
feared it was too late; then L dropped III
here. thinking perhaps some of you were
at home.
| found Miss Mona, and rs size was
all alone, l thought | should he doing
nv duty by remaining with her.
$50 / stayed, and We have had quite
a delightful talk"
Aunt Hester made some reply, cal
culated to annihilate me.
They all seemed to want to box my
ears. a.,
So l Just ''folded my tent like an Arab,
and as silently stole away"
The next morning had my orders.
was piyen my dismissal.
| was soundly reprimanded for my
forwardness. and my aunt and cousins
took turns in taunting me.
Then was spirited away In the
nighttime to my aunt S farm Tar out III
the country, eXiled, abandoned, driven
away.
One evening | went to aneighbor's to
get a book.
The short winter day was closing In
ON my return.
A wagon passed me.
It's occupant, man, was mufiied up'
he looked at me as he passed; the ejacu-
1ation .sMona.'' came out III very ELL
nbatic manner. l looked up; 1t was
kenneth Shields.
Hurriedly he jumped out.
s.Mona, where are you going! Is TINS
where YOU have been all this time! L
made bold to inquire your Whereabouts,
Int your aunt gave Inc very unsatisiac-
tory answers. ,1e,,1I,,
mysterious manner.
s.From standing at my elbow you fled
into the vast unknown
/ could hardly speak for JOYS ier .ne
liobt in Kenneth's S eyes was clearly tiia'
| of love. of ,,anitv
when | confessed with dehgh' tiia' "o
really did think of me.
Well il is the old, old story. -
The next day l bade adieu 10 1 tne
5raarv farm. and with my proinise'i
hnshand started for the city, ON resichllg Z
-I,;ob we went to his sister 5 WHERE
N.nrad W. Til we were quietly married.
''@ Then we took rail to my aunt 5, Sane anu
Uonnatb introduced me as ME-
Shields to aunt and cousins, cousins ,s,.med
'i,1y,y Tbey were astonished and ashamed, ashamed,
\ inT, .omfess that the sudden tr;inSior-
anu aaat;an from plain Mona Norton 10 MIS-
maa,oa malnath Shields quite startled me.
kemne.n nalcomed us in tolerably hos
pitable manner; and Tor iorih > 'N