Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1883-10-18


love you, dear little Barbara, truly and
tenderly. Do you think you could
dare to trust your future TO me? Poor
as seem, could yet give you good
| home"
"Oh, l am not afraid of that" said
Barbara with rising color and droop-
ing eyelashes. IL have been brought
up to be independent. YOU know, and !
believe could earn Il little money by
art Work, if ever | had the chance. ii
If you really care for me"
"My own darlingr'
"Then-yes, do love YOU"
So Barbara was wooed and won.
"Of course, the dear little mother
must live with us, said Mr.. Browne.
Il couldn't do without herr
Mrs. Troop. who had once more
Joined the group, looked puzzled.
lis it fiat" said she, wistfully.
mo. l occupy whole house"
"But dear mel" cried the mother-in'
law-elect, "isn't that rather eXtrava-
gant?"
II think not" said Mr. Browne, seri-
ously
But must You really be married at
oncey'
Il should like to carry both Barbara
and you back to the city with me-
said the lover.
And poor Jane? Though, of course,
it would be out of the question for
Barbara to keep hired girl?' hesitat-
ed Mrs. Troop.
"Oh, Jane must come, too" said Mr..
Browne. Bring her with you, by all
means. We can manage it somehow.
To tell you the truth"
We'll" said Mrs. Troop, eagerly.
II am fraud and a delusion," con-
fessed Mr.. Browne, while Barbara
raised her soft eyes in amazement. 81
am not the youngest clerk IN the firm
at all. The youngest clerk went out
to Bermuda, at the expense of the firm,
last spring. hope he is doing well in
that climate. This man was Ferdi-
nand Brown. | am Augustus
Browne, the youngest partner"
"But however came you here?"
eagerly questioned Mrs. Troop. Didn't
Mr.. Fanshawe recommend you?'
Not at all. l came to the hotei. but
it was full; and they thought that per-
haps 1 could La prnNided for mt Mrs.
Troops cottage until there was a va
cancy in the Chocoma House. But
when the vacancy came l didn't care
to claim it."
$50 you are not poor at aliH said
Barbara, in Il low voice.
Not in your sense of the word, per
haps; but l shall be poor indeed,
sweet Barbara if l have forfeited
your favor" he uttered feryently.
Nor consumption?"
mo, nor consumption" he admitted.
"You have been deceivinS us al
along?'
YES, l have been deceiying you all
along" said Mr.. Browne. But,
under the circumstances, do you see
how | could help it,"
"It is very strange" said Barbara.
Il ought to be thoroughly indignant
with you; but somehow somehow l
love YOU more dearly than ever"
Mrs. Troop could hardly believe her
own ears A palace in Fifth avenue;
a double carriage driven by two fine
gentlemen who wore choicer suits and
glossier hats than the parson himself;
double damask napkins, with mono
grams embroidered on them, at every
meal; egg-shell china; all the luXuries
which she had dreamed Of, but had
never known. And all these gifts be-
slowed by the hand of the poor young
clerk whom she had undertaken to
board at two dollars a week because
he was alone and fricndless, and for
whom she had saved the choicest
slices of honeycomb and brewed the
most invigorating herb tea!
zone often reads of these things in
novels, "said she; "but how seldom they
come true in real lifer
Kind, simple-hearted Mrs. Troop! If
she had been a student of the great
"noveI" of Human Nature, she would
have known that we are all of us living
romances at one time or another.
And why not? Is not the world
always full of love and youth?
He Took the Hint.