Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-01-09
uyTuE BREADTH OF AN ANE.

nYTuE BREADTH OF AN ANE.
A 5uarter OF a mile back from the
rivsr on the street that led down 10
Martins saw mill, on the st. Anthony
Falls stood the little white cottage
that Jack Donnelly had bought for his
bride. 1t was not al paid for yet, but
the mortgage had been growing smaller
each wear, for three years, and a couple
n seasons more would see the entire
amount paid, and then Alice would be
The proud owner of what she and Jack
thought was the prettiest place in
Minneapolis.
Almost any one who might have
happened TO catch glimpse from the
cross street Of the tidy little kitchen
where Alice was busy one May evening
At sunset. would have been inclined to
agree with the verdict.
The floor was bare, but it was so
sDotlessly clean that no one would have
dared 10 suggest the idea that it looked
hare. The stove was not very large,
but il seemed to try TO give out the
Leaf Of furnace, and the red glow
that came from its open door was like
the headlight of a locomotive. Every
thing in the room was plain and there
did not seem TO be anything there that
was not absolutely necessary. The
luxuries could wait till the mortgage
Was paid of. But what there was had
been scrubbed till it shone, and the
ted kettle was putting out steam like
mad. Il vas fairly wonderful how that
little kettle pulled and sang, and how
that little kettle puffed and sang and
how the lid danced lightly up and
down.
But the brightest, tidiest object in the
room was Alice, with her brown hair
tied securely back with blue ribbon
JACK liked blue 50 very much and her
blue eyes watching each particular
thing On the stove all the time, and
yet looking every moment at the table
10 see if anything was missing that
Jack would want. and into the other
room, 10 see if baby was all right and
out Of mischief and at the clock to see
that tie minutes were not going too
. fast, she fitted round the room ike a
bird.
Everything was done just right, and
The clock said quarter past 6. Jack
would be II a minute or two, so supper
was set back where it would keep hot.
1t wouldn't be long; Jack never loi-
tered bis way home. There was too
much happiness waiting for him. No
stopping at the corner for glass of
something hot and strong.
But the little clock kept ticking just
as though Jack was there. And the
ticking grew louder and louder, and
more and more disagreeable, as it re-
norSelessly checked off minute after
minute Of the time that Jack was
overdue.
len minutes, twenty, thirty, and
The anxious little housewife sighed, as
She wondered what could be keeping
JACK. II was nonsense to suppose that
lie was htIt. She would not think of
Mora moment. The idea that Jack
AeF Jack-the brayest, strongest, cool.
eSt logger on the river, had been hurt,
vas laughable. And she laughed.
ba' Il did not sound ike the ripples of
lerrment that Jack loved so well, and
Il stopped very suddenly, fading away
Iiom face that looked very sober when
Il was gone.
linen baby began to cry, and there
vas no use worrying then, because
JACK would be home before baby was
quoted. And she began singing to the
niue one. But there were one or two
i'use notes in the song, and baby evil
oehtly had an cal for music, for he re-
fused to be quieted.
linen, Just as two big tears were
coming in her blue eyes, the trout gate
opened, and Jacks step was heard. In
moment more he was in the room.
nearly and big as ever, but very wet
aid pale.
~, ineIe. there! Alice, darling, kiss
INC AGAIN, but don't put your arms
%rVuAd NE, for I've had a duckin. ,
WY darling, faint nothin. Yer
-'0euL be frightened-now. Hain't
!ef lound out by this time that log
sa Is liable to get wet? There, there,
uear. Don't ye cry so. Thank God, /
amt hurt.n
MO-. ne great brdwny fellow, wet as he
"as' look the far girl in his arms, and
""S StFoking her hair and kissing it.
Un, I'm 50 happy" said Alice
usling and crying at once, and Civ.
i"g INN little squeezes and taps-
.uilning from his arms to the closet
kjs.su ~ oack 10 his arms again, getting
could. -'' ID ''iie
:, n, Now, Jack, don't say a word about
S,;s an you've had your SUPPER she
WI. III lew minutes later. "But
snoi1oa 1. a Shalne it is that the supper is
Sel, ..S Shall l cook You another?n
sno;1lS ;S1po'ied, Ell? Well, l rather like
spoiled things like these, and Iaes @
ed as he drank the hot tea tha.