Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1884-06-21
HuIdah' S Letter.
BY ANN CARLTON.

down rather more fondly than be
had any right to do, upon the pref.
ty, dark head, bending low over the
pan of late peas that Huldah held
in her lap. He was tall, straight
young man, this Graham Clarke,
dressed in a summer suit of white
duck, with knot of pansies in his
button hole. He was a very good
looking young man, too, with bis
laughing, sea-blue eyes, his blonde
moustache dropping and heavy, and
his curly, chestnut hair-at least, SC
little Huldah Dane thought, when
she dared trust herself to think OF
him at all. He was a clerk, nothing
more nor less than an under paid
city clerk, who was spending his
short, summer vacation with an un-
Gle in Clovertop--and that uncle's
farm adjoined Mr.. Danes. So moth.
ing was more natural than that
Graham should meet, and fall head
over-ears in love with pretty HUI
dab Dane.
He stood that morning, leaning in
a carelessly- graceful attitude against
one of the wooden pillars of the
porch, watching Huldah at her task.
How deft her small, brown fingers
were, and how piquantly pretty her
dark, clear facet She was bru-
nette, though not of the most pro-
nounced type, with bright, dark
eyes, straight, dark brows, pretty,
brown hair. that waved naturally,
and a wood-rose tint in her cheek,
that had deepened almost to scarlet
but a moment ago, when Graham
Clarke said
"Huldah-Miss Dane, won't you
60 for row on the river with me?
1t is a lovely morning, and-and l
have something l want very much
to tell you"
Huldah kept her eyes down, and
her hands busily at work, though
her heart fluttered with sweet, JOY
Gus expectancy, and her cheeks
glowed crimson.
"I-have so much to do" she fall
tered.
~ will help you-may help you.
dear ?"
What an audacious young man
this was, to be sure. Huldah, lift
ing her dark-fringed lids, and as
suddenly letting them fall again,
was half-minied to be angry with
him. A
ooh, please-don't bother me, y
said she, rafting perfect shower
of the tiny green globes through her
fingers, into the pan. "I'm in such
dreadful hurry"
And Graham Clarke smiled. Pres
emily he took step forward, and
sitting down on the stair at HUI
dah's feet, proceeded to open doz-
en- of the pods very carefully and
slowly, before he spoke again.
"Then you will not row with me p
81 don't-believe mother can
spare me, this morning. There is
every thing to do. Squire Peters is
coming to dinner, and"
esquire Peters-who is he p"
esquire Peters," answered HUI
hah, saucily; she lives in that splen-
did, great, brick house over there on
the hill. A lovely place, isn't it 2"
"What does he come here for,
Huldah ?" The young mans voice
was a trifle stern, and his brow was
cloudy.
Huldah laughed sweetly.
"You are very inquisitive," she
said. HE comes-of course, he
comes to see father"
"Of course he does,n echoed Ora
ham, with a smile, and trying brave
ly to smother a faint feeling Of jeal-
Ousy, as he gazed up into Huldah's
bright, blushing face; "why shouldn't
he? But" his voice became sudden
ly serious and low, "shall I-may /
tell you what l have to tell you,
Huldah 2"
eff you wish, certainly" Huldah
answered, very frmly-quite too
firmly, in fact. "It cannot concern
me, think"
"You think notp Oh, Huldah ~
He caught her two little brown
hands in his and held them fast.
"Huldah," he said, ''look at me,
dear-look straight in my eyes.
Steady. nv darling-nO Wavering.