Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-03-05
Janet's Mistake.


Janet'S Mistake.
Janet Elwood stood in a low, vine
wrea!hed doorway of her home, a COM
Portable Main farmhouse, at the close
of q sultry July day. Her glance was
directed toward a manly. sunburued
young fellow, tall and oad-shouldered,
who was making his way toward hei
through the wide, sweet clover mead
ow.
Nearer he came, until a smile broke
the naturally grave expression of his
handsome mouth, and he stretched out
his arms and drew her to his breast.
Janet, instead ofnestling close against
.he manly heart which she knew bent
always warmly and truly with love for
her, drew pelulantly away.
A deep red flush mounted suddenly
to the young mans forehead. He look
ed at her averted face, her indifferent
attitude, with amazemen;. Was this
the Girl who had put her hands in his
over six months ago and pledged her.
self to be his own little wife p
Janet he said, what is it p
What do YOU mean, John?' Janet
kept her eyes fastened on tho toe of her
little shoe, that. Notwithstanding her
appearauce of cooluess, beat lively
tattoo against the painted boards.
Glanclng up ,he saw an expression on
that face bending s;ernly over her that
forced her to ada, 4 am tired. l have
been helping mother get ready for the
boarder wlo has engaged the front
chamber for the Summer
4 did no, know you expected 10 take
boarders, Janet
He is the only one. He cane last
week. while mother was at the sewing
circle, and | showed him the room, and
he engaged 1t for two months, and
and-thais how itis.'
Jauet's checks grew pink as she
thought Of the dasbing strangers look
of admiration, as, in her pink print
dress. she had stood at the gate when
. he went to the city for his baggage.
Her tongue seemed ualoosened no W..
aud she gave an animated description
of her new boarder, informed John
. that he was an artist from Boston.
wealthy and Of good family; his name
was Ra, cline-Encene Rayclihe. She
pronounced it lingenngly twice over.
John was far hom beng elated at
the rrospect. He could not see the
D delights of the Boston artists high
!. toned society as plainly as Janet. lie
said so in so many words, little more
energetically than the occasion warran-
ted, perhaps, but Janet was very pret-
l. ~ aud the honest Young farmer was
( very much in love.
ANYBODY would think he was an
;. ore pouted the young woman, seeing
wi h her quick bright eyes the state OF
mnd her lover was in.
t. There be comes now she cried.
r MIR. Eugene Rayclile smiled undel
his droopiug jet muslache as he noticed
Janet's lover.
I Some country bumpkin boring nei
r. halt 10 death, I've no doubt; but II
soon settle him.
These remarks, made mentally were
accompanied by such an air OF sells al
isfed complacency, as he threw biz
satchel Gu the steps and sat down be
side it at Janet's feet, that John Went
g worth scarcely bowed in answer to th'
4 languid glad to know YOU which fol
lowed Janel's introduction.
John seemed suddenly oyergrowr
and awkward. Mr.. Eugene Raycliffe'
hands we're so exqHlsitely white ant
delicate that his own seemed by con
trast redder and more gigantic proper
tions than ever.
tt His attire seemed rough and ill-fttin!
II compared with the nattv store clothes
of the artist from Boston, and alto
gether John ielt awkward and uncom
Portable standing with his broad bacl
against the lattice Of the porcn, anC
observing with scant approval the up
, ward glances from Mr.. Raycliffe's black
eyes to Jauet's brown ones.
Your friend seems slightly dlspleas'
ed at somethng,' said he, as Johb
with brief farewell and never a secUn'
glance at Janet, walked away with a
firm step and head we'll up.
3 John had no fancy for standing about
unnoticed, especially while the girl tC
. whom be was engaged coolly allowed
Z comparative stranger to monoDoliz
her smiles and society.
Don't 90 off angry, J )hn,' said ia
net, trying the witchery OF her eyes on
her farmer lover. He is so deeply il
love with me that L can wind hin
around me lnger,' she thought.
And it would be very fine TO hav
two swains sighing at her fee t,especial
. ly two like John Wentworth, by fa
-. the best catch in the country round
~ % aud the stylish, dashinG Rayclifre, the