Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-07-16
THE LITTLE fLlRT.


What a sleepy place it was, to be sure,
that little Riverport with its outlook
an the broad waters of muddy river,
i-s steep streets, its old-fashloned
bouses. whose curiously cut, small Win
SoK names wink d in the April sunlight,
and its elms and poplars which cast
cbeckere6 shadow on the stones. 1t
Was not far from the sea, and occasional
salt breezes roamed mp the river, to
wander fitfully through the by-ways OF
tbe quaint town. High upon the hill
Stood the church, its stained-glass Win
dows casting blue and gold shadows on
tbe Ground. and bathing the law lizards
that crept out to sun themselves, with
an unw0nted glory. and in the church
ward the tombStOnes cleaned white
amid a tangle Of ankle-deep clover,
starred about with daisies.
In this peaceful spot, sentimental
COUPLES often wandered A; and some few
uersons came alone, and fell into
habit of gazing rather wIstfully at the
moSsy graves, and wondering how 1t
felt TO be shut out from the light. One
Young lady. in particular, came often,
butseldom alone-this was Echo Tudor,
our naughty heroine; imagine a pair
of great, soft, provoking black eyes,
hair like tangle of rippled sunlight,
crimson mouth, short white teeth, and
a voice like bobOlink's in June. Echo
was a born cOquette, and from her era
die. upward. she had fIrted her way
through life at the mature age OF i've,
irving her wiles on the youth next door,
and then discarding him for the small
boy across the way. Do not let US be
TOO hard upon her, for her cruelty in
not caring how much heartache she
caused, for she was well punished one
day, for her capTices.
Having flirted, successfully, with ali
the eligible youths Of RiyerpOrt, she
declared herself tired of every one of
them. and frowned severely upon all
sentimental speeches, until relief ar
rived in the shape of stranger, Lance
lot Verschoyle, gentleman who came
on visit to one OF Echo's friends.
Luckily for Eeho's peace OF mind,
May Fox, her friends daughter, was
engaged, and although very pretty, she
was voted rather wonderingly by her
acquaintance, mot a bit of firt. -
LancelOt was tall and handsome, with
straight features. closely-cropped far
hair, the merriest blue eyes II the
world, and a ''peJectly Iorely'' NOUS
tache, Yes" unused Echo, as she
brushed her curling locks, at is fortu-
nate that he came, for I'm completely
tired of every one here" Oh, Echo I!
my foolish Echo
It 50 CHANGED, thA shortly after
Lancelot's arrival, they had picnic in
the woods near Riverport, and on the
day appointed, Echo paid especial at
tention to her toilet, tying a blue rib
ben around her round white neck, and
tipping her hat bewitchingly on one
side. Then SIC bade her affectionate
mamma goodbye, and departed, ac-
companied by her sister Nellie, who,
Ike May, was engaged.
When they reached the picnic ground,
they found May Fox, Lancelot, Regin-
aid Browne, Lucy Lyndon, Lii Law
ender Ia fair stranger from the upper
part Of the river), Victor Despard, and
good many others, waiting for their
appearance. To describe them all
would take some time but they might
be classified thus Lucy, an amiable
nOnentity; Victor, a fiery creole, des-
perately in love with Echo; Lii, a can
did young lady who expressed her opin-
ion without the slightest regard for any
pnafS Faa1frrr. onI PaO-palJ vybn do
spiSed Echo and adored LII. Like
wise, there was Mays lover, Mark
Townsend, who seemed to consider the
whole earth a paradise, and the resi-
dents therein, angels, IN such state of
bliss was he and this innocent pair of
lovers wandered together under the
trees, privately wondering if two peo-
pie had ever before been so happy.
warm, isn't it ?'' was Lancelot's
first remark, as he sat on bank be-
side Echo.
"Ye-es, rather" was her equally
brilliant response, as she inwardly hoped
he would drop that worn out subject
the weather. ''It looks like a Sunday
school, doesn't it Pm not very fond
of picnics.n
"Ah," he observed briefly, and sub
sided; Echo smiled feebly in order to
encourage him, and finally ended by
laughing, more in despair than mirth.
Are you laughing" he asked, ''be-
cause my last remark was so witty, and
at the same time, so profound 2"
Exactly" she answered. "But it
was partly at Mr., Brownies raptarous
eountenance, of which 1 Just now
caught glimpse. He is in his element
now, with Lii Lavender for a COM
panlon. She is an innocent who never
reads almanacs. and therefore he can
make bad jokes with impunity."
Happy fellow he evidently has an
Ssppreciatiye listener" laughed Lance
lot, tipping his hat over his eyes to
shade them from the sun. ''Miss Echo
i may call you so, may 1 not p-sup-
pose you show me the pretty places in
the weOd.''
Certainly" assented Echo, and the
Two stroled off, feeling as if they had
Known each other for ages.
What a queer, pretty little name
you have" he said, as they walked
along. "And how did you get it ?"
Please don't think 1t Is because l
always have the last word My yname
s kebeeca-lovely, T'eSt-ce pdss-but
Hank goodness, they shortened it to
Icho. Fancy being called Beckie all
ohe's life ~ By this time they had
reached the silver ribbon of stream,
gTgnltied by the name Of the Brawl.
thcno knelt down on the bank and dab
eea her pretty white hands in the wa
l, and gazing upward from underneath
S sue shady brim of her hat, to see how
er companion liked the picture, she
discovered that he was looking at her