The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-08-06
TAKE BACK THIS RING.

Albert Carnes opened into a passag
connecting with no less spaciou
apartment, the sewing room of hi
sister Frederika.
Through this arrangement ther,
happened a chain of circumstance
which would have been extremei,
obnoxious to Mrs. Grundy, who's
foresight, indeed, had not been con
suited in the plan.
The young men who visited al
bert on the most intimate terms, anC
who without exception, if not lovers
were certainly admirers, of Miss
Frederika, found it very delightful to
saunter through the passage from
the masculine boudoir of the broth
er into the sanctum OF his sister
whenever the open door allowed.
Edward Lowell, whose engage
ment to Miss Frederika Carnes had
been formally announced, was the
only one who seldom entered the
tell-tale precinct, where already del
icate embroideries, finest of fine lin
en-, and exquisite Mechlin and Val.
enciennes anticipated the exigencies
of an approaching day.
In this well lighted apartment OF
sewing all the cases sent from Paris
with the seasons surprising cos
TUNES were deposited and opened
in this apartment two seamstresses
were forever bending over the nee
die, one plying it industriously by
hand, the other lex machina" evolv-
ing the elaborate stitchery. The
first was an old maid of antediluvian
prestige, who, although her piercing
black eyes were fixed on her stitch
es, never lost sight of an outside
glance or motion; and who, deaf as
an adder, insisting that every orde-
should be bawled into her left ear,
heard with her right every syllable
whispered or spoken.
The other was a youg creature
who worked upon the Sc wing ma
chine, a delicate girl eighteen years
of age, graceful in figure, with face
gentle, yet piquant, soft brown hair
coiled carelessly around a brow
fresh-white as a pearl, soft brown
eyes and lips. Frederick Carnes
was really fond of her little sewing
maid. She inquired into the history
of the young girl, and learned that
she supported by Der labor an in
firm and wido we'd mother, and,
moreover, that in the approaching
spring she was to be married to a
young man with whom she was in
love truly, an undertaken by trade.
One evening in the February twi-
light-the working hour was past,
and the old maid seamstress had
gone home-two young men entered
the room. Josie Harte, bending
over the clicking machine, was des-
perately in earnest finishing some
important work. She did not glance
up at the entrance. Joseph Bell
threw himself full length upon So
ia. He was possessed with an idea
that he was personally irresistible
to the pretty sewing girl. He laugh
ed in his sleeve at 'the absurdity of
Harrison's supposing he had any
winning chance there" Spencer
Harrison drew an arm chair close TO
Josie's side.
Josie went on working. But
through the steady low noise of the
work she heard-she could not but
hear, and indeed she had often heard
the same strain before-Harrison's
protestations of love.
Il am engaged to be married" "
said Josie Harte, lifting her eyes
once, and only once, as she changed
the work, beneath her needle.
"To some coarse, laborious man,
III be bound" said Harrison, who
will make you stitch and drudge to
your life's end. Josie, you were not
made for this. Every turn of your
graceful head, every gesture of that
dear little hand, protests against it.
You shall not sacrifice yourself, Jo-
sie."
Josie Harte arose and left the
room. In closet of the adjoining
corridor her shawl and bonnet hung.
In a moment she had put them on.
Quickly she was at the front door
quickly she was in the street. But
scarcely had sbe gone the distance
of q block when footsteps sped be-
hind her. Spencer Harrison, with
his passionate eyes ablaze, and his
lips pale beneath his black mus
tache, had followed and approached
her. Again he was at her side.
"Josie, you provoking little witch,
you are flying, / know, but you can
not fly away from me. Love is the
winged god, ma petite. Is it moth
ing, nothing to you, Miss Harte.
that you are making my life misera-
BILE? nothing to you that / adore
you, that l truly--Chl you must
knowitl"
leave me-" said Josie. "This
leaye me.
Never" said Harrison--"neyer
until"
Through the deepening dusk, and
with pace qulckened like their own.
some one came to Josie. A gentle
man, waiting but second for per-
mission, drew her arm within his
own. 1t was Edward Lowell. He
had seen the rapid movement of the
girl, and the expression of the man
~ ot fol1ovad her AnDrec;atinv the