Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1884-02-14

| i KNOW WHat you SolnS W say,
said Miss Ncgley and ! won't listen
to a word Of it-not one word No one
but u set of minded mIsers
would have thought of it. I'll leave
Wyndale School frs; -
"Well, well, no harm done," said
Mr.. Barthorne clutching at his hat; "if
I'd have known that you'd taken things
us hard as this s."
"Iow did you suppose l was going
to take 'em ?" said Miss Negley with
a scornful laugh did you mistake
me for the dust under your feet ?"
81 assure you, ma'am, that nothing
of the sort was in my mind" humbly
uttered Mr. Blrthorne Il wish you
good afternoon.
He hurried out, remounted his grey
steed, which, poor beast, was just COM
posing itself for comfortable doze in
the sunshine ,and rode off, making, to
Alice Hopkins intense dismay, straight
for the shady woods, where she still sat
arranging ferns around the ribbon of
her hat.
There's no use trying to run away"
thought she; 81 may as we'll stay where
l am. And after all, why should l be
afraid of Mr.. Barthorne ?"
Mr.. BarUhorne checked his rein as he
saw the pretty young school-teacher
there under the trees. He nodded
pleasantly.
"Fine day, Miss Alice" said he, wip-
ing his brow with the identical yellow
silk handkerchief which had bat now
served as a duster to his boots.
Eyes" said Alice standing like some
fairy wood-nymph beside the spring,
''please, Mr.. BarthorIe, what did she
say ?"
"What did who say 7" said the mid.
dle-aged gentleman, turning scarlet.
"Mis Negley. Don't think me intru-
sive," she added "but | know all d.
bout it,"
THE deuce you do ~ said Mr.. Bar
thorne. "Why, she wouldn't let me
get in a word edgewise-that's what
she said. Perhaps, however, had
lucky escape"
'But you must own that it is hard"
said Alice earnestly.
''Hard ?" echoed Mr.. Barthorne. 81
should have supposed it would haye
suited her exactly. But" IL new idea
bursting athwart his brain +; "there's as
good fish in the sea as eyer were caught
out of it ! Miss Alice, what would
you say if were to ask you to be my
wife ?''
Alice Hopkins looked at him in a.
mazement.
"I, Mr. Barthorne," she exclaimed.
"You are young enough to he my
daughter, sure enough" said the
worthy man, not without some bitter
ness, "but I'm not so very old, either,
and I've a good home to offer any wo.
man who will take pity upon my lore
liness."
Loneliness !"
Alice looked at Mr.. Barthorne in sur
prise.
1t mad never occurred to her little in
nocent heart that Mr.. Blrthorne in the
big white house with the pair of horses
and the close carriage, could ever be
lonely.
And perhaps there was something in
the dewy brightness of her eyes, as she
raised them to Mr.. Barthorne's face,
that emboldened him to plead his cause
with more energy.
II should love you very dearly, AL
ice," he said with a tremble in his
voice. 81 would be very good to you.
Won't you answer me, Alice ?''
Her head dropped there was an in
stant of silence, aud then she SAID in a
low tone
"Yes, Mr.. Barthorne, l will marry
you"
He bent and kissed her forehead.
you'll not regret it, my lass" said
he. "And you're the very girl l would
have picked out Of a thousand. I'm
glad now that Miss Negley wouldn't
listen to me-"
Alice started.
"Oh, Mr.. Barthorne," she said, twas
that your errand ?"
The Mother Of John Quincy