Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-04-08
,xnrK TaE MIsTLEToE-soUGH.

rSpER THE NIsTLEToE-soUGH.
WsS-b0urueleas Is an ancient ram
U;ng house with a gray weather-beaten
fr9rt and quaint old stacks; it is full OF
Srs-v corner cupboards and odd little
80 and closets, and has a number OF
-rrsa5 raoms at the top in which the
-risssnG the wind make so many curious
,,iss, AZ night that the servants firmly
bsrsy- them 70 be haunted. / do not
.ral5t a word Of the report though; and
l I7vs the old house dearly, for it is my
home as Il has been tie home of my
farber. grandfather, and goodness only
EDoWs how many more WestbourneS
before NE.
lido not think any Of my brothers and
Gs-eTs-except Frank-Share my loving
admiration for the dear, quaint old
nlsea; but then he and l are always OF
oDe mind. Frank Is my elder by two
Years. he is tWo-and-twenty now, and
< in London, reading for the Bar. / am
sure he viii make a great man some of
tbes5 days-he Is so Gle .er, so patient,
. reso!uUe, so calm, and, withal, so full
Of energy ard perseverance, that / think
twill be a strange thing if he does not
.abiue fortune
Then, TOO, he has another motive for
working besides his natural desire for
advancement; we are far from rich, and
he knows that father has enough TO do
70 keep hin in London and Harry al
college. and that the sooner he can
maintain himself the better-fOr Harry,
bsing onlg a boy OF fifteen, must long
be . burden on fathers hands. | am
afraid that ] am not impartial in my
Ekings; for, though l love all my broth
ers and slsIe.s dearly, l certainly prefer
Frank 70 Harry Frank is my darling,
ny best UelOved companion and conf
dsn.. be has been the playmate of my
childhood, the dear friend and adviser
Of nv youth; and 1t is but natural, |
think. tia. lie should be foremost in my
thoughts.
And he certainly IS this evening, as
20 nv rounds through the old house,
with Flo for my companion Flo is my
sister, next in age to me-a tall, strlk-
ng-lOoking girl of eighteen, with we'll
formed fsaruTes and large hmpid blue
gray eyes, q singularly delicate complex
l0l, and small graceful head, thick
eoiled with soft brown hair.
Isupp0se l had better say at once
that my own personal appearance is
quite . contrast to Flo's. ] am rather
small. with somewhat irregular features,
sTge hazel ties, and a mass of dark
hau drawn ossk from a low broad fore
had ! am .ust 'pasSable''-no more,
while Flo Is decidedly the beauty of the
family. and resembles my mother, who
dled three years ago, leaving me, then
barely seventeen, TO be the mistress of
the house and the little mother" of the
younger ones.
Besides Harry, there is Gertie, a slim
gIi Of twelve, full of innocent vivacity
and mirlh, and the spoilt pet and dar-
Ing Of Us all. There is a knock at the
door, and susan, our hOusemaid, enters,
hsr bare arms ,,SteamIng, and something
Mole than a suspicion of sOap-suds upon
ths hand which she extends holding d
etttT placed carefully between two folds
Of Der apron.
"Oh, please, Miss Marion,n she says,
1heTe be a letter as has Just come by
Tie afternoon post, and Robert gave it
70 me TO bring TO you at once! You'll
please excuse my hands, miss--l were
sTaSllGg down the stairs"
'Of course, Susan thank you," I
say, and turn to Flo, as the door closes
On the girl, CRYING, "Why, Flo, it's
nom Frank. What can lie want to
Ente about, ] wOnderl"
open the letter and see, :" suggests
fo i2eon-cally. And so l do, and read
IS toll0Ws:-
Ny dearest MariOn,-I know such
sc-eyer little housekeeper as you can
lever be taken by surprise, so L am
gnging Vaughan down with me TO
hSloourneleas. You remember my
latleI asked him to visit US when he
a ;ssI saw HIM IN town, so when l met
vaughan yesterday l persuaded him to
aecept the invitation for this next fort
Aght We shall start by the 80 train,
1-l hoEe to be with you by Z O'Clock.
boye b'' 10 NY father, Flo, and Gerue.-
brother, "FRkNKD
elde.
les, and quite enough tool'' say
-La11er Ia, Grossly, l am afraid. 1.-THE
,S!IoT's room hasn't been used for
months-and .li how it is to be properly
Glel G On such short notice l can't tell.
VASE Ar. Vaughan had been in Tim
~. n-.'go yesterday, instead of where he
ur Why, Marion. " Flo says laughingly,
,;,.,- eoAt recognize our quiet, capable
r-.. n'us woman at all this evening. 1t
sr.. "U- lake long to light fire; and you
~. ~" il quite charity to bring this
~. -. Young fellow here to spend his
EHlllsiIHas. H-Sa Don't you remember
sl.ls an telling US that he hadn't sin
= = telaliFe IN England? So of course
~. uas I. no home but bachelors lodg-
.,,.ia' les l remember [ answer peni-
w ra-!' 1T was very selfish of me. ]
49, - ..s1inAlng Of the extra trouble. I'm
io-aie' ir-aia' and lot of poor Mr.. Vaughan's
f-rei.leSs. ~ viii tell Susan TO light q
NC NC directly, and | can see how it Is 60
S-s. -s Gn myself when We have finished
SSssing the house"
,oo, ~ We work with a will at Franks
5o1--' 5oll' and, when that is finished. run
Az Az % the old school-room. 1t is a
of e = usre!y-furnished room at the end
Dp-sa5! ,.e lal!, which had been used as a
In, M G when We elder ones were little.
c1rya,h ".Ileh, when We grew older, was
IL I,Se!d 1ed INTO a school-room.
Dsslns to grow dusk, and 1 look
M 49,, and beg of Flo and Gertie TO
hsfess = l@S,e. So, presently, Flo. who
tbinS % 0e obliged to hurry over any
hsSSS S, ~ eoiInteers to finish the room and
hsr oslP3 Y lie mistletoe. l gladly accept
lis 1asI, .r- and hasten away to look after
arrangement Of MI. Yaughan's