The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-05-23
zone to picnlc-party at the Great

"Hold on, lassie-hold onp' said I'm
Gle Ennis. "The other is proposal of
marriage. Mr.. Dubarry wants my sane
ton, and all that sort of thing"
"Mr. Dubarry, indeedp' said Ruby
turning very red. "a stuffy old pro-
fessor who don't know anything except
about the ruins of Pompeil and Hercu-
laneump'
"You don't like him, pet"
"No, indeed, don't"
"Then," said Uncle Ennis, indulgent-
ly, "there is an end of the whole thing.
Only when my little girl begins to re-
ceive offers of marriage, it gives me a
queer sort of feeling"
Ruby ate her bowl of bread and milk
silently.
81 wish they wouldn'tp said she.
"Some day you'll wish they would"
said the old gentleman.
And he laughed so heartily at his joke
that Ruby could not help but laugh
also.
"But one thing you must mind, my
little lass" he added more gravely-"let
that Jerome Franklin alone"
"Why, Uncle Ennis9' said Ruby,
earnestly.
"He's wild fellow" said Mr.. Ennis.
"These Franklins never any of them
came to good yet"
"But perhaps he WILL" said Ruby.
81 wouldn't try the experiment If /
was you," said Uncle Ennis.
And just then Ruby looked up and
saw Harry Stafford standing in the door
way.
81 WONDER" she thought, "if he has
heard all we have been saying? don't
like Harry Stafford one bit. He is so
precise and dignified, and Polly Twitter
says he thinks am romp. What
business has he to think about the mat
ter one way or another9"
So Ruby rose and went out of the
room with the stateliest step that she
could command; and although Harry
waited till nine o'clock, she never came
back.
81 wanted to ask her to 60 with me
to the picnic at the Great Gorge" said
Harry to Mr.. Ennis. "Doyou think she
will accompany me?"
"Well, don't know" said Uncle
Ennis, looking intently into the bowl Of
his pipe. 81 rather guess, by what she
said, that she calculates to 60 with
Jerome Franklin.
Safford's dark face flushed.
SIS he fit associate for her2" he IL.
qulred.
'sNo, don't think he is. But gal,
are queer" refectively added Urclt
Ennis. "Just tell 'em you want 'em t.
: go one way, and see how straight they'll
start in the otherP
Harry Stafford went away with ;
/ heavy heart. One smile would hav,
= made him happy and she had not evei
vouchsafed him that.
: But the next morning there cam
t news that Jerome Franklin had disap
e peared most Unexpectedly, and so ha'
considerable sum out of the safes o
t Fordycc & Fordyce, in whose lega
D chambers he officiated in the capacit,
t of clerk.
And the first thought that flashed in
: to Harry Safford's mind was:
: "Now 1 can ask Ruby Archer to go t,
l the Great Gorge picnic with mep'
: And yet Harry Stafford was not NOR
, selfish than most men.
Just within the cool shadows of tn
, Ennis woods he found Ruby herself, he
) hat hanging down her back, her tresse
all disheveled, her blue eyes drenched il
, tears.
e "why, Rubyr' he cried. "What i
the matter?"
/ "Ive lost himP' sobbed Ruby, clasp
ing her hands despairingly "He ha
goneP
: A sudden chill seemed to grippe poo
3 Harry's heart. Had she then lovet
| his rival so well? Were they actual,
( engagedP
I "And it's all my own fault, toop
continued Ruby, with fresh burst o
t tears. "Uncle warned me how it woul,
0 be. He warned me against havinl
l anything to do with him. But woul,
have my own way. And now l an
rightly punished. He's gone. Jerr
. has run awayp
"Ruby, for heavens sake do not speal
thusw said poor Harry.
n "But can't help itp walled Ruby.
= "Did you then love him so wellP'' bit
terly demanded the young man. Z
Didn't care snap about him
cried Ruby. '..But uncle told me to le
him alone, and disobeyed. And nov
he has run away, and what will uncl
a say9 oh, do wish the dog-catchers ha
captured him before ever unfastene
! his champ
"Ruby," said her amazed lover, "wha
, on earth are you talking aboutP"
4 "Why, about Jerry, the red Irish sci
ter, to be sureP' said Ruby. "Whu
i, should be talking about7"
a sis that alp" said Stafford, with
great sigh of relief. "Then you ma
set your heart at rest Jerry is SAT
> enough. ! Ipassed little Tommy Eato
y on the mountain-road, few minute
'e ago, bringing him home with chaf
&c and rope. 1t is of the other Jerry
+" am speaking-Jerome Franklin. II
has run away, also, with lot of none
p out of Mr.. Fordyce's safe"
- Has hep said Ruby, apparent
Dl very little interested in this secondaI