Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-01-21

and am sure Richard would say the
same.'
] said it to comfort her. She looked
at me with such a sad lost look in hel
beautiful eyes; but she saw through
me.
"Ah, do you think SO p'' she said
doubtfully; then, before | could an.
swer-"But l will try to he useful too
| will learn what things Richards wife
should know. Teach me, Lucy, will
you 20
promised, to quiet her. | knew a
well then as now that my beautiful
dropping flower would never learn to be
otherwise than beautiful and fragile
and-useless.
So, when Richard asked at our gar
den gate, What do you think of her,
Lucy Z" and seemed half to dread my
answer, lest it should blame her, 1 was
glad to cell him
''She is worthy of you. But, Rich
ard, be always very tender with her. ~
II WILL" he said.
And so the Sunday was over, and my
first and greatest trial had passed.
She was so innocent, so childish in
her quaint way, that | found myself
treating her as beautiful plaything.
At first she would come in the morn
lngs and watch us at our work in the
kitchen or dairy, sometimes playing at
helping us. But she soon saw that she
hindered US, though we humored her
fancy to the utmost and then she
would trip in during the afternoon and
pretend to learn to sew. This suited
her better; but, after about half an
hours work, she would begin TO look
uneasy, glance up frequently at the blue
sky, and at last throw down her work
and come over to me.
'See how beautiful the day isl Why
weary ourselves with dull stupid work
Come into the wood, and let us tell
stories under the trees"
Sometimes l would consent, SO little
could refuse her; and in those days |
began to notice in her eyes a strange
shadowy look, as if she had thoughts
We never understood, as if she dreamed
Of things We imagined not.
Then there was change in our little
Norwood Templeton came.
lie soon made himself at home, and
seemed not at all conscious of the en-
nature of his position. He
was a tall slight young man of about
twenty, somewhat fair, and with
handsome face, save for weak sffemi-
nate something about it, which 1
thought | detected. For the rest, he
was excessively polite in his manner
women, lazy and luxurious in
his habits, and inclined to talk in rather
a hlgh-hown strain which offended me.
Ii must have been day or two after
this that | had a dream which turned
out afterwards not to have been so un-
real as dreams usually are, | was
asleep IN the parlor. Suddenly | heard
Richard say
~ had no idea Of this. would not
have believed it Of your fathers son,
He spoke sternly, and there was a
lard tone in his voice which | had never
aeard before.
''What would you have 7" replied a
aZy voice. 81 confess l am not made
ior fighting. L suppose some men like
{, or they wouldn't do it {: l don't.
Why should L risk all sorts of horrible
pains when | can avoid them by simply
to chance them Besides, the
nan was mad"
Richard interrupted him harshly.
''If this letter is true, you made HIM
'0, Oh, Norwood, Norwood, you have
70 much pity for yourself, had you none
or him when you killed his daughterP"
''How horribly you talk ~ said the
,ther plaintively. 81 didn't kill her.
didn't even ask her to come away.
She would come. L pointed out the
oily of the step. But she was Obstl-
late she followed me to Madrid. Then
he began to fret about her father, fell
II, and died. 1t was a most unlucky
business for me all through. When
efused to accept the brothers challenge,
le vowed he'd ruin me and then muir
Ter me. He has done the first. l came
lere to prevent him from doing the
'ther. But, if You will not have me,
urn me out, and [ must take my chance
q London"
When Richard spoke again, it was
With a world Of pity and scorn that he
aid
"For your fathers sake say stay if
rou care 10 do so. You shall hear no
nore of this at any rate"
Then there was dead silence. TeD-
'leton began to speak but the other ap-
'arently stopped him. | thought in my
ream that Richard was struggling with
he horror and disgust he felt for the
ault of this man. At last he spoke,
.entlv but firmly.
For your own sake though, and for
II our sakes," he said, ''you must get
to do. should deserve the
lame of all sensible persons if al
owed you to remain idle without trying
o get YOU employment, What do you
ay 2"
''Oh. suppose | must get into har-
ess again sooner or later l will do
What you like" he answered wearily,
without a touch Of gratitude (; then, as
{ tired of a discussion which did not |
oncern him-''Of course l am much |
bliged TO you for your kindness. And |
ow let us talk of something else."
by all means" cried Richard cheer
" ''and when | hear of anything else |
will let you know"
Then the voices died away: and when
awoke it was dark. and | did not
now whether had been dreaming or
,hether they had been talking in the
Dom.
Some days afterwards Richard came
ONE with an offer from the village
.wyer of a seat at the articled clerks
esk in his office. Inspect that Rich
rd paid for the stamp and provided the
loney for the premium.
Norwood Templeton grumbled pa
letically at the prosaic nature OF the
mployment, but ended by accepting 1t,
nd all went well for time.
The winter had come and gone.
prins began to make Redthorpe Wool
ay again. But lG brought no bright
ess TO us at the Wood Farm. For
,tse weeks I had seen sad look steal
yer Richards face as he sat with us
ow and then in the evenings. tried
, comfort him silently; and he knew
oilnnflu ryith