The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-11-27

"No, TO be sure" said Sarah Alice,
with sinking heart, for, naturally
enough, all the sympathies of the Dul.
elmer family were on the side of pret-
ty Hannah, and there had been sort
of faint hope that MISS Midfern might
possibly relent in favor of her young
rival
Her thoughts were anything but
pleasant, however, as she went home.
Harry Sewer was ready on the porch,
but she did not join him, as would
have seemed most fitting, but merely
slipped in at the back way.
1t seemed TO her that he had never
looked SO young before, and as she
glanced at the cherry wood mirror in
the sitting room, her own face appear
ed absolutely haggard and old.
"Pshaw y said she "How would |
look in white silk hat trimmed with
white rose buds ?"
Martha Midfern was heroine in her
way. A minutes serious thought set
tied the question. 1t was a bitter pill
to swallow, but it was her duty. She
put the bright vision of herlife valiant
ly away from her ard went out to Mr.
Sewer on the porch.
"TIarry," said she with a rather fore
ed laugh, "it's always a womans pri-
vilege to change her mind, isn't it |!
And I've changed mine.'
He looked at her in amazement.
"What do you mean 2" said he.
''lve concluded not to marry you,"
said Martha, blurting ont her words.
81 don't think we're suited. Tn bet
ter off as l am. And you-Hannah
Dulcimer "ill make you good little
wife, l am sure
"Martha,' he said, rising hurriedly,
81 haye never asked to be released from
our engagement, have | 2"
NO. said she, sharply-''no But
don't tell you that I've changed my
mind ? Let us always be friends the
best of friends-but nothing more ~
Doctor Paley came around the next
day to see about buying a strip of Miss
Midfern's meadow land, and Martha
told him all.
He was one of those snug, comfort
able, elderly gentlemen to whom it
seems natural to confide all ones trou-
bles and perplexities.
"Did / do right?" said she.
ayes, l think you did, said Doctor
Paley but there isn't one woman in a
thousand who would have acted as you
did, Martha"
"To tell the TRUTH" said Martha, 81
am beginning to believe that | never
really loved him, or | could not haye
given him up
"My opinion exactly" said the doc
tor, visibly Frightening.
And he pulled Miss Midfern's work
basket toward him and began winding
and unwinding her balls of colored
silk.
"After all, he was a deal too young
for me" said Miss Midfern, calmly. 81
can see all these things now 1 should
simply have made myself ridiculous
Hannah Dulcimer is much better suit
ed to him"
"Yes, think so, too," said Doctor
Paley, twirling the scissors around and
around. "By the way, didn't you tell
me that you had ordered the wedding
bonnet p
Eyes" said Miss Midfern, with a
little grimace.
"And what are you going to do with
it p
"Countermand the order, l suppose
said Miss Midfern.
Don't" said Doctor Paley.
''Eh?' said Miss Midfern.
"Wear it, said the doctor.
"Where!" said Miss Midfern?
"To your own wedding" said the
doctor. "Marry me !"
"Well,I declare" said Miss Midfern,
in amazument.
"Do !" said DR.. Paley. "Ive liked
you this long time, but when l saw
how tender and loyal you could be to
that poor invalid, l found out that
loved you. Don't laugh at me-give
me chance"
swell, | will" said Miss Midfern,
swallowing lump in her throat.
For she was only woman, after all,
and it did seem pity that the we'd
ding bonnet should be wasted.
And so, instead of one happy couple
there were too.
"One wedding" says the proverb,
"makes another"
And perhaps the same rule holds
true in regard to engagements.
The improved kind of explosive rec
emily brought to notice in foreign Jour
nails, and known as cocoa powder, is
said to possess such superior value for
many purposes that it has been intro.
duced in the famous Krupp factory. 1t
is asserted that, with equal pressure,
this substance gives greater velocity to
a ball than can be attained with ordin-
airy powder, while its smoke is found
to be less dense and to clear off
more quickly. 1t is brown, or, rather,
chocolate colored. In sundry tests
about one-seventh less of it was re-
quired than of the ordinary kind of
powder to produce given results. The
merit which is especially advanced in
its favor is, briefly, that of beginning
its combustion moderately and stead
lily, and then, when the projectile has
started through the bore, burning with
great rapldity, and With, of course, tire,
mendous impelling force. The method
of preparation and the cost as compared
with other explosives are not stated,
Little Sammy was looked upon AZ
quite prodigy in the Farr family
1t was customary to have him show of
for the entertainment of guests. One
morning Mr.. Farr said:
"Now, Sammy, get your Bible and
read to us, beginning at the verse al
which you chance to open"
This was to convince his hearers that
Sammy had not been made familiar
with certain chapters only.
Having opened the book, Samm,
read, in loud and measured tones:
-. 4