Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-08-28
CHAPTER XVI.
THE DISAPPOINTED LOVER.

vi course, EraStuS was t0lu OF Lucy
engagement to Mr.. Annelsey. In fact,
he learned it from Jennie in advance of
any other member of the family.
As they were driving home from the
landing on their return from San Fran
cisco and chatting of those things which
are of more interest to young people,
namely, other young people, Jennie
suddenly broke out with:
"Say, Luce, I'm going to tell Ras,"
and without waiting for reply or CIV
ing any heed to the bushes which
flooded her sisters face and neck, she
ratified on with all the speed which her
tongue could commands: How'd you
like t. have Mr.. Annelsey for brother
in-law, RasP L know you didn't used
to like him very well, but you'll have to
now, for Lucy and he are engaged, and
are going to be married when he comes
back from New York in about a year.
There now, Luce, it's out, and you
won't have to be carrying the awful
load of having to tell it any longer.
81 think you are just as mean as you
can be, retorted Lucy, half angry and
uncertain whether to laugh or cry. 81
hadn't said word about Mr.. Ensign.
who has been almost as constant as
your shadow ever since we met him on
the boat. You would be engaged to
him, too-you know you would-if it
wasn't that he has got nothing 10 60 to
housekeeping with. SO, there now,
Ras. you know all about us girls, and
can confess that you are going 10
marry Julia Ennis if you want to with
out blushing."
But Erastus made no such confession,
and instead of blushing, his face became
very white, and he looked straight
ahead and did not speak for some sec
onds, and then said, in voice which
sounded hoarse and unnatural:
"I am not going to marry Julia En-
mis- or anybody else. F"
/ After that little moro was said fol
some time.
Once or twice Jennie, who felt that
she was the innocent cause of the sud-
den silence wnich had fallen upon
them. attempted to start the cony ersa,
ton again by asking questions abou
neighbors or affairs on the ranch, but
Erastus only replied in the fewest word;
possible, and still looked straight in
front of him.
Jennie was half inclined to be offend.
ed at this. She thought HIM angry be-
cause Lucy had engaged herself to 9
man whom he did not like. Could
she have seen his face she would have
known that some feeling deeper thar
mere dislike for Annelsey was at work
within his breast.
AS for Lucy, the assertion of Erastus
that he was not going to marry Julit
Ennis or anybody else gave her a sud
den start and momentary insight into
his true feelings.
Was it possible after all that he loved
her?
The thought sent all the blood rush
ing back upon her heart, and for 8
moment she felt that she should suffo
cate. Then came another thought.
Perhaps Erastus had proposed to Julia
and been rejected. This she felt could
not be unless Julia had suddenly be-
come enamored of some new admirer
for certainly she had always shown {
preference for Erastus over the othel
young men of the neighborhood.
Still the thought clung to Lucy tha
such might be the case, and that in
stead of feeling bad because of her owr
engagement to another, his silence wa
caused by pain at being reminded of his
refusal by Julia, and her whole MOOD
changed, and she became as cold and
hard as he himself appeared.
AS they neared home she began talk.
ing glibly of anything and everything
she could think of-the presents they
had brought for each member of the
family-toys for Johnny, dress fol
mother, neck-tie for Erastus himself
and silver tobacco-box for father-all
bought with money saved out of thai
sent them for their own use; going OF
from this to tell of their school, and o
a couple of girls who came on the boa
with them as far as Sacramento, where
their parents lived; and how these girl!
were related to one of their own neigh
bors, and how. in answer to their in
quiries, Jennie and she had told then
all about this neighbor; how near they
were to their own home; how thei
ranch looked, and how it had been in
jured by the washings from the mines
Here she came to a sudden stop.
She had unintentionally run upon tina
which they were all trying to avoid th'
mention of, and there came to her no
only knowledge of her blunder, bu
an entirely new fceling-a feeling tina
she was somehow responsible for TIN
losses and suiierings of this family AM
every other family in the valley who's
homes were endangered by the opera
tions of the hydraulic mining compa
nies at Gravel Hill.
At least she had arrayed herself oi
the side OF the companies; was epgaget
to be married to one who was interested
in the continuance of the work whicl
was certain to bring more loss and SUI
fering 10 these people.
She was no longer OF them or wit
them; for from the moment she becam
the wife of James Annelsey her inter
ests would be opposed to those of ever
one she had known since they had sci
tied in the valley.
Even ner father and mother, an
Erastus, must feel that she had delit
erately chosen to desert them in tn
hour OF their greatest loss, and ha
gone over TO their enemies in order
save herself from sharing IN the hare
/ ships which might be coming upo
/ them.
All this passed through her mind !
an instant. and she sank down in he
seat with feeling Of shame. and
, hatred nj herself which made " jmpoi
'slbls W say \ word more