The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-08-29

"My love, we all promised our d.,.
 father that we would not drink tea or,
 of the house." Miss Polly repeated wa~.
 eringty; " and we feel as if it were la;s
 upon us for life. It does seem a lnI.
 cruel now, Jamie. But I should never bea,
 the last of it from"
 "And what would that signify P s,;a
 scornfully. Miss Polly, it is a case Os
 now or never. If you don't break a ridic'
 ulous promise like this now, you' repen,
 1t all your days. And serve you righ,
 too. (Was turning prophetic21 DepenS
 upon 1t, your father knows better whers
 he IS now, and if he could speak, would say: Please yourself l insist on vor,
 freeing yourself from such bondage nI said with little stamp of my rebellion, foot. But she only smiled rather sorrow. fully, and tripped away iu the directio,
 of home, her very curls looking discon. solate.
 Fancy, if Tom and don't meet fo, twenty years !" thought as opened m, front door. Shouldn't be thankful fo, friend to do me good turn then, tha,,s all l" and resolved to stand by Mss Polly to the death, in spite of the laugh. ter and testing l met with from Mir. and Mrs Campbell at the old romance en. thusiastically disclosed to them. They were on my side at any rate, though they did not say it was the height of unreas. condolences to expect tha. the hero should have remembered his long-ago heroine men being so hel elplessly prone to forge, etc.
 And had thought of plan.
 They were all gathered in the dra wing. room, crowds of nodding bonnets, a bare head or two belonging to the sterner sex. who with great courage had ventured in among the rest; Mrs. Campb at the piano ready for the musical part of the entertainment her husband busy with missionary accounts, etc., before com mencing proceedings, and the depusatio1 himself, whom Pm sure regarded with more interest than any one present could have thought possible, little erect man, with a downright beautiful face; dark brilliant eyes and thick white hair, with a wonderful beaming smile and an air of dignity about him which short people for their comfort so frequently possess. Well, l drew long breath. How hand. some he must have been when he was young! l did no. marvel at Miss Polly or Mrs. M arden, even, one bit.
 About sixty 1 guessed him to be and watched him with quite abso rbing eagerness, when I was not engaged in looking at Miss Polly, that is. She sat Tn the farthest corner of the room, dili. gently studying some stupid Jewish mag. azlne, upside down, of course. Had they met or spoken, she and her old friend? For much to my vexation, 1 had only been able to hurry in at the last moment and perhaps thereby missed the tragical emeute. What matter2 was going 10 effect something afterward, or my name was not Jamie Jarrat.
 Mrs. Warden was just opposite the speakers. She always took care to secure the uppermost seats at synagogues and so on, and got them too, whoever else of more paramount importance might hap pen to be there. Advance claim con tinually, and you may be pretty sure it will be respected at last, no matter how trivial 1t may he or conceded with what sarcasm. To-day could see she was in a fiutter of surprise and pleasure.
 LOT, my dear" she whispered to Miss Newland, who sat beside her "that's an old acquaintance of mine, I'm certain Ralph Blenkinsop, of course; how stupid of me not to have recognized him before. Ah!" as she tried iD vain to catch his eye; <" short-sghted. see; or he would have known me. Dear. I wish the meet ing was over. that might run up and speak to him."
 {" dare say," thought I "and you'll try and cut out my poor Miss Polly again, I've no doubt in the world, for she has no more 'gumption or self-assertion than baby. But diamond shall cut dia- mond presently, oh, mine enemy"
 l am sorry to say the speech was en- tirely lost upon me, so burning with eagerness was to hear and see if Mir. Blenkirsop's face would change when the list of box-holders, etc, was read out.
 It came. Sale of work by Miss Mary Southam, S." announced Mir. Campbell in clear voice.
 The deputatien's face did change. He gave visible start, aud his quick glance ran all round the room with a puzzled expression (those dark eyes of his cer- tainly needed spectacles). and then he smile. l would have given something to have it, too. Had she seen it? Her head was bent down, her hands clasped nervously together.
 At last .t was all over. The hymn had been struggled through, the final words spoken. We resumed our everyday ex- pressious (some of us had never left them off ). Mr. Blenkinsop was already tackled by that awful Mrs. Warden showering honeyed looks and tones upon him. felt as cool as cucumber; 1 rushed in between; interrupted his courteous re- plies.
 Excuse me-" said quickly; Susan and Harty were making preparations for departure not an instant was to be lost. Excuse my interrupting you like this, but Miss Mary Southam is waiting to speak to you, MT. Blenkinsop."
 Oh, the sight ofwrath on Mrs. Marden's countenancei
 She IS here, then3" he said, quite eagerly, turning with me at once. q could not make her out anywhere, my