Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-04-23


heard all we have been saying? Idon't
like Harry Stafford one bit He is so
precise and dignifed, and Polly 'iwit-
ter SAYS he thinks | am romp. What
business has he TO think about the mat
ter one way or another?"
So Ruby rose and went out of the
room with the statelicst step that she
could command; and although Harry
waited until nine o'clock, she never
came back.
u wanted to ask her to go to the
picnic at the great Gorge" said Harry
10 Mr. Ennis. .'Do yoa- think she will
accompany meP"
''Well, don't know" said Uncle
Ennis, looking intently in the bowl of
his pipe Il rather guess, by what she
has said, that she calculates to 90 with
Jerome Franklin"
Safiord's dark face flushed.
.'Is he Il fit associate for herP" said
he.
mo, | don't think he is. But girls
are queer refectiyely added Uncle
Ennis Just tell them you want them
to 90 one way, and see how straight
thev II start iii the other!
Harry Stafford went away with a
heavy heart. One smile would have
made him harpy, and ,he had not even
you hsafed him that
But the next morning there came
news that Jerome Franklin had disap-
peared most Unexpectedly, and SO had
. considerable sum out of the safes of
Fordyce and Fordyce, in whose legal
chambers he officiated in the capacity
of clerk.
And the first thought that flashed in
to Harry Safford's mind was:
"Now | can ask Ruby Archer to 90
to the great Gorge picnic with mer'
And yet Harry Stafford was not more
selfish than most men.
just within the cool shadows of the
Ennis woods he found Ruby herself, her
hat hanging down her back, her tresses
all dishevelled, her blue eyes drenched
in tears.
why. Rubyr' he cried. What is
the matterp''
'I've lost hin!'' sobbed Ruby, clasp
ing her hands despairingly. "He's
gone!''
A sudden chill seemed to grip poor
Harry's heart. Had she then loved his
rival so well? Were they actually en-
gagedp
"And it's all my own fault, too!''
continued Ruby with fresh burst of
tears. "Uncle warned me how it
would be. He warned me against hav-
ing anything to do with him. But
would have my own way. And now |
am rightly punished. He's gone! Jer-
ry has run away!''
Ruby for Heavens sake do not
speak thus!'' said poor Harry.
''But I can't help it!'' walled Ruby
'Dd you then love him so well?"
bitterly demanded the young man.
Didn't care snap about him!''
cried Ruby. "But uncle told me to let
him alone, and disobeyed. And now
he has run away, and what will uncle
say? Oh, l do wish the dog stealer had
captured him before | ever unfastened
his chain!"
Ruby" said her amazed lover,
''what on earth are you talking aboutp"
"Why, about Jerry, the red Irish
setter, to be sure" said Ruby; "what
should be talking about?"
'.Is that ALP" said Stafford with
great sigh of relief; ''then you may set
your heart at rest. Jerry is safe
enough. passed little Tommy Eaton
on the road few minutes ago, bring
ing him home with chain and rope.
1t is of the other Jerry am speaking
Jerome Franklin. He has run away,
also, with u lot OF money out of Mr..
Fordyce's safe. ~
HAS hep" said Ruby, apparently
very little interested in this secondary
piece of information; ''well, 1 am not
at all surprised. | always wondered
where he got the money to pay for so
much jewelry. I'm sorry for his poor
mother, though. Are you quite sure
that Jerry is safe, Mr.. Safford?''
"Yes, quite, said Mr.. Stafford; ''and
now, Ruby, that you cannot 90 to the
Great Gorge picnic with Mr.. Franklin
''But l wasn't going with him. said
Ruby; ''he asked me, and l said no.
with whom, then, are you goingp"
with nobody at all" said Ruby
with charming pout; nobody else
has asked me-.
And she looked at Harry Stafford
from under her thickly curling lashes,
with such laughing mischievous
glance, tlat he promptly followed up
his advantage.
"Will you 60 with meP" Ruby, said
he
And Ruby made him a low curtsy,
and answered demurely:
"Yes, please, sir Now let us go
and find Jerry!"
Uncle Ennis was doing over the
weekly paper-he had read it twice
through already, but he seemed always
to regard himself as devoted to litera-
ture when he fell asleep over the week.
ly paper-when Ruby came to him
with Harry Stafford, leading the red
Irish setter by the chain.
"Oh, uncle, [ M so sorry!" she said
penitentially.
II am so glad, Mr.. Ennis said
Harry.
But | let jerry out for run, and he
got away from me, and little Tom Ea-
ton brought him back; and please, un-
Gle, III never disobey you again. But,
uncle, that isn't all!'' she added, red
dening exquisitely.
"Eh?" said the old gentleman.
What next?n
"I've promised to marry Harry SAT-
ford. ..-s =
"Hallo!" said Mr., Ennis. "But |
thought you disliked Harry Safford?"
ooh nof' cried Ruby with earnest