Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-11-03
clear, firm, running hand. We cannot

as L read your thrilling lines. thaI
have at last met with kindred spirit
llet me not be ashamed to own it). TO,
WHich my heart has long yearned
Gladly-ah, gladly would 1 enter into
correspondence with such a one a:
Rupert, but, alasI 1 am an orphan
maid, and the worlds riches ar,
not for me. You would spurn the poo,
girl who must gain her humble crust
by her own exertions. Yet, perhaps
your noble nature might not turn from
the desplsed companion. Did l bu,
know! My dearest aspirations are tc
be elegant; to cultivate my mind to a
high pitch under your tuition would
leave nothing wanting to crafty your:
dare she sign herself?-
"Atectlonately and humbly,
'tROsALINDA ST. CLAIRE.
Il enclose my photo. 1 am bru.
nette, with flashing vet melancholy
dark eyes. Ere sorrow met my path,
was not considered unlovely. Youl
answer, should you deIgn to send me
one, will be forwarded 10 me by q
friend. Till then, farewell!-Address,
r., Postofice, Great st. Paul's street,
E. c."
The weeks went on; his HOLIDAYS
were at hand. He would fain have
visited his Rosalinda at her home in
Surrey, but she besought him not
to come; he should not first look upon
her in the halls of slavery Her Ruper;
must wait till fate smiled upon theiI
path, and she enclosed a little poem on
the subject which made him happy for
days. He sent her q ring.-two golden
hands clasped together-and he wrote
her long letters every day, which she
answered at first once a week, and
then, once a fortnight. At length
there came a day when he had not
heard for a whole month. He was
frantic with yexatlon; some of his
friends had begun to talk, and tease
him about his new fame; should
he lose her now, just as he was about
to have his salary raised? He could
not brook the thought.
In despair he wrote a few hurried
lines, begging to be allowed to see her,
bemoaning her long silence. Life
without his Rosalinda was In
supportable to him, etc. In
answer to this appeal he received
short epistle In a shaky handwriting
Rosalinda had been i'll; she had parted
with her employer, and had gone to be
the companion of a maiden lady of
wealth IN Northshire. 1t was long
journey from London; she dared not
N q IN f,at 4
her temporary home. If better, she
would write again next week. Adieu,
and again adieu!
But she did not write. Days went
by, and at last, one foggy morning
toward the end of November, Septimus
received a communication from a
stranger, gentleman who signed him.
self Thomas Gawkroger." His
worst fears were realized. The gentle
man wrote that it was his painful duty
TO inform Mr.. Potter that Miss Rosa
linda st. Clair was suffering from
so severe an attack of Illness that the
doctors declared that there was no hope
for her ultimate recovery. As Mr..
Potter and the young lady had never
met, the writer hoped that time would
soften the blow and reconcile Mr.. Pot
ter to the inevitable. The ring and
other trinkets would be forwarded
tomorrow per rail. The po5tmark on
the cover was Charlhill.
mot SO viii be baffiedln cried Sep
timus." Does this impertinent stranger
think to tear two loving hearts asun-
derl'' And then descending from the
heroes, he confded to an intimate
friend his intention of eheckmating old
Gawkroger in the long run.
The two young men laid their heads
together, and between them hit on the
following plan: Septimus was to tell
the firm that a relation of his was
alarmlngly i'll in Northshlre, and TO beg
for few days holiday. He was not to
answer Mr.. Thomas Gawkroger's letter
Ito write to ROsalinda on bed of sick
ness would be worse than uSeless), but
to take a ticket to Charlhill and burst
upon the conspirators like a bombsheu.
"Miss St. Claire?" he inquired of a
buxom, high-coIored woman-servant.
II am her intimate friend. How
is Shef Is she DetUerE
beg pardon" said the servant.
"Miss st. Claire-the lady who is so
dangerously ILL"
There's none sick in th' house
now," said the woman stolidly: "but
they've got tn whoOping-cough down
the lane"
mo, no." exclaimed Septimus, ar
ranging his fur collar. He could see in
a glass in the hall how well he looked.
This is Miss Dynoch's house, is 1t
not?"
AYE; but she's at hoam."
"Well, then, have come to see the
lady who is companion to Miss
Dynoch.
81 dunno what's to do" said the
servant, eyeing him suspiciously; "but
the mistress is within. VIII ye give
name?"
s'Strange that they are all in league
with Gawkroger, said Septimus, to
himself, as he handed his card to this
alarming parsonage. 1t was a very
neat. glazed card, which he had lately
had printed.
The servant left him standing in the
hall. but returned almost Immediately
to say. would be walk in.
Hat in hand, Septimus entered and
found himself iu a handsome drawing
room, face to face with prim, elderly
lady. with a small terrier yelping at his
heels. The lady had a gold eye-giass IN
her hand, which she held close to the
card. while she threw her head back
wards afterthe fashion ofpeople OF weak
sight. Her gown was of rustling SILK,
her presence full of dignity; yet indica'
tions of feminine coquetry were not
wanting in the arrangement of the lace
tippet on her shoulders and the rose
buds that dangled from her cap.
The carpet was soft and veivety.
Septimus glanced at his muddy boots
with dismay. He would willingly have
made a more splendid entrance into the
halls of slavery.
s.Miss Dynoch, / believer" he said,
with his best bow.
Eyes, that is my name. Perhaps
Won will be so good as to inform
me to what cause am indebted foryour
visit"
She did not ask him to SIT down ana
she remained standing herself. =.
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