The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-04-14
THE SUMMER

at is only Madge Alcott, the ug
lest little old maid in town."
And Rossmond Rivers soft laugh
rang out high above the tones of al
the other girls as she spoke.
| stood and heard it without
word. 1t made me vince a little o
course and vet | knew the word:
were true. | was an old maid"
was ugly" l was little" Yet
was | to blame?"
Rosamond Rivers, of course. didn't
know that l had heard her words,
She meant nothIng-only a lovely,
gay young girl does not always stop
to pick and choose her words when
she is speaking of one whose bloom
is over. And | never was pretty
neither was | rich nor accomplished.
So had quietly made up my
mind to live single and alone in the
world, earn my own living and do
my best to help along those who
were poorer and weaker than myself
Nv Uncle Charles had left me the
little brown farmhouse under the
elm trees. with the apple orchard on
the side. built toward the trout
brook and the sunny pastures where
the wild strawberries ripened first,
and that was all | had.
Better sell it." advised my
friends. But | had no idea of giving
up my home for the few hundred
dollars that its money value would
represent.
| thought it over and came to a
conclusion "Ill take summer
boarders."
And this accounts for Mr.. Paul
Caetleton being a resident under my
humble roof that eventful July.
He came there-a handsome.
stately widower-with his two gold
haired little girls and their African
nurse, who looked SO picturesque
with the big hoops of yellow metal
hanging from her ears, and the rain
bow turbin twisted about her ebon
brows. The little girls had dropped
in the sultry atmosphere of their
southern home, and he came to seek
their health and welfare more than
his own. Rosamond Rivers had rec.
commended him to come to the Elm
Farm-he was a friend-nay, | was
almost disposed to think him an ad-
mirer-of hers.
81 am SO much obliged to you
Rosie" said | fervently.
You needn't be, "said Rosamond
" | wasn't thinking of you at all, al.
though, of course, | am glad to have
you get the twenty-five dollars q
week but YOU see it wouldn't do al
all for hin to have gone to the no.
tel"
why not ?" | asked.
You silly little goose, don't you
see? Bella Martyr boards at the
hotel and DR.. Millions pretty daugh.
ters, aud they'd any one of them be
sure to make a dead set at Mr.. Cas-
Teton. At the farm, you know, he.
perfectly safe"
1t was rue enough what she said
yet it cut me to the heart. Bella
Martyr was a stately beauty. Dori
and Bessie Milton were piquant, CO
! quettish little creatures, | strovt
however, to govern myself.
Is he your lover, Roster" l ask
ed
My loverl What %nonsensel Mol
and she tossed her pretty head
q" But there's no telling what vii
hauDsn. or course he won't always
remain q widowei-and he did ASK
me twice to 90 TO the opera with hin
when | was in the South last winter
: Such an elegant place in Richmond
as he hasi'
! listened not enviously hut sadly
The little russet-winged moth is no.
supposed to be envious of the blue
and. gold butterfly. / knew tina
Rosamopd wss beautiful and talent
ed-that it was Tor her TO build al
sorts of 9gial castles, none OF which
were too bright TO be real. AS TO
; Newell, 1 must plod along as bes
! could on the shady side Of life'
road,
| admiEed Mr.. Castleton yer,
much. Who could help it? Their,
was something so chival5ops and DO
r ble in his way of adopting himsel
t to my poor little house and home
r sp2n ways, and being pleased will
! everything did.
The little girls, Bell aud Violet
were charming, and old Venus beam
: ed like the sun of her Own tropica
; cline.
/, Didn't never s'pose de Norf wal
, SO NICE" said old Venus. "Clar t.
gracious, it's equal to ole Eirginny.
And on pleasant summer even
ings Rosamond Rivers and be
brother, the young lieutenant of ar
tillery, would row up as far as tn,
apple trees on the river. Rosamonl
sat on the lawn with Mr.. Castleton
or made believe to play croquet, un
Ill the purpling twilight warned hel
that 1t was time to return to the vii
lage.
Dat young lady, she's a-makins
eyes at INV Marse Paul. said ole
Venus one night, with a nod of tn,
head that set her greet gold earhoop,
to rattlingl but faint no use
} Marse Paul knows better I"
But Venus did not look at beauti
ful Rosamond Rivers with a man.
imprisoned eyes, and Mr.. Csstletor
did. How could be help it?
Ii yas very foolish of me to fall
into the river. l was reaching out
for Violet's pocket handkerchief
which had accidentally dropped in
when l lost my balance and fell.
The river was not deep just there
but, of course, / was frightened. VIZ
all were frightened. Venus uttered