Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-05-16

gently superseded by new ones Of the
peerless Alice Newcomb. But his
incipient hopes were blasted a few
evenings later by the appearance ofts
gaily and fashionably dressed young
man, whom Alice introduced to him
as Mr.. Somers.
The gentleman glanced superciliously
at the sun-browned young farmer,
without 50 much as deigring him a
! patronizing look, such as a king might
have conferred upon a peasant without
sacrificing one shadow of his imperial
dignity.
That evening lie and Alice sat up all
alone by themselves in the best room
TIL past eleven O'Clock, while Reuben
lay awake IN his little chamber above,
/ To all intents aud purposes. as miser.
/ able being at heart as could have
been found anywhere, and all for love
or a young lady of whose existence he
had no knowledge week before.
The next morning at breakfast, the
squire, who chanced to be In excellent
/ spirits. rallied Alice jocosely upon the
subject OF her coRrtshlp-every ex-
/ preston OF which was as needles to the
sensitive soul OF Reuben-and stated
by way OF explanation to this wounded
/ and silently suffering martyr, that
Ralph Somers, a young and prosperous
merchant of the town had, with his
full sanction and approval, been paying
/ his addresses to Alice for a year
''Pshaw, father, 1 always told you /
/ didn't care for him; and last night
when he refused to shake hands with
/ Reuben, as any gentleman would,
/ thought less OF him than ever. know
OF no reason why Reuben is not as
good as he is.''
Reuben's heart mercury went up
fifty degrees with the abruptness OF q
sky-rocket.
That may be all true" said the
squire, but you know you are engaged
TO him, and this sentimental love bust
ness, which comes TO young ladies of
your age as natural as pap 70 babies, is
all nonsense-mconshin This Is a
practical world, girl, and Ralph Somers'
father Is worth ffty thousand dollars,
If he is worth a cent; so don't let me
hear YOU be so foolish as to talk any
more about your likes aud dislikes."
Alice WAS silent after this. and Rsu-
ben's heart underwent another depres-
sion
Reuben's thoughts reverted again to
to 20 as soon as his time was up.
During the seven months that en-
sued, Ralph SOmers came regularly
twice week, and was always the
same overbearing or cringing creature,
that circumstances might dictate him
to be.
During all this time Reuben was en-
during a perpetual torture of heart for
- Fkaa ~ oh
ject-California- Alice was very kind
to him, and with wonderful intuition
would anticipate his slightest wants,
even before he had thought proper to
make them known; and sometimes he
interpreted from her soft and eloquent
glances something deeper than the
mere impulsive action of kindly and
generous spirit still, III his daily in
tercourse with this charming and in
teresting girl, he was the same awk
ward, bashful BOBBY he had always
been, notwithstanding We might have
expected better things of him, ,iconsider-
ing the many little Innocent traps she
set for him, which he never sprung.
1t was generally understood, now
that Reuben would start for California
about the middle of November. and as
the time drew near, Alice seemed less
cheerlesS and light hearted than when
he first knew her. There was "A Ian
guor and listleSs abSent-mmdedneSs In
all her movements that could not fail
to attract the attention of those less
interested than Reuben
Her father noticed 1t, but in the
grOSsness of his scheming, ambitious
nature, he attributed It TO anything
but the right cause.
Hedged in by the unfavorable cir
cumstanceS already enumerated-to
wit, his own imaginary unworthiness,
rs well as the long-understood engage
ment OF Alice TO another, and COM
pletely absorbed by his own emotional
feelings, Reuben could not fail to have
some dim perception of the phenomena
Still he would stubbornly persist in
attributing these appearances OF men
tai disturbance on the part OF Alice to
anything rather than the legitimate
cause, when, to speak within bounds,
she had done and said all she could,
consistent with mOdesty, 20 prove to
his dull apprehension that she loved
him.
For the last three weeks OF his stay,
Alice employed all her spare time in
renOvating and supplying new and de-
sirable articles for his scanty wardrobe.
Among these neceSsarieS were four
bleached cotton shirts, which she cut,
made, washed, starched and ironed,
with her own deft fingers, and when
the stout trunk was procured which
was TO accompany him in his wander
ings, she assisted IN arranging and
packing the various articles, so that
they would come readily 10 hand, and
in order when wantel-
"Oh, Reuben, =" she said, when 1t was
all over, this has been the hardest
task l ever performed"
II am sorry TO have put you to so
much trouble" " said innocent Reuben.
II dare say 1 might have done It
alone, after a fashion, and saved you
all this; but shall gratefully remem-
Der the hand that did it whenever i
remove the articles"
Alice looked disappointed, and ut
tered soft little sigh.
''Still as cold and unimpresslble as
icel" she unused, rather pettishly.
s'neigh-hol 1 wonder what these
strong creatures are made OF to be so
obtuseI"
Then she ran up to her own room
and cried for an hour.
Then she burst out, exultingly, in
the midst of her tears: but ne Will
lind it out-he will understand 1t when
it's too late; and like the Judge In
Maud Miller he may be brought TO
think, as well as L, Of of what might
OF beenp and, choking down sob, she
dried her eyes hastily, and molstened
them with cologne TO prevent their
showing the traces OF tears
The next morning Squire Newcomb
carried Reuben to the station. He
would have preferred Alice, but the
squire, out OF the very Sindest OF
motives insisted on doing II. he SIM
NV wruny AIice's extended hand like
any commonplace friend or acqualnt-
ance under such circumstances, saying
with all the cheertulness he could mus
ter: ~,
.'Good-by, Alice. 1 hope you VII, !,
always have good luck and De happy;
and then not to break down In the
presence of the girl he loved, ne
wheeled about with military hrmness