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

ers OF hot tears; and, without her
knowledge, still holding the torturned
heart of Reuben in her keeping.
On arriving in California, he passed
through great variety of scenes and
adventures before finding his uncle,
that would undoubtedly be interesting
TO the reader did our limited space
permit of their being chronicled. Suf-
fleet to say, that he found his uncle
after a years search, and was aston
ished to find him sole proprietor of a
magnificent ranch, over whose broad
and fertile acres grazed immense herds,
which were taken in droves almost
weekly to Sacramento.
He welcomed Reuben with open
arms. and before the expiration of a
week, had promised to make him his
heir, il he would give up all other
notions, and turn ranchero.
he had been twice married, but
neither OF his wives had borne offspring,
1t was a blessing. he said. he had long
since given over al hope of ever pos
sessing. 1t was essential, he further
affirmed, that some one should have
his property when he was done with it;
and who so natural and desirable as
his SISTERS son.
Reuben was by no means insensIble
to his uncle's kindness, and he accepted
the duties of his new situation as head
ranchero with a zeal and interest which
did him credit, and raised him i'm
mensely In the esteem of his kind rela-
tive.
Oae day, about six months after his
installment at Green Valley Ranch, he
took from his trunk the last remaining
shirt of the four that the sweet. far
away Alice Newcomb undoubtedly
Mrs Somers now) had made him.
There was something unusually bulky
and cumbersome about the bosom. He
examined the inside, and found a neat
pocket, four 10y six, carefully buttoned
at the top. 1t contained something
thicker and weightIer than the two
thicknesses of linen of which il was
composed. He thought OF Alice, thou
sands of miles away, and unbuttoned
1t with nervous fingers.
lie drew forth an envelope addressed
in a dainty hand-the chirography was
well remembered and perfectly rami-
liar-to Reuben Vance. The envelope
seemed to be pursed out, as though it
contained something more than a sheet
OF note paper.
He slit the envelope with a penknife,
and drew forth the contents.
There was a single sheet of satin
note-paper, neatly folded and written
upon; and nicely packed within were
i've live dollar notes. He stared at
them curiouSly, and then, TO elucidate
the matter. he read the note The
changing expression of his features
-F,Tf 10 Oh, H.
affected We Will give 1t
"OAKDALE, Nov. Is, 1S-.
DEAREST REUBEN:-I cannot let
you go without taking this means of
telling you how much we shall miss
you when you are gone. 1 suppose you
will think of US sometimes, but 1
shall think of you always, night and
day. You will never be free rrom my
thoughts and prayers. They will fol-
low you everywhere like benediction-
Dear Reuben, is it unmsidenly, when
you are so far away, and we shall
probably never meet again, for me to
confess how foolIsh-perhaps wicked
l have been to suffer myself to love
you in secret, and without your ask
ing, when l am engaged to another. l
with all my weak strength, but l can
not help it. If / have erred, / know
you are too noble and generous not to
forgive me. / took the liberty to make
up your wages to two hundred dollars,
because 1 heard father say you had
well earned it, though he did not vol
unteer to give II. If, when you read this,
you should still have a kind remem-
Of ~Haar t-rff xyTU xu-ft
deign to write to me, and inform me
where you are, and how you are getting
on. / shall be very anxious till l know
you are safe, and we'll and happy"
From your true and devoted friend,
"ALICE NEwCoMB."
a mist cleared away from the per-
ceptive vision of Reuben. The past
rose up before him, and he now saw
everything clear for the first time.
Noble gIrli'' he murmured, kissing
the letter. "What a dolt-what an
idiot 1 was not to have seen itl And.
poor thing, she loved me all the
while, and hadn't the wit to guess it,
and so We both suffered In silence"
He made a conhdant of his uncle.
and he helped him to clearer under
standing of the matter than he would
nave arrived dI dlODe.
81 suppose she is married to that
jackanapes long before this" sighed
Reuben, despondently.
81 don't believe a word of it." said
his uncle, cheerfully. "She got that
kink in her head. and il she Is like
most girls, she wouldn't marry anybody
till after she found out what effect her
letter would have on you. 1 under
stand-I know all about the twists in
women. I've had two of 'em- L
would write to her il were you, pop the
question slap of, and make everything
as clear as mud to Squire Newcomb, as
you call him. about your situation here,
and what am bound to do for you"
Reuben followed his advice, and
wrote:
"GREEN VALLEY RANCH. CAL,
''June II, 1S-.
DARLING ALICE:-Allow me to
call you so, il you are not, as fondly
hope you are not-another's wlfe-I
found your sweet and beloved letter, so
like your dear self, in the pocket of the
bottom shirt you packed in my trunk
before 1 started from Oakdale. i
would have given the world had 1
known before 1 started what 1 now
know. Oh. give me the assurance that
you are still single. and that you still
love me, and 1 shall be transported INTO
the highest heaven of happinessi Give
me but that assurance, dearest, and
oceans and continents shall not long
divide u.s.
~ nave found my uncle, asd he Is
very rich. 1 live with him, he likes
me, and he says / am to inherit his
property. But that is nothing. /
have all that heart could desire now.
Darling, do not delay moment In
responding to this letter. Tell me
and II you are still single,
promise me you Will come to me as
soon as possible and be my darling
wife, and the most priceless treasure of
my existence.
Enclosed you will find a draft on
Morgan. Drexel &iCo., Broad St., n.
Y. for one thousand dollars Don't
delay. 1 am on pins till see or hear
from yeu. Address Sacramento,
"Yours, most truly, devotedly. low
ingly, REUBEN VANCE.