The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-06-29


and Neaetia, in whose nature there was
an instructive thirst for beauty in every
form, turned her head to look in that di-
rection.
In thS way she ran against a stalwart
masculiIe figuIe, which, at that instant
approached the gate.
She started back and glanced up into a
palr or Merry, handsome blue eyes, bent
IN some surprise upon her
Inc oS1er of the eyes stepped aside and
raised hishat in ready courtesy, aud Vene-
tia, with. slight inclination OF the head
pas sed on.
She waled home very straight. Her
cheeks wee warm, though she was not
conscious lit.
just befre entering the house she
paused, an glancing backward, mur-
INJURED to heself:
wondervho that young man could
have beeu:p
Inc young IAN in question had, on his
side, looked sry unreservedlv after We
netia's youngfgure as it passed up the
iohS village rect. And his comment
upon the meehS had proved much more
outspoken andefinite than hers.
BY Jovel Nnder how so much youtb-
1ul bloom and liiant beauty came TO be
issuing from 4 venerable old nncIs,s
abode The protest creature have seen
for an age. I'll I'VE TO look into this.
declare, there he old fellow this mo-
ment, as I'm a lag sinnerr'
He started fo.ard. Gaspar Brent
coming towards In, stopped and stared
Vel, uncle, footten me quite, have
you?' laughed theoung man.
"Chariey-Charl Brent Blcss nv
soul! Welcome, 10 welcomed Come in
come in!' and a mute later the Young
fellow was being PRINTED 70 HRS DAILY
My dead brothes son. Mrs. DaIv-,
said GaspAr Brent, VII a certain s-arr1.
solemuity. Il was W fond of R~o-bsr
Charles. He was thiaudsomezt of tbe
family, and, with n utle smile lighting
up all his mild face, seems 70. me that
Charley has taken aftOlimIp
Charley laughed goolumoraIrv
And now tell menucle. who thu
young lady Is with whc had the pleas
ure OF an encounter at gate juat now.
She Is a. faiC a5 the mon y and I,ss.,-.s
like blue violets.''
Before Gzspar Brent sIJ nal. ,,,,-
reply, Mrs. DAILY broke in rtIv.
THAT WAS Miss Nenctia.rco,, ~ -,
marry your uncle, sir. Exa. NJ, IiI,s,,,,
o me answering"
The deuce!" Charley excne5 With,
himself.
Gaspar Brent smiled litthyly.
I'm much too old TO be frkIno, y,
marrying 80 young girl, / sro.,. yo,1
are thinking, my boy; but ) see -
hasn't many friends, and I'll l., r,.i-..
the child happy"
And indeed you amt too Oh, ,,,,-,-,-
anybody" cried Mrs. DAILY withIien4nt
force.
Never mind, Mrs. DAILY. thatu do >,
demonstrated Gaspar Brent, Mr. /
DAILY, taking the mild reproof le,,e,,I,. |
than il had been administered, moi 1
from the ROOM
Il don't Ike the looks o. that n,ner-
snapper" she confded to hersel.Eer !
outside. "He'I make trouble yetitb /
his curly hair and his big shouldernd 1
the swagger of him. And Mr. Rr,+a
be apologizing to him or the likes r.
because he's To marry the girl hes chos,,
And Mrs. Days sohloquy ended q,
sniG.
As the shorter Fall days came over
land, there was much hurrying TO and
in 'old Brent's" quiet house, now gu.
no longer.
All was being put in readiness for IL
young bride, and the neighbors found
exhaustless topic of conversation in ap
propriate discussions of the wall-pape
and new furniture, and changes here auC
there, which were being made to insur
her comfort and happiness.
Seems as though he couldn't do enouCl
for the girl. And she saiu't been eve
made much of at home, Venetia Letsol
siR't. It'll all be new to her, 1 guess
Well, old Brent's a good man-no bette
ever lived"
"All the same Venetia amt lookin
very happy" remarked the ancient dame
shaking her head. II see her yesterday
She was as white as chalk. / thought sh
looked very down"
Gaspar Brent, happily unconscious @
such comments as the last, was wendin
his way towards the Letson house.
AS he walked, tke tall slight figure ben
forward little, less from the weakness q
age than from the habit contracted dun
ing many Years spent in solitary porin
over books, the mild fine eyes fixed upo
the ground; he was meditatinG whethe
there were still any HttIe things whic
Venetia might like of which he had no
thought.
This had been his sole preoccupatio
for weeks. God had been very kind t
him. He had thrown this beautifu
young girl in his path for him TO love. II
accepted the boon reverently, with a sor
of fear. The feeling of the disparity i
his years and hers was always before hin
All his efforts were concentrated on
perpetual striving TO atone to her, as
were, for this difference
SO lost in thought was he as he neare,
the strip of ground that surrounded V,
netia's home, that he at first dis not Nc
tice the sound of voices coming in sur
pressed tones from behind the high hedg
that screened those within the garde
from the gaze OF the passers-by.
But he stopped very suddenly. for Il
thought all at once that he heard Nenet3
speak, and was it possible3 yes, she Wa
sobbing.
mo, no, don't plead with me, please,
the young girl was saying in "A low age
nized whisper. ''Go-please, go. i1 IS c
no use. must not listen to you. L ow
him everything-everythin
You don't owe him the mere form o
an allegiance when your heart is given t
someone else, darling. Nenetia dearest,
the pleading passionate voice rang out
you do love me-you cannot deny il
Then you belong to me, not to him"
What had come over the world in thi
one short minutel The sunshine seeme
" nave bt0h nlollrtl out. anu a GOltl WIN
sprang up and lifted the dead leaves tha
strewed the road and swept them up int
little heaps.
Gaspar Brent stirred blindly. II,
touched his forehead with his hand onc'
or twice and turned back whence he ha6
come. He did not quite realize at frs
just what had happened He knew after
wards that he Lad been dazed there for
while.
He repeated to himself once or twic'
slowly:
Eyes, Of course. Charley loves her ant
she loves him. How could they help it
1t is natural-natural- j ought to hav
known this befOreI ought to hav
known this befOreI'
Good Heavens cried Mr.. DAILY whel
she saw his face. What has happe ned;
Nothing - nothing!' And yet b
seemed 10 have grown quite old-reall
old-since nc had left tho house IN hou
before.
He went into his room and locked III