Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-03-23

response 10 the NtIllstiutuls.
A young lady, a little i'll from over
study. wanted board in a quiet and
pleasant region. and wished to bring
with her "A mad, n pony and a dog.
She would frankly state that the dog
was a very large one, and if objected
to she must try some other place. The
note was signed MARY Fleming"
Johnny after losing himself for r
few moments in admiration Of the neat
and llowerlike grace of the writer's
penmanship. and breathing in n faint
delightful fragrance from the creamy
paper, wrote Il reply-stating that the
dog could come aud welcome, and that
If Miss Fleming would kindly name the
time of her arrival at the Junction a
wagon would be in waiting for her.
Others might have used the word ''con-
~veyance." but it was Johnny's way to
use ALWAYS the simplest language.
Miss Jennings immediate answer
stated that she would arrive on the 6
T.. NJ. train. on the 10th of the month.
1t was then the 9th of the month,
which, by the way, was the perfect one
of June.
Loneliness fled away from Aunt Jane.
A young lady. IA maid. Il pony and a
dogi How enliveningl In the tumult
of putt no the two bed rooms in order,
repapering the parlor and stocking the
prov sion pantry with all sorts of good
les likely to be relshed by n slightly i'll
Young lady, the four DAYS swiftly
passed. johnny meanwhile built "A ken
mel of gOodlT SIZE aijoin ne the wood
shed. swept and garnished n stall for
the pony, moved the grass in the
front ward, surveyed with satiasfctiOn
his lOurishing fields of wheat and corn
and was glad that the III es and roses
and spice pinks that bordered the front
walk were beginning to open.
The day arrived and was one OF those
utterly perfect DAYS that give me an
idea of what the weather in Paradise
must be. Johnny. in a fresh blue blouse
and his secondbe,t trousers. drove
TRANQUILITY to the station. He was very
far from having any personal feeling
over the approaching meet nc. For
vas there not a great gulf between
Young ladies who travelled about with
maids and ponies and dogs. aud plain
farmer people who worked from sun
rise 10 sunset for their lv ng? Still he
would not have been twenty-five years
old and human if he had not wondered
what she would like. He fancied she
would be tall with ye-glasSeS OF her
nose and a great deal OF ru>tling silk
drapcrv about her, and that she would
speak i'm Il sharp and fretful way TO her
maid-be NJ a little i'll and ont of sorts
and also wearied with the journey. Or
maybe she would be thin and pale and
langu q and angelic. and would be sup
ported by her maid who would be con
stantly helping her TO smelling salts
and fans.
The train was Just pulling out of the
station as he arrived. Hltching h :
horses he walked into the waiting
room. II was vacant except for a
pale, middle-aged woman IN a gray
mohair buster with a basket IN her arm.
who leaned back i'm her chair with
closed eyes and the generally anguish
ed expression that accompanies II Sc
we're headache.
johnny then walked around the
platform, looking east, west. north and
south. and seeing no one but the usual
village sightsecrs who alwa : congre-
gated ut train time very likely she
was a train late; or maybe she had
changed her mind; or had grown too
i'll to take the journey. Suddenly Il
brisk little person IN a navy blue
flannel gown with a sailor collar and
a sailor hat that sat nautically upon hel
short reddish gold curls. trlpped out Of
the bag0age-room followed by an I'M
mense ST. Bernard dog who, IN huge
platform-shaking capers was trying to
express his ioy that his railway woes
were at an end.
'The maid and the dog. anyhow, y
thought Johnny. and stepping forward
announced himself the ind vidual who
had come to meet Miss Fleming.
"Yes?' with that rising infection
that in some girls can be very charm,
inc. 81 am NJ IS Fleming. And are
YOU Mr.. Lamberton?" No common
FARMLAND. Miss Fleming reflected.
could have such a handsome, refined
and Intelligent face.
"Yes. nv name is Lamberton.' said
Johnny; and since it vas the first time
in all his lfe that he had been called
"Mr. Lamberton" he felt n strange
thr II of pleasure and pride.
'The pony wi come on the 4:3C
freight tomorrow morning, and | vii
walk i'm and get her if you are not toe
far ont. Three miles? Oh. that viii
be iast a fine stroll for James and me.
There's some baggage in there-a
trunk and a satchel-and in the Tx.
press Office a box. | will go and ST
with poor Browney until you are ready.
Here, James Come. sir, quiet down
and be sensible!'
Never have | seen Just such a u girl, y
was Johnny's thought, as she vanished
into the waiting room. ; business
like. and 80 pretty. and not at all Tx,
anvth ne ! expected.
Even Miss Fleming's luggage wa
something unusual little leather
trunk hardly large enough TO hold tire,
gowns. while the express box prove,
TO be a violin case. A for the large
and somewhat shabby satchel, that wa
plainly marked Emmeline Brown-an,
hence must belong to poor Brownev.'
A violin-a girls violin! Johnn'
could hardly believe his senses. III,
carried it TO the wagon and placed il OF
the seat in which he was to ride as ten
derly rs il it were a stepping baby. an,
all throuph the ride homo. hrOuUh TN,