Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-07-11

Vi Illrty, ana lne otnef
some ten years younger.
You don't mean to tell me, jose
phine," said the elder, rather tartly,
that you've discarded Jack Rogers"
"Why, not exactly" the other replied,
hesitatingly. 81 merely told him that
l thought we were not suited to each
other-that We would not be happy to-
gether."
"Not happy together And why,
prayf What is there to prevent any
reasonable woman being happy with
jack Where can you find more gen
erous, good -humored, open hearted fell
low, or one who will make better hus
band! Why"-in tone as of trium-
phant argument-"he's the counterpart
of my own husband, although they re
only cousins; and | am sure no couple
was ever happier than Charlie and l..
because you and Charlie suit each
other. l don't deny that Mr.. Rogers is
all you describe, and l like him we'll
enough SO far; but in some respects we
are not at all suited to each other. We
are not congenial natures-not kindred
spirits.
kindred spirits2" repeated Mrs.
Chubbucl, somewhat contemptuously.
"What do you call kindred spiritl''
"You may not understand me, Char
lotte, replied Josephine, little loftily,
"because you and I, though sisters, are
not cast i'll the same mould. That is
my misfortune-that am not under
stood by even my nearest and dearest
relatives"
She said this very pathcticnlly, and
with tear in her eye. Mrs. Chubbuck
looked at her half-pityingly.
81 know, Josie, that you were always
excessively sentimental and romantic,
which / am not, thank goodnessl Still,
was in hopes that you would appre-
ciate Jack, with his good heart and good
sense"
Josie shook her head with little fas-
tidious air.
'He's good enough in his way, but
not the man L ought to marry. He's
too realistic--too matter of fact, with
nothing aesthetic, OF poetic, or spiritu-
ally exalted about him. Why, lie told
me himself that he prefers prose to poe
try. that he don't care much for sculp-
ture OF painting, that Poe and Tcnny-
son wrote nonsense, and that he prefers
Dickens to Byron. How can | feel any
congeniality with such nature. Then
to see how he enjoys eating, especially
oystersl"
"Jack does like good living, and so
do Charlie and l, though we are none
of us gluttons. We ali 20 for the "a
tional creature comforts of life, in which
so much of its happiness consists, i" said
Mrs. hubbuck, composedly.
Miss Josephine Heyden gave II depre-
catory shrug.
"His very name is distasteful to ME.
Jack-Jack Rogers! So undignified and
prosaicl And he always has such jolly
sort of look, and-and l think he's
growing fat"
Josephine, you're too absurd. You
have read poetry aud romance until
All, that's Miss Ketclum's knock
Come I'M"
Miss Ketchum entered, smiling and
sinpering, followed by tail, pale,
cavaderous young man, bearing n coal
scuttle.
"Ah, ladies, don't let me disturb youl
Here, Junkin, put on the coal here, il
you please
The young man obcyed. Dnintily,
dreamily, and with far-away and alb
sentminded look, he placed the lump.
of anthracite in symmetrical order
within the CRATE. Then, erecting him
self, and looking loftily down upon
Miss Ketchum, lie said, in hollow
voice:
"Hanything helse, muml"
Miss Ketchum started.
"Nothing else, Junkin-you can go. .
Junkin stalked with solemn dignity
to the door, threw back ghostlike, un
conscious gaze, stumbled over a hnssock
shut the door noiselessly behind him
let the scuttle fall in the hal with {
ngreat clatter, and SO finally disappeared
from sight and sound.
"What an extraordinary creature ;
said Mrs. Chubbuck.
"Quite ghoul like !' said Josephine
Really, 1 never felt such an antipnthy tt
any person as to that waiter. He some
times quite makes my blood run cold
with his spectral looks.
"Indeed don't wonder ut it, l assur,
you," Miss Ketchum responded, will
nervous energy. ~ am sure 1 don
know what to make of him, and neve
did. he goes about the house as quietl.
as cat, walks like somnambulist, ap
rarently seeing nothing, and yet evid
emily knows everything that goes on
even when 1 prefer that he shouldn't
Sometimes, l think lie goes to sleel
while waiting at the table; and l hav
heard him in the china closet talking Il
himself