Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-12-18
TRACED BY A BOOK.


asked Colonel Mackay.
He was colonel by courtesy, like so
many Western men, and a real es ate
agent by profession.
He had Just taken Burton Halleck
for drive about tie latest additions to
that thriving young city. Fort Raynor,
during which he had descanted most
eioquently on its advantages as place
of investment for Eastern capital, some
of which HaIleck represented; and now
he had set him down in Main ST., ac-
cording to request, and was on his way
to keep an engagement at his Office.
al don't want you to miss seeing our
new gas well," he went on, cordially.
discovered by boring last month; i;
| throws up column Of fire half as high
as house, and is bound to make the
city a manufacturing centre. They're
already talking of glass works. Land
Is bound to boom in its neighSoIhood
right soon, sir, now l tell you," enthu-
slastically. "This business of mine
| won't take more than half an hour, and
If you'll just let me know where to pick
you up then, I'll spin you out to the
well at q two-forty gait-eh, Molly,
girl?"
1 He paid Molly, his trim bay mare,
4 tine friendly attention of Ticking off q
fly as ne ended, and leaned forward
from his buggy, elbow on knee, to see
if gas wells seemed more attractive than
corn-lands and corner-lots to this posi-
BILE purchaser.
Halleck. standing Oh the sidewalk,
paused irresolute.
His father had lately been seized
with the Western fever, and he haG
! lad In npf hs
land for a good location; but. so far, hi
had failed to take a reasonable, bust
ness-lke interest in the matter. Still
it would no doubt be As well to see the
place thoroughly, since he was there.
81 might wait at my hotel" he wa
beginning, rather doubtfully, when th'
colonel cut him short very decidedly.
He did not intend to allow any riva
: agent to secure the desirable firm o
III Illeck & Son for the town, and OLE
Enderly was sure to be at Halleck'
: hotel by this time. Someth NC mus
lie done.
l Glancing up across the busy, sun
: stCeped street, he caught sight of a roy
of plat. glass windows, lace-draped anC
inviting of aspect, and had an lnspira
tion.
I ''Oh, don't bother to go way bacl
j there in this heat for such littl
wlile," he said. - st step over to til
; Young Mems Christian Association
roJms yonder," pointing where thos
well-known letters ran IN glaring gil
. HcroSs the second story of handsome
! Ur ok building, land amuse yoursel
ill 1 come. The ladies here have jus
bren giving a book-social, and 60
quite library together for the read
iug-room. Any young man is welcom
!. 10 pass the time there. Or, if YOU didn'
i care to read, you might talk to tn
D secretary. He's generally on tap. an
G It's his business to entertain strang
L sTs."
, "A book-social?, repeated Halleck
] idly amused at the fussy, friendly littl
mans unconscious air of giving hin
d the freedom of the city. what sol
! OF thing is that?''
.Oh, a new idea Of the Ladies Au1
J. iliaryi They fitted up the rooms, yo
y see, and then gave social, and instea
of paying at the door, everybody tha
7 came had to bring book for the reaC
1 ing-room. They've fixed very com
Il Portable placr, altogether, and the ass
cations dong 6nely."
a And be might have gone on sti
V further; for, he told himself, the youn
' man seemed an uncommonly stead
k sort OF fellow, and would perhaps II
: gard a flourishing Y. NJ G. y. as a
v attractive feature OF town.
Halleck, however, unconscious
,e broke the thread of bis discourse
Il saying he would detain him no longe
If accepting his latter invitation Wit
# thanks, and adding that he would wa
d in the reading-room, sauntered aero
70 the hot street toward il.
Ie Ii was very comfortable. The r
il sources of artistic furnishing, as unde
e TODD in Fort Raynor, had evident
j been taxed for its benefit.
u Staiued. glass squares bordered q
l. large windows. and bars of many-co
lie ored light from them lay here and the
Is on the dark moss green carpet.
lie Pictures of very doubtful mer
e adorned the pearl-gray walls A larg
le open bookcase held an exceeding
lie motley array of volumes, new and oil
ii There was writing table at the pu
t, lie service; another table covered vii
n papers and magazines; a third 3
d about with chairs and Uttered vii
books, among which stood large boz
of pale amber glass, crowded wi
crimson and white carnations, who
IL clean, spicy fragrance pleasantly pen
trated the air.
S. And everywhere the hand Of mini
tering woman had left its trace in arr
cles OF fancy-work, pretty and ugl
70 appropriate and Inappropriate.
L. The SECRETARY was apparently n
- s'on tap" Cut was busted at his des