Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1889-09-12

sick-room, nor the sobs that shook her
as she knelt beside his bed. l was
twelve years old and did not understand
it all until long after but I felt dimly
then that in some way was expected
to atone for a sin committed, an injury
done before my birth.
You. Janet?' Why. how could you
patch up the broken lives, dear?'
1t was a mans dying fancy that, as
he had loved the mother in his youth,
so must his son love the daughter in a
few short years and he babe my moth
er promise that l should larry his son
when l was 49,
Janet! And you said nothing?'
oh, yes, I did. When he took my
hands in his cold, trembling ones, and
begged me to love his son and to we'd
him some day, I burst out sobbing and
said would try to if-he asked me.
Jessie laughed low, soft laugh.
why, you are as free as air. she said
lightly. All you have to do is not to
let him fall IN love with you. But
perhaps gave 10y warning too late. Is
he ugly, and does he WOO your
Il haven't seen him yet answered
Janet, pushing back her soft hair inn
patiently. "A few months after his ia
Tiers death, 1 lost my dear mamma
then you know l was always at school,
until now that I have graduated. |
would have been with my aunt, only
for the children having the scarlet fe-
yer. and her sending us here with Mrs.
Price to chaperon us. l was so happy
when I came yesterday and now he
has come, too, and is in the parlor,
waiting to look me over, and see wheth.
er or not he will llde me. Oh' with
a wratnful motion that did not i'll be-
come her grrlish graceful beauty, 4 do
hope he will hate me as much as hate
him already. Then he will never ask
me. He promised to marry me, mamma
said, if he loved me. Will you just
think of it, Jessie? He will look me
over, study me, and take me if l suit
him. Was ever anything so abomina-
BILE? How I envy you!
And you, you little goose |! laugh
cd Jessie. why, what an amount of
amusement you can have out of all
this, if you wish to turn 1t into a joke.
If I wish to. Now, jessie, if you
have single idea
MY child, l have dozen. See
here 7 with merry ripple Of mirth in
her voice. why not change names
with me while he remains here? l
won t in the least mind HIM looking m
over, and
oh, you priceless darling T and ia
nee caught her in an embrace that
threatened sutfocation. If you only
will, I'll never forget it-never ! And
he is in the p.rlor now. Go down at
once, while l find Mrs. Price and ex-
plain to her. She is as fond OF a Joke
as either of us, and won't mind a Bit
Go, Co. Jessie. You may change your
mind if you wait another moment
And the lmpuls,ve girl drew her
cousin-laughing softly, and really be.
ginning to wish she had not made the
offer-from her chair and across the
threshold, then, leaving her to go down
alone fitted off in search of the easy,
good-naturcd woman with whom Jes-
sizes mother had sent niece and daugh-
Ter to farmhouse for the two months
Of summer.
The parlor was long, shady room,
against one window of which a climb
ing rose bush was trained.
At tbiswindow tall figure was stand
ing as Jessie entered, and she crossed
directly towards it, her newly arranged
and lmpulsive plot making dlmples
come and go in her cheeks, and caus-
ing the dark eyes under her lashes to
glow and CLEAN with laughter.
Mr.. Slndford {? she said, softly.
lie turned with START and met the
merry, loving eyes, his own were blue
and keen, but she found beauty in
them never found before in human eyes
bv her, as their owner took the hand
she extended. and bent over it with the
grace Of courtier.
And this is Miss Graves he said, in
a voice she liked as she had liked his
ewes. Your aunt assured me that no
formal introduction would be necessary
between your mothers daughter and
my fathers SON.
jessie bowed.
Let me present my friend and class
mate, Mr.. Glynn, he and l are hoping
II 4 IV,..