The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-03-03

20 lend the money to his father, and 50 ]
wrote Joel, but he made no reply 10
that. or at least this il what he did
write" Flushing, she held her snow
fake Of hand over the upper corner,
and Mrs. Pettigrew pretended she did
not see the words, My sweetest treas
urc" The letter read as follows. GO
and spend the day with ny folks Thurs.
day. viii be home Oh the noon train.
Tell them not ~ send t. the station foi
me- as some one else will take me over,
unless my calculations are wrong" Mrs.
Pettigrew read aloud so far, then-"You
loveliest Of all darlings"- There, you
have read enough laughed Florrie, al
bushes and smiles, taking the letter
from her, but what do you suppose lie
means about calculations etcfn
Il dunno. Joels allus so reslute.
Mebbe It's jest as well you wrote al.
about it to i'm. Anyhow, I'm glad he's
comm home. Wen have few more
happy times together in the old home.
20, q good many more" exclaimed
Florrie; Joel can do something" with
all young girls faith in her lover.
Il reckon he'll be here by 1 o'clock. 50
let's all hands to work an hev dinner
ready to chuck right on tue table sooa's
he drives up. You go an tel Myrtle
She an Sans in the best room"
Florrie had great, appealing blue eyes
and pale gold hair. Her complexion
was like rose leaf and her mouth
shaped like Cupid's bow
OF medium height, slightly built and
graceful in every motion, surely Joel
had shown good taste when ho fell 50
desperately in love with her
At o'clock all assembled in the wing
room. They had laid the table with
snowy linen and bright glass and silver
and adorned It with a huge bunch of
aster5, a present from Sam, for a center
piece and for a special greeting for Joel
Everything was ready and so they
waited for Joel, and they did not know
who else, but expectation kept every
one silent excepting sam, whose occa-
siOnal attempts az conversation met with
no encouragement from Myrtle, TO whom
they were directed.
vt last Florio cried, "He is coming"
then they all rushed % the window.
Mrs. Pettigrew saw, at first, only joel
Dear boy, she said, chow handsome
hos grown, and who-Cyrn, bo I
dr,amin', or is that Jabez Reed walkin
long side O jock"
"Yis, that's the old coot l allus
thought JoeId do somethn with i'm.
In reality, Cyril had never allowed him.
self to hope anything from Joel in this
matter
BY this time Myrtle had reached tho
door, and admitted Joel, with Ja5ez
Reed, whom it proved to be. Joel gave
his sister hug, and grasped hand
each OF father and mother, while fond
milo told florrio she was not unuouced.
lie was strong, siuewy man. with
Keen gray eyes, thick chestnut hair and
a straight nose. He had a square chm
and hru well formed lips. lis whole
lace expressed strong Will aud deter
mination, but had, usually, a look OF
serenity and good nature. Now, ho
seemed to be keeping under control
some powerful emotion.
Father" he sad, turning 10 Cvril.
M Reed has called 10 make some nee.
essary explanations
llr Reed was rcdder in tho face than
usual, and had a hang dog expression
which did not add to his good looks.
Wall he commenced, "yew zee
twas funny. but Jest as WAS thinkin -
comm over to bring that are receipt,
Joel, he come In and said he'd found th'
fust one.
you, Joell How" all exclaimed at
once.
Never mind now; don't interrupt Nh
Rood 81 .G3Uijoped Joel
EN- some 'tother day, an they got mad
an tux Il ga earnest, 5Q thought ID
wait while an let EN- git over it toie
| come agin. Here taking paper
from his pocket, lis the satisfaction
piece to the mortgage. JOEL hes got
the receipt I'm glad ont; it'll save ine
wriun' another. Hope ye don't none oa
ye bear malice
This being received in dead silence, he
shufiled his feet looked into his hat ioi
Inspiration, aud finding none, remarked
that he guessed he'd be goin', his hors
didn't stand very good.
Joel opened the door tor him. and max
ing low bow, said, "Since you wish TO be
known as o Joker, you may include the
remarks which made 80 YOU about iai
and feathers and call it all one huge
Joke"
"Yis. yis." he muttered abjectly.
"young folks will hey their sport, and
shufiled OF. evidently glad to escape.
Cyril sat down in his arm chair by the
stove, and laughed and chuckled. 81
knew Joel nd make it all right knew
it. but Joel, how in the name o wonder
did We git that air receipt"
"Why, mother put it in the box she
sent me. found it, all rolled up in one
Of my shirts. thought she sent il be.
cause she wished me TO see it, and IN
tended 10 write about it at once, but
was busy. and the time went by, but,
thanks to the good sense OF this Little
girl. taking Florries hand lovingly, 81
heard what that rascal was about, and
came on at once. went from the sta
ton to Reeds house, and asked him
what the trouble was, not telling hin
that had the receipt IT, said father
thought he had paid him, but was mis-
taken. and was probably losing his mine
getting TO imagine things. When
produced the receipt, you should have
seen his jaw fall he tried to laugh
and make light of the matter told
him. however, that he must come viii
me at once, and apologize, or a ride
after dark, dressed in a suit OF tar anC
feathers, might be the alternative.
The.rcst you know lie apologized a
well as he knew how. 1t is all past now
Let's forget the scamp. We're pretty
comfortable, aren't we, mother putin.
one arm around Mrs. Pettigrews wais
and the other around Florrie.
The example was infectious, and San