, 1889-05-02

a little. I've heard all about YOUR
trouble, dear" she said; 81 wrote Joel
about it, for knew you wouldn't. But,
indeed, he would rather know. Iwanted
to lend the money to his father, and SO l
wrote Joel, but he made no reply to
that, or at least this is what he did
write" Blushing, she held her snow
fake Of a hand over the upper corner,
and Mrs. Pettigrew pretended she did
not see the words, MY sweetest treas
ure." The letter read as follows: "Go
and spend the day with my folks Thurs
day. will be home on the noon train.
Tell them not to send to the station for
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, all
bushes and smiles, taking the letter
from her, "but what dc you suppose he
means about calculations etc?"
'T dunno. Joels allus SO res'lute.
Mebbe It's jest as well you wrote all
about it to i'm. Anyhow, I'm glad he's
comm home. Wen have few more
happy times together in the old home. "
30. Q good many moret" exclaimed
Florrie; "Joei can do something" with
all & young girls faith in her lover.
81 reckon he'll be here by / o'clock, so
let's all hands to work an hey dinner
ready to chuck right on the table soons
he drives up. You go an tell Myrtle.
She an Sans in the best room"
Florrie had great, appealing blue eyes
and pale gold hair. Her complexion
was Hks . rose leaf and hor mouth
shaped like Cupid's bow. s-
OF medium height, slightly bulb. and
graceful In every molten, surely Joel
had shown good taste when he fell 30
desperately in love with her.
At I 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 o huge bunch Of
asters, o present from Sam, for O center
piece and for special greeting for Joel.
Everything was ready and 80 they
waited for Joel, and they did not know
who else, but expectation kept every
ono silent excepting Sam, whose occa-
sional attempts at conversation met with
no encouragement from Myrtle, to whom
they were directed.
At last Florrie cried, '|He il coming;"
then they all rushed 20 the window.
Mrs. Pettigrew saw, at first, only Joel.
"Dear boy" she said, "how handsome
he's grown, and who-Cyril, be a
dreanin', or Is that Jabez Reed walkin'
long side o Joel"
"Yis, that's the old coot. ! allus
thought Joerd do somethin' with 'im."
In reality, Cyril had never allowed him.
self to hope anything from Joel in this
matter. 800
By this time Myrtle had reached the
door, and admitted Joel, with Jabez
Reed, whom It proved to be. Joel gave
his sister q hug, and grasped hand
each Of father and mother, while O fond
smile told FIorrie she was not unnoticed.
He was o strong, sinewy man, with
keen gray eyes, thick chestnut hair and
o straight nose. He had square chin
and firm well formed lips. His whole
face expressed strong viii and deter
mination, but had, usually, look Of
serenity and good nature. Now, he
seemed to bo keeping under control
some powerful emotion.
Father" he said, turning to Cyril,
"Mr. Reed has called to make some nee
essary explanations" ".
Mr.. Reed was redder In tho face than
usual, and had hang-deg expression
which did not add 30 his good looks.
"Wall," he commenced, "yew see
twas funny, but jest rs was thinkin' o
comm over to bring that ARE receipt,
Joel, he come in and said he'd found the
fust one" ......-
"You, Joel! Howl" oil exclaimed at
once.
"Never mind now; dons interrupt Mr.
Reed, !" cautioned Joel. 'A'. .'-''
40, amt got much TO say. joked
'em some 'tother day, an they got mad
an TUX 1t In earnest. so thought I'd
walt while an let 'em git over it fore
1 como agin. Here" taking q paper
from his pocket, sis the satisfaction
piece to the mortgage. Joel, he's got
the receipt. I'm gla,i ont; it'll save me
writin' another. Ho pc ye don't none on
ye bear malice" ~ .---., 80. ....-
This being receive d in dead silence, he
shuffled his feet, lo.,ked into his hat for
inspiration, and fin ding none, remarked
that he guessed ] led be goin'. his horse
didn't stand very good"
Joel opened th q door for him. and max
Ing low bow, 8: id, "Since you wish to be
known as jok or, you may include the
remarks whicl made to you about tar
and feathers and call it all one huge
joke"
"Yis, yts" he muttered abjectly;
young folks will hev their SPORT" and
shuffied off, evidently glad to escape.
Cyril sat down in his arm chair by the
stove, and laughed and chuckled. 81
knew joel .ud make it all right knew
it, but joel, how IL, the name O. wonder
did ye 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 it be-
cause she wished me to see 1t, and In
tended to write ah out it at once. but !
was busy. and TIN /. time went by, but,
thanks to the good sense Of this little
girl, taking FlorI les hand lovingly, 81
heard what that rascal was about, and
came on at once. Invent from tho sta
tien to Reeds; house. and asked him
what the troubls was. not telling him
that 1 had the receipt. He said father
thought he had plid him. but was mis-
taken, and was probably losing his mind
getting to imae inc things. When ]
produced the receipt, you should have
seen his jaw faD. He tried to laugh,
and make light of the matter. l told
him, however, that he must come with
me at once. and apologize, or a ride,
after dark, dressed in a suit of tar and
feathers, might be the alternative.
Thesrest you know He apol,,gized as
well as he knew how. 1t is all past now
Let's forget the ,ramp. We're pretty
aren't we, mother?" putting
ono arm around Mrs. Pettigre,g's waist
and the other around Florrie-