The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-22
CHAPTER II.


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and pondered over all that had transpired
SINCE his last visit. He had graduated with
honors, had lost his mother, had Travelled
abroad, had fallen in love, or believed he
had, and the latter fact accounted for his
presence in Berlin now. For Lydia Curtis,
an helress and beauty, had just grad
uated from Miss Porter's school. and was
spending the summer months at East Berlin
with her grandparents before going abroad
on an extensive tour.
Roger had met her at the
mouse OF a mutual friend dur
ing the holidays of the previous
winter. He had at once became smitten
with boys first passion, and the fact of
several rival aspirants for her favor had
made him the more Jealous, and he had
proposed for her hand, and a conditional
engagement was the result. Lydia's fortune
was greater than his own, and her mother
was of the world worldly She hoped to
marry her daughter to title if possible,
and at the same time she realized that
Roger Buckley was a prize not TO be lightly
thrown aside. SO she exacted a promise
from him that he would wait two years aud
permit the test of time and absence to be
appl ed TO his love. If at the end of that
period he and Lydia still desired marriage
she would not object 60 their union. But at
present she did object on the score of
Lydias youth and iaexperience.
1T will be great compliment for lydia
to choose you after having seen other men,
she said wisely, land if she can be drawn
away from you by another, better find it
out before tnan after marriage"
So it was understood that Lydia was to
sail for Europe in September and TO remain
abroad two years; and now Roger hal come
to Berlin to enjoy his summer near her and
to strengthen if possible the ties which
bound them, so that they might endure the
strain of two years separation.
Almost the first person he met as he en-
tered the village was Luke Hubbard. He
was walking slowly along the roadside
laughing to himself, occasionally stopping
to hold his sides as if he was so full of mirth
that it was liobe to split him in two unless
he beld his ribs together
How are you, LukeF' called out Roger,
Stopping him. 'Do you remember me! l
| am the fellow who drew you out of the ice
just in time to save your life four years ago
| remember, EN-"
Lukes only reply was to hold his hand
| over his mouth while puffs of laughter
squeezed through his fingers; and then
with further greeting he began to relate the
latest family joke, to Roger.
you see Mark and me was goin' huntin', !"
| he sold, land we got up good and early to
clean our guns. Well, Pop and Mop were
| lynn in bed just off the kitchen with the
door open 'atween, snorin' to beat
all. All Of sudden bang went the gun,
and the bullet, come to look, went square
into the headboard of the bed, right
'atween Pop and Mop. They started up
like two scared nights; and whom they found
what the noise was that walked 'em 50 sud
den, they laughed to split, and Mark and
me just roared."
And Luke went on his way hilarious
! with merriment.
"The years haven't changed Luke, GER
tainly, said Roger to himself as he walked
| on. aur
He had gone but short distance when
sound like the shaking of silver bells, fol-
| lowed by 8 rustic and a rush Of feet, fell on
| his ear. Then there was a flash Of skirJs, a
twinkle of feet and a 1.-the young woman
ran square into his arns-knocked his half
smoked cigar out Of bis hand, aud before he
had time TO collect his senses, or the young
woman had been able to recover from her
| astonishment at the encounter, her muslla
skirts were in blass before Rogers
alarmed eyes.
In seconds time Roger had developed
her in the light spring Overcoat which hung
over his arm, and WAS rolling her over and
over in the green grass, beating the flames
with his hands and throwing grass and turf
and dust upon them. Finally he lifted her
to her feet-rumpled, bedraggled, scorched
1 =
blonde tresses, and flushed, laughing face,
while a gurgle and ripple and a peal OF
mirth finally swelled the chords of her
brother Johns laughter TO merry chorus.
''You did look SO comical, Becca, gasped
John. "with-a him a tossing you about on
the grass there, and your yeller hair flynn
like corn, and he a-peltin' you with grass
and dirt as if you'd got him mad"
And John roared again and the young
girl shook the dirt out of her hair, and
made a pretty grimace at the sight of her
ruined skirts, and Roger Buckley came to
his senses finally and noticed that this Wis
ion of loneliness who had seemed to come to
him in a blaze of fire was no other than the
Hubbard bows little sister Becca, grown
into a handsome young lady.
ssI was running race with john sir
she said. as soon as she had taken long
breath. land he dared me to turn hand
spring over the fence, and did not see you
} at ALI SIR. until | struck against you. And
O-you have burned your hand, sir, in put
ting out the fire. You must come in and
let nv mother take care OF It,"
"No. thanks, it is nothing serious" Roger
FASTENED to say. al am only going few
stems farther to my aunt's-Mrs. Stevens
bonse [ shall hope to call tomorrow TO
SOC that Won are not i'll after your fright.
halieve [ have met YOU before-when you
were much smaller girl. Good-nlght,
and he walked away, saying to himself
"Heavensl what a face-nandsomer than
any ever saw on Broadway. What pity
TO think of her probable fate here IN this
little town. flower TO blush unseen, few
wears then-then a lonesome spinster."
All. Roger! there are fates saider than
, those Of a lonely spinster, as your visit &C
Rarlin will prove ere many years go by.
I Roger recounted his experience TO his
aunt as they sat on the stoop together q
. ,sTrst Hubbard ell over cried the old
: lady Nothing can make that family ssri.
! ms They never seem to remember that
tho Rible saws Jesus wepr, and that there's
|. No aecouatof his ever having smiled, mucn
q less laughed .,,.,. =. -,
.o-lS much good II we bee ime Christ-I
= " mat one particular only. anntie," said
! J, .1o,ar WED only add to the gloom and
s.sor in the world and that isn't needed.
9 avr' snre IDS a good thing the tiabhards car
! o. So iollv. Their day Of sorrow VIII come,
o DO doubt
His aunt shifted. ,..,, r..
~ sonlr think they have mind enougn. g
Z f.al sorry over anything she said. Ahey
n 80 q valuable COW little while egoi sAs