Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-12-13
Reuban's Disappointment.
BY HAMILTON oRMsBEE.


school on the wood-sled reg lar now.
Mis- Smoad2"
"Waal he's gone to town to-day, but
he don't gen ally miss no chance O.
maxim a fool O. himself She's reel
kind o socerble, but she wouldn't be no
more use round the house than fly. l
can't see what Reuben's thinkin' of"
groaned Seth Smead's overburdencd
little wife
"she's stout enough to do heap if it
should ever RELY come to anything" re-
sponded her neighbor, throwing doubt
full infection upon the last clause.
"She's right down spuuky, too. The
quarry boys hain't ben so 'fraid of any
teacher sene my childrens ben to
school"
LAND, yis, Mis- Adams. She might
do washin and ironin' the same day
an not hurt her none, but hain't no
idee she d think she could, an Reuben's
takin' up with her is dreadful aggra-
vatin'.'
The discussion was stopped by the
entrance of the teacher. She had walked
a mile in the crisp winter air; her cheeks
were flushed, and her eyes sparkling,
and she made striking picture as she
threw back her cloak aud left her dark
curls ripping from beneath her scarlet
hood down over her long shoulders.
She would have been called a Juno in
regions familiar with classic mythology,
but the Stoneville girls shook their heads
disapproyingly, and spoke of her as
"dredful strappin'."
"Any trouble in school to day, Miss
Edgerton2' asked Mrs Smead, eagerly
None" replied Stella, showing the
CLEAN Of white teeth when she spoke.
"Billy Madigan has been as good as a
kitten since / whipped him, and not
another boy has dared to peep. l have
asked them all to come and skate tonight
and we shall get along quietly enough. -"
When the Smead sleigh, with the
teacher, Lydia Adams, Seth Smead and
his wife and Reuben, reached the skating
pond that evening, crowd of young men
and boys were already on the ice. They
had brought huge pine stump, laid it
upon stones at the edge of the pond, and
lighted great fire. The resinous flames
shot high in the air, throwing weird,
Pickering shadows upon the snowy hill
side and along the icy avenues which
had been cleared upon the pond. Stella
sprang quickly from the sleigh and ran
down to the ice. BY the time Reuben
and Lydia reached the pond Stela's
skates had been made fast, and she was
skimming far away with party OF her
school-boys.
Before the coming of the handsome
teacher to StoueviIle Reuben had been
"sweet on Lydia Adams in a shy, awk-
ward way, and now he could do no less
than fasten her skates, though his inter
est was all up the pond with Stella. He
could mt understand why Stella should
have run away from him so, but as she
had not come back when Lydia's skates
Were fastened, he ventured to observe
1.-The ice is dreadful smooth tonight.
Don't you want to skate ways2'
"Waal, might go little ways. You
know can't skate great deal, Reu-
ben
"TlI show We; don't be afraid" he
urged : and thus admonished, Lydia took
giugerly hold of the big mitten which
Reuben held out, and started with q
stroke that was too mincing 70. grace,
but which had che advantage Of suggest
ing to an escort that his support was
more than a courtesy. AS they were
starting the pack of school boys raced
headlong up to the fire, Stella following
just behind them. Reuben saw her
flushed face and bird like poise as she
slid swiftly in, and thought with thrill
that he had never seen such a handsome
girl. He longed, with a great jump at
his heart, to join the handsome group at
the fire, but the tug of Lydia's slender
fingers in his reminded him that he must
not do so.
A man of more experience might we'll
have shared Reubens admiration. Skat-
ing lends an ideal grace, and Stella, her
cheeks flushed and her eyes flashing, was
magnificent creature. Never had the
contrast between her and Reuben been
60 marked. Never had she thought him
80 awkward, uncouth, and tongue tied,
and never had the thought of his atten-
tons been so repulsive to her as tonight.
Stella had never thought of Reuben as a
lover, and it had not occurred to her
that any one else could regard him in
that light until that view of the situa-
ton had been forced upon her by Lydia
Adamss unmistakable Jealousy. This
was the third skating bee, and Lydia
had always gone in the Smead sleigh be-
cause she lived on the road to the pond.
Che had been treating Stella with in
cgeasing incivility, until tonight she had
failed to reply to the teachers 'fGood-
ecening, Miss Adams.H 1t was incom-
prehensible to Stella that any girl should
consider her rival for the devotion OF
Reuben Smead, but there was no
other construction TO be put upon
Lydia's conduct, and when she
reflected upon the mischief she might be
doing, Stella was stricken by compunc-
ton. She codld not quite say to herself
that she had not encouraged Reuben She
would have said it quickly enough to a
third person, but she knew in her heart
that she was no more to be trusted with a
susceptible young man than cat is with
cream, and just how far her smiles had
gone this time she could not certainly
remember. She had not meant to do auv
harm, she told herself, and she penitent-
ly resolved to throw Reuben bodily at
Lydia's feet. She left them alone all
the evening, aud when it came time TO
90 home she had not spoken to Reuben,
The men and boys had gone to the farth. {
end of the pond for game of prisoner :
goal, and the Smesd party were waiti- !,
to be driven home. Mrs. Smead was
wrapped in buffalo robes on the back
seat. which held but two; Lydia was
toasting her feet at the fire, and Stella
was still fitting about the ice She
saw Lydia start for the sleigh, and
called:
please save me loom in yon seat,
Mrs. Smead. I'm too tired to ride up in
front tonight.
81 guess I'm eoin' to. ride on the
back seat goin' home, Miss Edgsrton, I"
cried Lydia.
Lydia's heart was hot with anger.
She had had Reuben to herself all the