Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-11-08
UNCLE RUBEN'S LOST LOVE.

love with Priscilla Jan the very hrSC
time, and as he was not the kind of a
man to waste much ii inc in counting, he
chose this way of proposing.
Priscilla wore a gown of muslin, and
at the belt hung two scarlet pockets, as
was the custom in those days.
Ruben having perned a declaration
one afternoon, took the opportunity Qor
he was timid NAM of slipping the
note into one of these trim little pockets
when she was not looking.
Then he took his leave, and waited
anxious!y but very patiently for an
answer But none ever came.
Poor Ruben was not one to risk his
fate second time, and he ceased his
visits to the home of the JAMS. After
a while he went away to England, and
Newport knew him no more. He be-
came rather celebrated as a scientific
man. The bashfulness of youth gone
by, he became a grave, gallant gentle
man of the old school, and he had his
admirers even among our sex, but he
never fell in love, and he never married.
At 65 years of age he took it into his
head to see Newport before he died. In
those years it had become fashionable
watering place. There were one or two
great hotels and plenty of cottages The
sea view was as fine, the sea air as brac-
ing, the girls as pretty as of yore, but
they did not wear painted muslins with
poppies on them, nor outside pockets of
handsomely embroidered silk.
Ruben Van Note strolled along the
beach and looked at the old tower and
sighed over the past little. Then he
strolled up the street to the house of the
Jan family. 1t looked very much as
formerly, only the trees were larger and
the ivy vine quite covered the brick
stable with the pigeon houses on the
roof. All its windows were open and
woman was dusting the shutters. When
she came out upon the porch to shake
cloth he spoke to her.
"Does the Jan family live here yet?"
he asked.
The woman gave a long shake of the
head and sal !:
"The last of the Jan family died three
DAYS ago-Miss Priscilla Jan. l was her
maid She was getting on in life-6O
years old-and delicate body always;
but | think she would have lived long
while yet if she hadn't had an accident.
Her carriage was IL set by a tipsy coach
man and she was hurt and shaken The
shock to her nerves killed her, the doc
tor said. That's her miniature when she
was a girl over the mantel, if you'd
step in and look.
Ruben stepped in and saw Priscilla, in
white and red, smiling at him from the
chimney piece. 1t was Il good likeness.
Could she really be dead? He staggered
back and seated himself on the sofa,
"And she never married?" he said,
speaking aloud unconsciously.
"No, sir" said the maid, believing
herself addressed. "She never married.
Such a pretty girl, you'd not believe it.
She had offers, but they did not suit her.
Once she told me, sitting just there, sir,
where you sit, the Christmas after her
parents died, why she did not. She
was fond of a young gentleman once,
but he came and went and never said a
word, and, as she believed, never cared
for her. She cried and cried of nights,
but told no one, and she lived single
until she was 40. Then one day, when
she was up in the garret, she found a
pair of red silk pockets in an old box.
She had missed the pockets. They used
to wear 'em outside, sir, which seems
funny now. She had missed them, and
never guessed where they had gone, but
somehow they'd been dropped into the
box that was carried up garret that very
night. She'd not seen them for 20 years,
and she took them out and turned them
over, and a letter fell into her lap.
"It was sealed, and it had her name
on it, and when she read it she found it
was an offer from this young gentleman.
An offer, sir, that she would have said
yes to, and thankful.
"She knew then, that being bashful,
he had slipped it into her pocket, and it
had been lost with it.
"'I cried at first, Martha she said,
'but afterward l was glad, for l knew
how we had loved each other. 1t was
too late to answer it, even if l knew
where he was; but 1 hoped some time
he might come back and know the truth.
He never will know now, Martha she
said, unless we meet in heaven
"And put the little pockets, with the
letter in them, under her head in the
coffin, as she bade me. Sort of like a
story, isn't it, sir?"
at is very like a story, said my great
uncle.
He sat looking at the picture for
while, and the girl went on. The prop
erty was left to a charity, all but legacy
to herself, and there was to be an auc-
ton next day, and she was cleaning up
for it. And then she begged him TO rest
himself as long as he pleased, and went
about her work.
When she had gone Ruben Van Note
took the miniature of poor Priscilla Jan
from the mantlepiece and put it into his
bosom, and walked away.
Doubtless the maid wondered long
whether that respectable old gentleman
could have been the thief, or whether
some other had come in at the open door
in her absence.
But Priscilla's pretty face lay against
Ruben's heart until it ceased to beat; and
/ have no doubt that if lovers renew
their VOWS in heaven, these two hearts
have met there; these two whom the
treacherous buckle of the scarlet pockets
parted forever on earth.- Hartford
Courant.
The Small Brothers Suggestion.