Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1890-08-29
TOPSY.

does of me2" said Huldah.
Joe Brockway laughed.
''But she is dandy little horse, you
know" he said, letting his gaze wander
to where Huldah's Uncle Robert stood
stroking and patting Topsy. ''Look at
her shape, just"
"I know" said Huldah. "I've heard
Uncle Robert rave about her enough.
Little head, arched neck, slender legs"
Joe brought his hand down on his
swectheart's with another laugh.
But Huldahs brown eyes were lifted
seriously to his laughing blue ones.
"What's the matter?" he said gaily.
"Well, I'm not adamant exactly, Joe, a"
said Huldah, slowly. ''I'm not fossil.
And it's hard to have an uncle who cares
as much for horse as he does for you,
and to hear nothing but horse talk from
morning till night, and to get so lone
some sometimes you just don't know
what to do! Oh, Joe," Huldah muir
INJURED meekly. 81 ought not to say it |!
/ don't know what's the matter with me.
IL"
And Joe Brockway heard stihed sob,
saw swishing skirt, and found himself
alone on the front steps.
"Huldah!" he cried, and gave chase.
Through the hall he ran, and into the
sitting-room and the kitchen, and then
out into the back yard and around the
house, sending two doing cats wildly
fleeing, and going through Huldah's
petunia-bed.
''Hang it'll" he cried, coming7to baf-
fled stop, with redeemed face and dis
heveled hair.
His good-looking countenance showed
little wrath, considerable distress, and
some indecision.
81 believe I'll tell her this minute" |"
he muttered. "What1l she say about
Topsy then9 Little simpleton-dear lit
tie simpleton!"
But after moments reflection he
walked toward the barn, where Huldahs
Uncle Robert was still engaged, with
Topsy.
Huldah had fled up stairs to herlbed-
room. There she sat with her face hid
den in folS of her dress, and her tears
soaking the starch out of it.
Oh, dear oh, dearl What was she
crying abouta Everything!
1t was her Uncle Robert, for one
thing. He was kiad, of course. But if
he were not quite so wrapped up in that
new trotter, if he ever would talk to her
about Anything else-about her own poor
little affairs, for instance-and stay in
the house sometimes instead oflthe barn
What did he want of Topsy, aayhow2
Huldah wished he had neversseen her.
For since Joe had taken partnership
in hardware store in Wakely, it was
doubly lonesome for her hcrein Cheever.
Ahl she hadn't been quite fair in let
ting Joe think her tears were all for her
Uncle Robert.
Since Joe had gone to Wakelyl Wake
ly was such lively place, with posses
sions of which Cheever had never
dreamed-an "opera house," anda park,
with fine band pavilion. And pretty
girls Wakely was noted for its pretty
girlsl
What was the matter with her2 Was
he not her own true lover2 Had he not
devoted many half day to coming
home to see her2 Wasn't he home for
that purpose now9
And still Huldah sobbed on.
She was tired and nervous, she re-
fected, dismally. Doing all the house
work and canning strawberries at the
same time had been too much for her,
she supposed; and she had not felt we'll
lately, besides.
And she gathered up fresh corner of
her gown and cried harder.
She did not know how long she staid
there. But when she went down stairs
at last there was nobody in sight or
hearing.
She had expected to find that Joe
had gone; but where was her Uncle
Robert2
The table showed a masculine litter
of cold greens and lemon pie. Obi and
here was a note pinned to the table
cloth:
'.Am going to wakely. eback early"
Wakely-what fort Oh, yesl Hull
dah OWNED in an instant. There was
man in Wakely giving an exhibition of