Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-04-08


his friend Brooks, with wrinkle on
his brow and troubled sympathy in
his manner. ''Its all up, old man.
be said, with desperate frankness.
"Great heavens! what do you
mean?" exclaimed Brooks, aghast.
"Miller laughed little. "Oh, il
ISN'T as bad as that" he said, "only
Miss Howard can't come; she has
sprained her ankle. Lucky it was no
worse. She was thrown from her
horse. Her father must be an idiot to
let her ride horseback. l suppose he
wanted Ler to break her neck"
Brooks laughed in spite of his dis.
appointment. "Oh, you're not YOUR
self at all, Miller dear, Miller dear, !"
he said; "and small blame to YOU.
However, as you say, it it lucky it is
no worse"
"Yes: but What will you do?o
"1? l shall send her some flowers,
and note TO say l am sorry."
Miller looked relieved. "And vou'n
oe on hand yourself all the same?" he
said.
"Do you take me for a child?" an.
swered Brooks with some asperity
"Of course I will"
He was as good as his word.
you're trump, Brooks" Miller
said to him, in hasty aside at the re-
ception. "You have outdone yourself
| O-night."
Don't say a word" returned
Brooks, in low, delighted voice. 81
have a note from Miss Howard in nv
pocket, asking me TO come out tomor-
row afternoon and tell her about it.
So L am playing society reporter to-
night, seeing everything and every
body"
Miller laughed. "Alasl poor Rad.
ford!" he said Significantly.
On the following afternoon, there.
fore, pretty young lady with an ILL
teresting pillowed foot was relating
substantially the story of her tempora.
| ry invalidizm and its cause to the brown
mustached young man seated near her,
who showed an absorbing interest in
the subject.
| 1t was an attractive picture for con.
/ temptation on warm day. a shady
veranda, with the gentle breeze COM
ing toward II over an odorous velvet
lawn; small afternoon tea table set
forth with fruit and cooling beverages,
and a young and attractive pair of
people luxuriOusly disposed to enjoy
their beautiful surroundings and eacF
others society.
1t was reality doubly fair in the
eyes of the young man, who was ex-
changing it for the monotony Of busi-
ness routine in the dusty city. Not
that his lot was hard one. All only
son in business with his prosperous
father is in the majority of cases rath-
er overpaid than oveTwoTked; still
such day, such situation, and such
companion formed All unusual COM
bination. 1t was the first tete-a-tets
that he had ever enjoyed with her
wherein the certainty of all interruption
was not imminent. But uow-now no
carriage was waiting at the curb to
bear her from him; no partner all too
prompt would come to claim his waltz.
Brooks had known for many day tina.
there was more happiness to be found
in the society Of this young lady than
IN that of any other, but the difference
had never shown so plainly as now.
Presently she raised a great bunch
IF rare roses which lay ON the couch
beside her, and held them sdmiringly
above her eyes. "These are the second
you have sent already" she said. "F
understand something from them"
$50 much the BETTER" he returned
boldly. 81 intended that you should"
She glanced at him over her flowers,
and then fastened her eyes upon them.
81 understand" she said, "that you
are very extravagant and very
young"
"Youug!" he echoed, paying no
heed to the less shocking adjective.
"By that you mean foolish, suppose,
However, the flowers pleased you,
didn't they?"
eyes; but they did not please
papa"
AhI here was mention Of that bets
noire at last. He had almost forgot
/ ton its existence. "Your father--is-
hard TO please, Is he not" lie said,
haltingly. 'sI think I have heard that
he was not always quite amicably dis
posed toward such as !"
She covered her face completely
with the roses at this, but when she
! spoke he could divine nothing from
her manner. Papa likes to have his
own way" she said, half apologetical-
( ly. Then seeming to cast concealment
to the winds, "He has high temper" 4"
she confessed. "You know some peo-
pie have, but his il something quite
terrible, the storming, raving kind /;
not toward me-he IS the dearest.
most devoted father In the world; but
toward young men, especially young
men who send me flowers, he IS quito
violent sometimes"
He nodded seriously, thinking Of
Radford'. fate; al least that fate should
not be his. "I shall meet Mr.. Howard
at dinner, shall notI" he asked wish
ing the flowers III Jericho which so en-
tirely concealed her face. 81 suppose
If q man conducts himself like a gen.
tIelnan he is treated Ike one"
"Oh, certainly-that Is, sometimes
-noarly always. But he has been ask
ing a great many questions about you
since these came. He says that he has
known your father all his life, and no
always admired him. Still, papa is
hard to please; although lie likes your
father lie may not like you. You are
not your father, you know"
"And you are not yours, thank
Heaven; 10 let Us dismiss the subject,
and defer the evil hour rs long as pos
sible. VIII you put down those roses,
or shall take them" He stretched
fo,.b b;e hand tovvard -lern. but she
avoided it.
"You have not told me word about
the wedding" she said hastily; 81 am
dying to hear about it. Begin at once"
"Oh, certainly" he scquiesced with
reckless gayety. ''The spinster and the
bachelor will now discuss the we'd