The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-01-27
A LUCKY JOKE.

ATS only piece of fun" said Mil
licent Manton. Everybody must do
something fer amusement. And it is
so cruelty, tiendishly dull at San
Jeanr'
Dull, eh?" Her elder brother.
elder by a good score of years
shrugged his shoulders. You find it
dull, do you? Well, you must remem-
Der that you insisted on coming, in
spite of all our remonstrances. You
thought It was military post, eh, and
that there was some flirting to be
doneP Well, you've found out your
mistake by this time"
Yes, I have,' frankly admitted
Miss Manton. clasping her hands on
top of her curly head. And l wish
to goodness l was back in dear old
Chicago! But in the meantime l must
try and keep myself alive"
Her blue eyes scintillated wickedly,
the corners of her rose leaf lips tele-
graphed to the answering dimples on
cheek and chin.
But Hugh Manton regarded her
sternly.
who was that letter TOP" he asked.
ITO Phyllis Perkins, the school
ma'am."
''Humph! didn't know she was a
favorite of yours"
Neither is She"
why are you corresponding with
herP'
"I'm not. That letter was not from
me; it was from David Belfield, the
express agent-or at least so she will
suppose. He wants to see her-or at
least so she will think-up at the sta
ton. And she'll go to him. Shes
Just fool enough for that. How he
will stare! And how she'll long for
the cracks in the railway platform to
open wide enough for her to be able to
slip through and vanish from his
sightr'
And Milly laughed exultingly.
Her brothers eyes met in a dark
frown.
rs that your idea of fun?" said he.
Milly nodded.
IA splendid JOKE" said she. Such
a piece of prim perfection as that Yam
kee schoolma'am is! I haven't forgot
| ten yet what a scornful look she gave
me that night was teasing poor little
Reggv Willis at the sheet and pillow
case party. If David Belield gives
| her another such glance when she pre-
sents herself unlimited at the station,
1 shall feel myself avenged. All is
fair, you know, on the 1st of April;
he's very sick, don't you understand
she added, roguishly. He thinks he's
| going to die, and has something tc
confide to her first. Oh, you may de.
pend upon it, Hugh, she will lose nc
| time"
But it is after train time, Milly
she'll have to walk
"Of course she will; that's part o.
the joker nodded the beauty.
Eleven miIesr
Yes, eleven miles. But she won'
mind"
Look here, Milly." cried Manton
very angrilv, you've done a mean
and cruel thing. did not think II
was in a woman to play such con
temptible trick as that"
ooh. you're setting up to defend th'
Yankee schoolma'am, are your" re
piled Millicent detiantly. APPARENT.
she is the queen of all hearts.
II don't care copper about Mis-
Perkins. said Manton. ''and you know
that as well as do. But l like to Sc
fair play. And | mean to go and tel
her that all this is malicious joke o.
your part"
Go by all means" said Mily
calmly. But think you'll find your
self too late. Don't look at me S
savagely. A long walk won't hui
her, and short disappointment wi
only do her good"
s'For deliberate cruelty and COZ
sciencsless fraud" slowly uttered Maj
ton, ''give me woman"
He strobe fercely out to the sa
mill, where the strong throbs of steal
machinery shook the building, an
busted himself among his workmel
while Milly, with a yawn, betook he
self to crumpled novel and box
somewhat stale chocolate bonbons.
She had come to visit her brother
San Jean under the impression tn
the far Pacific coast was a very live
sort of place, with plenty of picnic
Yachting parties and government OF
GERS to pass away the time.
. To her amazement she had disco
= cred that San Jean was wild and sc
4 itarv nook, far from the luXuries
:. civilization-a Sahara in the woods.
v Her brothers wife was eminent
4 uncongenial to her, being mere d
8 mestic machine.
n Miss Perkins, he district schot
It teacher, took no pains to conceal n
scorn of the gay city coquette, a.
Millicent was drearily counting t
o. days until her mother should send
3 remittance sufficient for her to retu
to Chicago.
8, She had tried her best to get up
Of Irritation with the foreman of the stea
n saw mill, and with David Belheld, t
ID handsome young official at the railw
express Office, but neither of thC
" seemed inclined to respond; and Mi
n Manton, like Mariana in the 'Moat
$ Grange" could have cried out in she
desperation: II am weary, weary
would that were dead!'
~ Sick! alone! and has something
say to me that must be said! Oh
q wonder what it can BET" said Phy
- Perkins to herself as she sped W
.c- the long. swinging stride of t
II daughter of the wilderness through
h. fiower-enameled woods, spring
lightly from stepping-stone to st
ping-stone across the foaming bed
the river, pushing her way throl
/ | thickets of mazanita and copses
faintly smelling nutmeg trees. ,.
only could have got the note III u
- to take the train?'
Phyllis was the very embodlml
and impersonation of truth. and
never for one instant occurred to
to suspect the authenticity of the 81
mons she had received.
=. And the sun hung low on the ed
IA of the forest when at last she ran
the rude wooden steps of the unpa
~ ed pine building above which towe
the rudely traced sign: San j
Station"
All was still. The heat of the
had drawn little bubbling spot
resin out of the green boards, and
n. sweet spring scents came up from