The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1892-04-02
ii wn,ereoursc

II call this the dulie.t place in exist
encr. Says Miss Jocelyn. hall aloud
''ihe very duli-st,"
She does not finish her sentence. but
turns to tho massive pi-r.class to
look at the r-ilection OF h-rs-lf-a
handsome girl in a .mae, irock. After
one glance sh. turns back to tho win
dow with sigh.
What's the u.e' ono nigh, a. well
wear sacicio,h trimmed with ashes in
,his place. for NIL the people there arc
90 -, ones gowns. IL Was much more
iur at school after all.
''Why"-suddcnly cranins forward
iii tina, isn't tina, !rumpy little Miss
Blake with Mr. Stanford; and h. |. hold
ins his umbrella over her She ha. so,
lis arm. too wonder how II. likes IL
Poor mani wonder /! 70 notices
whether n woman is old snd plain or
youu: anu pi.,'y!'
Now he's ron. splash into n pud.
'lir: and ia. j. actually lookin: up n,
him. and blu-hinr and laughing. oh.
what joke Fancy her blu-hin.,
Why. She must b- 10 II .h,'. day
quite 90 And those little curls bob.
bin. about ~ she goes
Il wonder II her sister makes her
wear her hair like that. wonder II
she is in love with him. Poor old
SOUL
Mr.. stanford is n curat.: bu, hc IL n
man frat and ai,crward cleric.
Strong. manly. gentle. hc plays crics-;
with III, village boys. is ready to
gossip for few moments with the old
callers, and Is member OF the lie.
batting society ms well ns the rowin.
club.
In, Miss Iocclyn is young. and is
not ye; able to grasp more than the
lac, tina, shc Is better lookin: aud
better dressed than most OF the girls
whom she knows.
So to her Ruth Blake IL n ridiculous
sight, and Mr.. Stnnford's quiet
courtesy. which he would extend Just
MS readily and pleasantly to his
washcrwoman. is n good Joke"
She watches them part Mt tbs
Misses Blnkcs' little green gate. and
thinks she can SEQ Miss Ru,hs up.
ward glance and smile at the fine face
above her before Mr.. Stanford turns
aud comes stridins and splashing back
through the puddlcs.
Then. having nothing clsc to do.
Miss Jocclyn plans n pretty little
piece OF mischief. which she promptly
sets about carrying out. She has one
gift. this handsome Miss Jocciyn: she
is very skill!ul with her pen. and after
u little practice can initiate almost
my handwriting.
And now she remembers there il n
letter in the study u letter of Mr..
Stan'ord's to her father, and her eyes
sparkle with delight.
What fun to send poor old Miss
Blake "a love letter. Perhaps she
never had one. II will be kindness,
positively How she will blush and
simper-silly old thing? Well, serve
her right When there are so few
young men in n place what business
have old maids strolling about with
them under umbrellas"
Miss Cornelia's n lying down, Miss
Ruth. She had one OF her bad head
inches, and she says ms how no one is
to disturb her. And your tea is
ready and waiting. miss"
Ruth Blake turns into the prim lit
tie dining. seats her sell upon one
OF the straight backed chairs and be-
gins to draw of her brown cotton
gloves.
She is an odd little figure. small and
slim, and dressed in n hideous anti.
uunted plaid, with shades OF glaring
blue and green; yet her fair hair
which Che wind and rain have RULED
and made to look like n hallow about
her meek. small face-the patient
curve OF her lips, and her slightly flush
ed cheeks, render her appearance not
altogether unpleasing.
She eats her simple tea quickly,
glancpg from time to time at u book
which she has propped up against the
milk jug-n book Mr.. Stanford men.
toned inciden.ly one day and which
she has obtained from the village Ii
brary.
The next morning Miss Ruth gets n
letter. She knows the handwriting
upon the envelope before she opens it.
Parish matters. of course" she
says to herself. perhaps it's about
the school treat"
She opens the envelope, unfolds the
note within, and is reading it slowly.
when she utters low cry, her breath
comes fast, and the familiar world
and unreal.
For it is u love.letter. She is 80,
md this is her very first.
And from such u MANTLE man
whom she had looked up to and rev.
erenced and followed SO humbly and
modestly ever since she first saw HIM
She goes down to breakfast with
flushed face, quivering lips and radi
ant eyes.
Miss Cornelia's Just on the ramp
this morning, miss" says the little
maid, warningly, as she meets Ruth
in the narrow passage that does duty
for hall.
Miss Ruth mods and smiles ms il this
was the pleasantest intelligence pos
sible Cornelia's diatribss this morn
Ing fall upon Needless ears
Ruth answers at intervals, eyes.
dear" and mo, dear, and ~ will see
TO " sister" A. In duty bound but