The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-08-19

tones heart was about To surrender at
discretion.
She sat there in the neatly kept
kitchen. knitting away, in her black
calico gown and hlacl5-ri3honcd cap,
when Mr.. llancrslie came in that ai-
ternoon. How was she t. know nat
he had just been closing UP th.t !ttte
account in loves ledger with CalU!., aiae
Carter? How was she to dream of
Biny's scornful tears, her indignant re
lection Of the mans miserable subter-
fuges?
You have never loved me" said
Biny. IF you had, you never could
have left me in this way Go to your
rich widow: l. for one, viii never stand
in your path. Nor shall / stoop TO en-
Tighten her rs TO the true character Of
the man she Is about to marry"
SO Biny had dismissed her lover.
VIII Hamcrslie had WINGED little. It
was not the sort OF parting which he
mad pictured To himself Itrobbed him
of an dignity and aplomb. But it
couldn't bc helped. COlumbinc was
such an ignpetuous little thing that she
never allowed him the opportunity To
uttcr the smooth speech which he had
so carefully committed to memory.
1t was awkward, but it was unavoid-
able.
Mrs. Baritone smiled broadly upon
her young wooer as he entered her
presence.
80 you've come back again" said
she.
He sat down and took her hand.
''Do you think / could long remain
away from gou}"
That's all nonsense said Mrs. Bar
itone. But, nevertheless, she did not
withdraw her hand.
You promised me your answer to-
day" said he. You can imagine how
eagerly am waiting for it,
We'll, really, don't know what TO
say" simpered Mrs Baritone. If 1
believed you really loved me-
Can You doubt it, Mclissa?'' softly
whispered Hamerslie, thinking of the
ten-thousand-dollar- frem old
Uncle Baritonc's bachelor brother
but I'm 50 much oldsr than you
are"
Love does not go by the calendar"
reasoned Mr.. IIamerslie, tcndcrly.
And Baritone always objected to
second marriages, persisted the widow.
but Baritone Is dead and gomez i'm
patiently retortcd the lover. What
can he possibly have to do with it?"
just then occurred one Of those mar
velous happenings which have given
rise to the saying that Truth j. stran-
ger than fiction" The front door
which, according to the rustic custom
of the place, was never locllcd--swung
slowly open, and in the doorway stood
the well-llnown figure of-O1d Uncle
Baritone himself.
Hello, Meliss." was his greeting
you seem to be enjoyin' yourself
pretty well. And who the dickens is
this young man.
Mrs. baritone jumped up with n
scream. Mr.. Willard Hamerslie caught
up the poker and straightway retreated
behind the coolling-stove.
If you are a ghost" screamed the
widow, don't come any nearer"
If you are a tramp, get out of this
house roarcd Hamerslic, branGishing
the poker after the most threatening
fashion.
Il amt neither one nor the other"
said the apparition, lcisurely seating
itself Its me, BENJAMIN Baritone.
as everybody supposed was killed in
the lime pits. But l wasn't! / had
the luck to tumble out of tlE, llilns,
as I'd tumblcd in, and | was that
ashamed, az | took myself off for good
and all. says / to myself: old fellow,
your wife Is ashamed Of you, and so is
every body else. And YOU amt of no
use in the world, except to 90 fddling
around to barn frolics and husllinC
/ bees So | smashed my fiddle, and 1
ran away. But times is hard, and it
amt easy to pick up a livin' when "A
man gets to my time of life. 50 here |
am back again. And I've signed the
| temperance pledge. and / mean to stick
| to it, this time. Give me a kiss, old
/ girl.''
/ And 50 the widow Baritone was a
widow no longer.
Wont you stay to supper, young
man?" said old Uncle Baritone. hoSpit-
| ably, rs hc saw VIII Hamcrslie feeling
/ about for his hat under the table.
/ But Mr.. Hamerslie declined the invita-
/ tion.
! Mr.. Baritone enjoyed the legacy.
! himself-nor vas his wife altogether
| dissatisfied at the unexpected turn
which things had taken.
| .'IIe always was good husband,
said she, except in the matter of ar
dent spirits. And in that there
particular he's a reformed man. And
] really no one couldn't imagine how
cheerful his fiddle sounds about the
/ house. when I'm a-doin' of the chores"
! But VIII Ilamcrslie was less recon-
: cilcd To fate. lie had lost the widow
/ and Columbinc Carter would have moth
/ ing more to say to him.
/ Il want no secondhand lover" said
I Biuy, laughing. And when Hamerslie
saw her laugh, he knew that love was
/ fed.
! He was right. Within six months,
/ Columbine was married to a young
/ lawyer who had come down from Al
I bany to search some titlc-dceds in the
/ courthouse records. And our luclzleSs
/ hero was left with neither wife nor
/ legacy.
! SO run the fortunes of Love. Amy