The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-05-13


Dowdin can't wait!''
Mrs Dickinson had never been so ir-
ritaDle, SO hard TO please, as she was
that day Or, 1t least, SO 1t seemed TO
Bar bara.
But there was an exultant thrill in
the girls heart
1t need not be for long" she told
herself Il will write Immediately and
accept Clara's kind offer"
But nevertheless a certain regretful
feeling kept pulling at her heart
strings She rcmem bcred how her
gentle, soft-voiced mother, in her life
time, had always distrustcd Clara
Bcldcn's assured manners and dashing
ways She recalled To herself that
mothers efforts To keep her II the
modest retirement of the home circls,
her constant prcccpts against JrusaiHE
off the soft bloom Of rue wOmanhood.
and conscience told her to reject the
tempting offer
but / am so young" she pleaded with
herself. And / have seen 50 little Of
pleasure and variety. | am such q
drudge No one cares for me here: and
perhaps. if l went to the Cccilian l
might attract some true heart Even
If Eugene Dickinson We're TO see me
gene never would go TO place like the
Cecelian. OF course it must bc re
spectacle, or Clara would not belong
To it But-oh, no! Eugene would
never go there
In an instant she comprchended-
She would be lowering herself in her
own estimation by accepting the
tempting bribe. She would be cutting
Il ~ h.ar
youth And yet
She sprang suddenly up. and throw
back the masses Of soft chestnut
brown hair from her forehead, with
both hands
Mo-" she uttered aloud-''ncvcr.''
Almost at the same moment she
heard Eugene Dickinson voice in the
next room. talking 10 his aunt
Yes, said he, quietly. II think you
are right 1 think she deserves 1t at
your hands"
''She has worked very hard. said thc
old lady. she Is very patient and
svvcet-tempcred- I've seen tears come
into her eyes once in awhile. Lut 1
can't call 10 mind that she has ever
lost her temper, or spoken word of
complaint
The patient Griselda,' said Eugene,
softly.
Yes, exactly that The patient
Grisclda. SO 1 have made up my mind
TO adopt her rs my daughter, and get
some one else To do the work. Wen
travel and go everywhere l want her
TO sec the world l somehow feel con-
| scicnce-stricllen that a young thing like
Barbara should have grown upsO much
in the shade"
Il don't think, though" slowly added
Eugcnc's gentle, lcisurely voice, that
your plan l. quite feasible
Not feasible! Why not?"
Perhaps because it conflicts with
plan OF my own"
"A plan of your own. Ny dear boy,
do explain
The fact Is, Aunt Adriana," said
Eugene, Il have lost my heart to this
| sueet-voiced. sweet-natured companion
| of yours / want to ask her TO be my
WIFE
Mrs. Dickinson was silent a moment;
I then she spoke again, in an altered ac-
cent
Il yvCnder this never occurred to me
1 before" said she.
1t was not so very unlikely, was
it?"
Not in the least But, Eugene"
YES. Aunt Adriana-"
Why need my plan conflict with
yours
Il don't think l quite understand
/ you. Aunt Adriana," said the young
/ man
..You are already my adopted SON 1
wish TO make her my daughter. Very
/ we'll This is big house, and indi-
vidually occupy very little of it Why
can't have you both?"
Barbara had sat there with both
hands clasped over her burning face
| Was she an cavesdropper? II so, the
| fault was unintentionaL Now she hur-
ried away. almost believing herself TO
be in "A dream. Surely, surely this
could not be true-this lifting of the
curtain of trial and toil-this clear
shining of n new life?
But as she passed the parlor door it
opened and Eugene Dickinson met her
face to face.
Miss Blake.'' he exclaimed. ''You
are the very person have been wish
ing to see. VIII you honor me with a
few minutes of your time?'
Clara Belden was at her evening
toilet, with surrounding of mirrors,
rouge pots, darkening pencils and high
ly scented pomades, when barbara S
brief note of declination reached her.
What "A fool!' said Clara Reach
me that nail polisher, Jane. But, at
all events, she's had n chance"
But Miss Belden did not know what
other chances Barbara Blake had
had.-The Home Queen.