The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-06-04


81 can't ask him, she said one day
under her breath, as she walked slowly
home after one of these accidental"
meetings But do wish he would say
straight out what he means or else stay
away altogether It makes one feel un.
settled"
Poor Barbara felt more unsettled still
before she reached home. It was a lovely
summer evening, and fifty yards further
on she was Joined by another cavalier,
John Grant this time. She shrank back
at first, half afraid Of some jesting re-
mark about tho legacy, but she soon dis
covered that he had quite forgotten the
matter There was something else on
his mind, and ho lost no time in saying
very straight out what it was.
81 may not be able to offer you a fine
house and Injuries" " he said, "but have
saved plenty to begin in comfort, and /
think we might be very happy together
If you would only try | have thought
about it for the last two years, and
worked hard to be able to tell you So"
Barbara looked up at him with genu-
inc tears in her eyes
81 am so sorryw she said Il never
thought Of such thing-at least, not in
earnest, t," as she remembered sundry re-
marks of Mrs. Stewards. Besides,
there's lots Of other better girls you
might find"
THAT is not to the point" he inter
ruptedi lit is you, not other girls,
want Try and think Of it, Barbara
don't want to hurry you, but let me have
a line as soon as you can; it means a
good deal to me"
For another week or two things con
tinued to go in much the same fashion.
Mrs. Stewart wore a chronic air of dis
approval John Grant was invisible.
Only Mr.. Lawrence was to the fore with
his sympathetic inquiries, but in some
mysterious way Barbara began to find
them irritating rather than hattering.
She got tired Of giving the samo re-
sponse Nothing yet" and Of hearing
the same polite remarks about his CON
Germ and admiration of her They did
not go deep enough.
AT last on Saturday morning, as she
was setting out for Mrs. Stewards, she
met the postman, who gave her a blue,
official looking envelope Barbara stood
still on the step, holding her breath as
she opened it,
"Messrs. Dodd 65 Sons compliments
to Miss Reed, and beg to inform her
that Mrs, Elizabeth Drake has been
proved the nearest of kin, and conse-
quently heir-at-law to the $500 left by
the late Mr.. James landlord"
Miss Reed folded up the letter and
put it soberly into her jacket pocket.
She had scarcely realized before how
much she had been counting upon it,
There was nothing left now but to put
on brave face and make the best of it.
AS Barbara crossed the hall to the
schoolroom that afternoon she ell
countered MIR. Lawrence He was
standing at the table buttoning his
light gloves. She saw at the first glance
that Mrs. Stewart had told him of her
disappointment. She hssitated one in
stant, then went straight up to him.
"You see am not come into fortune
| after all, ," she said quietly.
80 it seems" he said coldly, not look
ing up from refractory button. "But
it was not much of fortune, anyway.
l thought it was to be five or six times
that amount"
81 wish had never heard Of it," spoke
Barbara, looking at him in scornful sur.
prise. at has been nothing but an up,
set and annoyance from the first"
"Y-es, rather a pity--disappoint
and waste Of time too. Well, I'm 60
ing into the country for a few weeks,
Miss Reed, so good afternoon if don't
| chance to see you again
Good afternoon, returned Barbara,
with a frigid bow, as she opened the
| echoolroom door
A tiny note was dropped into the let.
ter box that same evening addressed to
| Mr.. John Grant
Dear John" it ram "rm nos half
good enough for you, but if you wish it
IN try"
1t was not perhaps great achieve.
ment in the way of composition for a
young lady who had been under Mrs
Stewards guidance for so long, but il
perfectly satisfied the person it was in.
tended for, and much loftier epistles
have often failed in this respect
"Afrs. Stewart, that unfortunate legacy
was something to my advantage after
| ALL" Mrs. John Grant said once some
months later. 81 don't know what Mrs
Elizabeth Drake did with it, but dc
know | would not change with her. The
missing it has brought me far more hap
piness than the getting it ever could. -
New York World.