The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-10-12


bright face with rosy checks and
roguish eyes. Yes, sm sure / shall
enjoy my holiday. How delicious the
crisp rolls, yellow butter and thick
cream were. Why cannot such things
be found in the city?
"We alwaysgo to the meeting house
every Sunday, Mr.. Lauton," said Mrs.
Perkins, "and il you would like to 90
with us we should like IL right we'll"
look at pretty Hazel and make up
my mind to go. Ye gods What a
sermon that old man did give us. Two
hours and quarter by my watch did
he preach.
Poor old mani How sorry 1 felt for
him as he wiped the perspiration from
his face and thundered forth again.
The sermon was about Abraham and
Isaac, and / will be honest and say
that in spite of the length of his dis.
course the simple old man drew teors
from the congregation as he pictured
the sublime faith of Abraham and his
trust in his God
declined the ride home in the old
carry-all and strolled homeward, mind
ful of MIR. Perkins's last instruction I:
Mind you're back in time for dinner.
We don't have but two meals on Sun
day" l should have liked Miss Hazel's
company, but | fear it is too soon.
She might have refused.
SO the happy care-free DAYS 20 on.
1t does not take long for Hazel and
me TO beconme the best of friends.
Such walks as we take: Hazel, with
her big red Irish setter, and myself.
We fish, not in the shallow brook that
runs through the meadow, but further
down, where the little brook has
widcned into quite stream.
When ! have been there about three
weeks Uncle Lauton comes down and
develops as much activity as myself.
He does not seem to know what fatigue
means and tramps in all directions.
Instead of staying two days he stays
week, and leaves i'll the best of spirits.
"Ill be down again before you come
home, are his parting words as the
train starts.
Yes, he does come. He comes every
Friday and stays until Monday or
Tuesday. How he enjoys it II does
me good to watch him. One morning
Hnzel witch Hazel" l have chris.
tened herr and go ont for n stroll.
She carries book of poems under
her arm and | know where we shall
stop. There is II grassy seat under the
willows and near the Witch's ford, as
Hazel calls the stepping stones.
Witch Hazel throws her broad
brimmed hat on the grass and opening
the book hands il TO me- ] always do
the reading while she pulls the clover
heads and listens silently. To-day she
has handed me Tcnnyson, open at those
mournful verses, some of the most
beautiful lines ever written, l think:
Break, break, break.
On tiny cold. gray stones, o sea
And would that my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me
l look up and say: ''Hazel, L love
you. She springs to her feet.
'Mr. Lauton |"
|inde6d 4 10 'hd2al, as ] rise from
my place Mt her feet.
At this she retreats or rather at
tempts it, but am in tho way and she
turns to the Witch's ford. The stones
are slippery from recent rains. She is
trembling and slips when in the mid
die. OF course she could not drown.
but she could soil the dninty muslin
dress and spoil the pretty slippers, so
! take her III my arms and carry her
back. She struggles to free herself,
but / will not let her go until she an
swers me.
Finally she gives in and says:
81 do love you, Harry. There Does
that satisfy you, you silly boy?" with
II wondrously tender look from the
bright brown eyes.
The next day finds us at the same
place, and MS we throw ourselves on
the bank, she with her head on Maps
neck, she says:
Harry, where will we live when we
are married?'
! start Married / see I have
hard task before me. She does not
seem to understand that this is merely
II summer pastime. How ignorant these
country girls are.
MY dear little glrl, putting my arm
around her, "why look forward to the
morrow? Let it take care of itself"
'Hes; but we will be married some
day, you know"
Listen, Hazel" l say gravely. 81
am in no position to marry now. Let
MS love each other this summer. We
will enjoy every minute of the time
but when l go back to town we mnst
forget this You will marry some one
some day who is worthy of you"
"Mr Lauton Harry" with Il pite-
ous look.
l know it would never do to give in,
so l say, firmly: 81 mean it, dear.
We will be happy this summer and not
look forward to the winter"
leave me-, ;" she says, imperiously.
81 want to he alone and think"
! try to kiss her, but she waves me
back. "Not now," with shake of her
4 II