Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-11-09

ground, he became conscious of a
female figure standing right in his
path, and mechanically raised his eyes.
For an instant he faltered in his tride;
the girls glance was upon him as il
she would speak, and in the whole
course of his life he had not beheld SO
super a creature.
Her clear beauty of complexion, and
the lusty health and strength which
confessed itself in every generous line
of her queenly figure, were the fea-
lures which first amazed him She
was clad in hcmely print gown,
which might have fitted her when it was
new, but which she had SO outqrown
that its seams were bursting on the
rounded arms, and it was only held
across the ample bosom by few pre-.
carious buttons Her smooth and lus.
trous brown hair was auburn where
it was touched by the sunlight, and
set on the back of her graceful head
she wore huge straw sun-hat, in an
advanced stage of dilapidation.
You mustn't go this Way" she
said, and advanced her hands as il she
would push him back; for he had been
about to pass her when she found her
tongue.
The teacher smiled, and raised his
hat with town bred courtesy.
why not?" said he glad of the
chance to stop and feast his eyes upon
such fresh and salient loveliness. What
ripe, sweet lips she hadl and how ten
der was the blue of her lustrous eyes!"
''Eh, you mustn't Mr.. Oakworth
They'v We planned to fettle you down
yonder. l heard 'em planning it yes
ternight, when they We're drunk, and
they're drunk to-day. They'll do it,
for sure" And then she became con-
scious of his too eager gaze and of her
own astonishing boldness, and blushed
to the roots of her hair, and,loolied the
picture of modest distress
81 think dare face them with you
to stand by me-, said the graceless
rogue. Are you going that way?'
me! Nay, I'm going home again, as
quick : S my legs IL carry mel" And
with Parthian glance, that seemed to
rest upon him thought longer than
it might have done, she tripped away
along the path by which she had come.
Without the presence of mind to cry
Good byeW or Thank you'll" George
Oakworth stood very stupidity looking
after her, and then--turned back to
follow. Once she glanced over her
shoulder, perhaps to see if he had
needed her warning; but, whe ther she
suspected his manoeuvre or was merely
satisfied, she looked behind no more.
Her pace quickened presently into a
run, so rapid that, himself walking, he
could not keep her in sight and COM
ing soon afterwards to place where
the road divided, he had to aband on the
pursuit.
1t was within month of this ad
venture that Mrs. Denholme's lodger,
in explanation of a sudden change in
his habits, volunteered the remark that
he thought it bad for his health to sit
up reading so late as he had been used
to do, because it deprived him of the
morning air. Nature, he declared,
never looked so beautiful as when the
dew was still on the grass and the
smell of the cool earth was in the air.
And the simple soul, who almost loved
him, told him that he looked a vast
= ''pearte was the word she emp Dyed
All she wished was that he could per-
suade that idle lad" to get up earlier
too Deary mel He. lay abed some
times till nine o clock, when the best
of the day was gone
Stealing silently down stairs one
balmy morning at four o'clock or
therea bouts Mr.. Oak worth discovered
the cause of Dicks apparent slothful-
ness A couple of hares which he had
not noticed overnight lay on the slop-
stone; and Dick was out in the yard in
his stockinged feet. la boriously scrap
ing coat of fresh soil from his bob
nailed boots. Palpably, he had notyet
been in bed. AS their eyes met the
poacher started, but Mr. Oakworth,
merely shaking his head turned and
went indoors ugain. On several occa-