Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1893-05-05


man remarked, dropping into his
chair. "You look cool enough, Miss
Hurd," aud he looked keenly at the
Iandlady.
81 don't feel it," she answered, and
her cheeks rivaled the roses. To her.
self-"Laughing at me for making an
old fool of myself"
"Could have just one more cup of
tea?" Sophie looked gratefully at
the speaker, as she took the cup. For
the last month or two she had gotten
into the habit of looking at this
boarder for sympathy when things
didn't go just right. I found out
afterward he sometimes called her
Sophie when they were alone. /
hated that man, anyway; to hear him
draw his chair raspingly over the
wood floor, ugh!
1t was fully 8 O'Clock before Sophie
got through that night, and the peace
full cool of the coming night seemed
to rest her, as she stood in the door
way, twisting the poor little pink
roses that had long ago faded around
her finger.
''Do you mind cigars, Miss Hurd?,
1t was her sympathetic boarder,
stretched lazily out in the hammock,
his dark eyes cleaning through the
meshes.
~ don't mind smoke" she an
swcred, sinking into chair. "Smoke
keeps the mosquitoes away" and she
laid her head back wearily on the
chair.
The pink roses lay on the ground
at her feet.
"Poor little roses |" he said, tenderly
picking them up. "She throws you
away when you're dying. Sophie"
and CLEAN shot from the cigar;
"Sophie, I wonder if you'd treat a
man as you treat these fowers?s
Sophie made no answer. I don't
think she really heard him. You see,
cit was just his way" at least she
thought so.
whats the matter, little woman;
some ones bill overdue2 Some day
we'll cut the whole concern. you and
l." and he took her hand in his.
.'Don'tP she said. She told me
afterward his trifling seemed almost
sacrilegious In the mood she felt that
night. "Here comes Mrs. Brown"
moving her chair near the railing.
"Here's letter for you, Miss
Hurd," and fiirty Mrs. Brown came
sweeping up the steps. s'It's been too
hot to go to the postoliice today. You
two look cool. There! there's that
baby crying again." and she whisked
away into the house.
Sophie was reading her letter care.
fully, juding from the time it took
her to get through with it. Somehow
her face wore curious look, and her
mouth was trembling as she laid it
down.
"Bad news?" the sympathetic board
er asked. BY the way. the mans
name was Calkins Jim Calkins.
"No," she answered, s'not exactly
bad news" and her eyes looked eagerly
down the dusty road. "Ifs from Mr..
Trip; he says some one must sit up
for him tonight; lie left his latchkey
iome." How easily the words came.
THAT Trips an impertinent fel-
low," he said. standing directly in
front of her. 81 wish he'd leave.
The very way he spoke to you tonight
about your looking cool proved him a
cad," and he leaned over the back of
her chair.
"I wish you'd sit down; you make
me nervous" she said, sitting bolt up.
"Suppose some one came out here?"
81 shouldn't care tonight if they
did," he answered coolly, putting his
hand OH her shoulder. "Confess;
you wouldn't either? Let's see Trips
handwriting" and she tried to take
tine letter.
"Don'ti" she said, shrinking away
from him into q corner Of her chair.
"Sophie, l insist on seeing that
letter." he said, presenting it in low
tone.
"By what right?" she answered
quietly.
"Do you ask that?" reproachfully.
But Sophie's eyes had spied through
the vines some one coming up from