Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-09-27
BINY'S SWEETHEART.

Tho cool June light was siruIng
through the screen OF grape leaves
that yeiled the mllk-room window
from the inQuisitive glare OF the sun;
the bunch OF scarlet teld-lilieS in the
handleless blue pitcher was scarcely
faded yot; and Columbine Carter,
skimm!ng the leathery folds oil
wrIuEiing cream from the broad pans,
Woro heightened color on her checks
as she listened to Miss Decima John
sons words
"Will HamerslIe going to marry
the Widow BarItone?" said she. Il
don't believe a word of It,"
''You can believe 1t or not, Just as
you choose, Biny Carter" said Miss
Decima, bridling; "but it's as true as
the text Of Parson Dilllngham's next
Sunday sermon. Why shouldn't he
marry her, I'd like to kno'..?"
Blny Carter--pronounccd "Beeny''
was fair and plump and smooth
skinned, with tender blue eyes, and
lips redder than any wild plum. Miss
Decima was sallow and spectacled,
with angles enough for new edition
Of Euclid.
Zone reason is" Biny answered
slowly, that he Is engaged to me-" ;
THAT don't mako any difference, s"
said Miss DecIma, with a malicious
chucklo, NOW that breach-o'- promise
cases are out Of fashion, men think
they can do as they please. And
Mri Baritone Is very nice-looking
woman yet, II she is gone 80, and you
know there's the legacy she's just re-
ceiyei from old Uncle Baritone's
bachelor brother up in Utica. And
VIII Hamcrslie always did set store,
by money! Ills father, as everyone
knows, was miser before him" :
BInY Carter went on sklmming her.
milk with compressed lips and a re-
newed sparkle in her eyes She was
too proud, before Decima johnson,
to let the tears fall, which were al
ready obscuring her vision.
"Of course, he can do as he
pleaseS," said she.
'Oh, Of course. Nobody doubts
that" retorted Declma Johnson.
"But the main thing l came for was
to ask if you were going to the donai
tiOn party tomorrow afternoon?" g.
no" said Biny, shortly. "Fathen
does not approve Of donation parties"
Mrs Baritone and VIII Hamerslie
are to lie there" slyly suggested Miss
Decima.
"Are they9" said Biny. "That
makes no difference to me-"
'Oh" said Decima: aud then, see
ing old Squire Ball jogging past in his
rOad wagon. she suddenly rcmemb bercd
that she had promised a crochet pat
tern TO Mrs Ball; and taking n hur-
ricd leavs Of Blny Carter, she bounced
put into the forvid summer glow OF
the outside world and disappeared.
: Then, and not until then, Biny sat
down By a bubbling little spring
walled up In the corner OF the milk
room and cried.
"Are all men like that, l wOnder?"
said Biny, addressing her own rcfec-
tion in the limpid pool. If they are,
! think I'll 90 and be a nun. Mrs.
Baritone, indecd 4 woman old
enough to be his mother And the
widow OF that drunken old fiddler,
who fell over the Lime Cliffs. three
years ago, and pcrished as mlserably
as he had lived. And all because of
q l"gacYl Oh, I've no patience with
peOp'e!"
And then Biny cried harder than
ever, and triCG to convince herself
that the whole story was not true,
but only an oTshoot of Decima John
sons imagination.
But II was true In some things
Miss Decima Johnson's tongue had
only borne correct witness. vii
lard HamcrSlie had inherited some
what Of his fathers gripping, grinding
temperament. lie was emphaticallY
money -worshipper, and had allowed
himself to be dazzled by the Widow
BaritUnc'S legacy.
Mrs Baritone herself was a trim.
neat-waisted little woman, who
looked many years younger than hel
actual aye. People were unchariC.
able enough to say that she had be-
come young since the sudden death OF
her husband, whose numerous faults
and hackslidings had kept her per-
oetually on the ragged edge Of appre.
hension.
"IIe was a trial, Baritone was"
confessed the widow, candidly,
There amt no denyin' that. But /
never knew how much store set by
him until they brought home bis
poor, battered hat out of the lime
kiln. and tod me that was all that
was left of him! Poor, dear Baritone!
lie always said that women hadn't
no business to marry again; but he
never could have t0resee in this