The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-03-21
A BLESSING FROM HEAVEN d.
RECT.
MARION MARSHALL.

/ that night TO admit that there was a
lurking and deep sympathy for him con-
cealed in the sweet smile of the honest
little face.
"Well, III quit"
The lights far away in the city below
We'd with the myriad stars above TO IL
lume, with pervading obalescence, the
mystic summer air, while the eternal
murmur o the feverish life in the streets
Of the great human hive that soft June
evening came soothing up to the peace
fnl homes of Auburndale 10 miEgle with
the night sounds of woodland, brook and
meadow.
There was a long silence between
them.
Flo tilted back in her porch settee, and
fell into protracted reverie. The rector
of St. Stephens drove by, along the leafy
avenue, with his elegant span of bays,
and jolly party of girls; but she did not
raise her eyes.
WOoliscroft pulled away at his Hava-
ma till the smoke seemed to smart his
orbs.
When he could tolerate the nuisance
no longer, be drew out his handkerchief
and wiped away their moisture, after
which he pufsd away more furiously
than ever.
Suddenly he moved his chair nearer,
and turned toward her mis- dark brown
eyes.
There was still enough filtering through
the naples Of the lawn to enable him to
catch the nimbus of gold around her
blonde head, but be could not see the
blush-if there wss blnsh-nor the
graver expression stealing into her love
iy countenance.
A pause of fully two minutes in this
attitude, and then he bursts out:
I'm going to quit 1t is absolutely
impossible to make decent living in
this dead town. The Dutch have cap
tured Holland sure enough. 1 am a
dead broke, decayed aristocrat-one of
the most unfortunate products of our
American civilization. II was wrong to
bring NE into the world with asilver
spoon in my mouth and then take it
away from me before bad a chance TO
purchase another. Flo, I'll quit this
blessed toEn, tell you, this blessed
night"
Flo moved uneasily on her green set
tee.
"Have you ever told papa Fred, that
there is no chance for you in this town."
''No. He knows that All old business
men here know that"
"Well, Tm going to speak to him
about it." she suddenly exclaimed with
a certain determined, suppressed earnest
ness.
"No, you shall not What would the
Breckenridges, the Clays, the Souther-
lands, the Clendenins and the whole
crowd of them say? No. ifyou don't
LET me hope as a poor man, l will never
borrow money of your father in order to
make myself acceptable financially to
you and to him. Hang il. I'll quit, and
quit right now, too"
Hejumped upon bis feet with an air
Of resolution that brooked no detention
A moment later he was gone, and that,
too, without more than handshake for
gOodby.
Il was long winter-lOng to earnestly
working Fred Wooliscroft, on the lonely
ranch in Texas, longer to luxurious Flo
Truax, in her beautiful suburban home
in Auburndale. But it passed, as all long
weary times pass, and summer was come
again.
The vines are climbing over the veran-
da once more as they were one year ago
this very night. The lights far away in
the city below vie with the myriad stars
above to illumine, with a pervading
opalescence, the mystic summer air,
while the eteri al murmur the feverish
life in the streets of the great human
hise, this soft June evening. come soOth-
ingly up to the peaceful homes Of Au-
burndale, 10 mingle with the night sound
of woodland, brook and meadow.
Il dread the long ride West again, so
soon, Flo. 1t is nearly two thousand
miles"
"West again, Fred When?'
Tomorrow
1t was as ifhe had struck her blow.
She did not recover from 1t for full two
Then she said-and the alarm
in her voice could not be concealed.
"Slrely not tomorrow, Fredl To-
is your birthday"
"Yoa remember that. Well, does it
interest any Of the old set at Auburn
dale ?"
at interests one. at least and you
ought to know who that is"
q might guess it is you, Flo; but there
are circumstances that make me doubt
it."
"Now. look herr, Fred. want TO talk
to you"
That's what you are doing now, Flor
ence."
She always knew that there was to be
a heart talk when he began that way.
"Pge great many things to say, Fred
and-and you must not go tomorrow"
Business, Flo"
"oh, botheration on business Your
hnsiness doesn't require you 70 90 away