Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-12-12


"Well, let it be two, then"
-Four months might be better yet.
"Make it, dear, Just as you will.
am content If only in the end you will
be mine"
So it was decided that at the end o
four months she would give her an.
swer, yes or no, to his suit, or whether
he might hope or whether it was hope.
less This was February-June might
might not.
While James Ellis was content tt
wait, he was not hopeful. He WAS only
Jimmy" to Julia. Jimmy, the boy
the playmate with the pretty face and
a woman's voice. Julia wished a man
for her husband, representative of
manhood and strength. He feared the
decision. The time crept on fast ;
weeks had flown, a month passed.
There was no change in Julia's feel.
ings that he could detect.
1t was in the latter part OF Marcel
that, in the dead OF night, tire-alar "a
was sounded. Men sprang from their
beds, jumped into their clothes. Ii
was country town IN which every
man and many women were needed to
fight the Gread fiend. 1t was soon dis
covered that IA boarded dwell.
ing-hOuse had taken fire at the roof
When the crowd reached the house the
top of it was wrapped in flames. James
Ellis was among the first on the ground.
1t was thought that every soul had left
the house. There was terrible scream.
In the second story room, by the blaze
of the fire, could be seen n woman.
The blood froze in the mems face,
as they looked at the awful scene.
They looked ut each other, then back
at the woman VINO would make 9
move to save her? Like a flash Jane,
Ellis rushed toward the house, kicked
open the door, disappeared, fought hi.
way through the smoke and heat in
the second story until he reached the
woman. He dashed out window and
helped her to the ladder that had beer
raised.
As the crowd watched James Eli.
disappeared Another second AMI
there was fall of heavy timber into
the house; column OF sparks went
upward. Seconds passed. The fire
was making headway rapidly. James
Ellis had not appeared. At last anXi'
Gus watchers crept into the house and
came upon the body of Ellis lying al
the bottom of the stairs. He had been
knocked down by the falling timber.
The fire had not reached the place
where he was lying.
He was tenderlv picked up, carried
out of the house and to his home. The
falling timber had struck him in the
face, cutting and tearing great gashes
the whole length. The hot embers OF
the wood had burned great red blotches
along the wound.
1t was only after weeks of careful
nursing by the faithful aunt that
James Ellis was pronounced well. He
had recovered from the wound to fall
into fever. 1t was June when the
doctor told him he had done all he
could for him, that 1t was for him nov
% grow in strength. 1t was not until
nat time tAat James fully realized
nat great change had taken place.
UIlllilN Will lle bdDN ldCt WIS u
thing of the past. There was an ugly
scar on the forehead, another on the
chin and one on the cheek. There
were red patches where he had been
burned. He was no longer pretty.
He was ugly, yet not repulsively so
no uglier than many other men. With
the fever had also gone the woman's
r. of a+h
men.
1t was four months since that day IL
February that he decided to venture
out. He waited until it was dusk.
Then he made his way to the home ol
Julia. He was ushered into the parlor,
where a half-light burned. In mo-
ment Julia came, coming quickly to
see her Jimmy" much-talked OF
and admired hero of the night of the
fre-and to congratulate him on his
recovery. She rushed up to him, and
taking his outstretched hand, ex.
claimed:
"Oh, jim" stopping, startled as
she looked in his face, then stammer-
ing, continued: ''Beg-pardon-Mr.
Ellis-rm so glad to see you!"
The man was surprised into formal
ity. "Mr Ellis" Julia had never
addressed him thus before. What did
it mean?
As the evening passed they talked oi
the events of the past months. As he
spoke in kat low, tender, pleasing,
manly voice, Julia listened enraptured.
There were chords in her being that
were touched, and responded as they
had never done before. There wa;
something in her being that went out
TO the man-the sacred hero. At last,
in low, passionate tones he pleaded:
"Julia, darling, have come for the
answer promised, that can make life
the sweetest thing on earth to me.
have come now to know whether J
dare hope for happiness. I'm distig'
ured now-ugly, but L love you-lo"
you, if possible, more than ever have
Can you love me?''
As he held her in his arms, Julia.
tenderly caressing the scars with thu
tips of her fingers. whispered:
''These don't disfgure you, dear
Ton are not ugly to me. Frank Les
ties Weekly.