The Penn's Grove record., 1894-10-12

III I|EGAl HrtE B1 N@S
NAg'''' s of . so'j %ss M M
ta'-an chorre OF the place when ny
f. 8 r die, re, we'd me cordially a
the spacious, old-fashioned farmhouse
"Ralph," he said, as We smoked OF
the wide porch after supper, ''.yor vii.
have a companion during your visit.
ga companion! Who:'
"Grace Northbrook."
Grace" | cried, in astonislment.
Eyes, she will come tomorrow al
the same time you came to-day" he
replied, rising. I'm going to the
barn now. 1 hope you and she will
find it agreeable TO renew your old &C.
quaintance."
"Grace coming here,"I said f. my.
self after he had gone. "What does it
mean?" Striving for an explanation
naturally fell to calling up the cir"um'
stances which caused my astonishment
The Northbrooks had in the Old day
owned the farm adjoining ours, anG
the families had been intimate. Grace
being an only child, and L the same, {
peculiarly cloae friendship sprang III
between us. We were inseparable play,
mates, and it easily came to b. the wisl
and intention of our parents, so far a,
they could direct events, that we should
marry. But conditions changed. Ny
father and mother died, and l soon left
home and when | learned a.terwart
AAn4 NJ Nartbr,nO11r roNrn1 h- .v,II
tion, had sold his farm and gone t,
New York to live, my belief was tina
Grace and l were finally separated.
Having been young when L left
home, and whatever boyish liking
had had for little Grace Northbrool
being quickly ground into forgetful'
ness by business strife, the severins O.
our youthful engagement caused me
little regret. But one evening, after
I had taken up my residence in New
York, I met her again at a friends
home. Our surprise and pleasure
were mutual. Walking together that
night on the broad piazza of my
friends house, I soon found that heI
temperament had frightened rather
than dimmed. In the daring way thai
is so easily excused in merry people,
she lightly called up our old engage
nsnt. I met her in the same spirit,
and we had a hearty laugh over the
youthful declarations and promises,
but, charmed by her mature beauty,
], even then, had a misgiving that,
with me, this spirit would soon settle
into seriousness. A few moments
after our promenade ended, Isaw her in
company with Mr.. Frederick Adlow, the
son of wealthy banker, and in the
happiness of her face, and the de.
voticn of the young man, l found the
reason for her amusement over ouI
childish love-making and her freedom
in speaking of it.
met her frequently after that, and
eur chief topic was this youthful at,
tachment. She took particular de,
light in TESTING about it in her half
reckless, light-hearted way, and seemed
to think it equally delightful to me.
But, though I joined in her mirth,
the effort was greater each time, and [
realized that tine boyish liking L had
had Tor her rs n little girl had risen
into a mans love for the beautiful,
sweet-hearted, noble woman into
which she had grown. I saw, too,
with growing concern, that, in the Joy
Of her love for Adlow, she was per-
fectly innocent Of ever a possibility OF
seriousness on my part and, wishing
more every day, as 1 did, for a revival
Of u childhood engagement, the
danger into which we were drifting
grew palmer. We were setting up a
barrier Of mirth, which, I feared,
would be difficult to overthrow.
At last I felt that I could no longer
endure this TESTING upon what had be-
come sacred to me, and, shrinking
from the possibility Of her amused sur
prise at a revelation of my love, I de-
termined to so away. This determi-
nation was fixed one evening when
Grace came to me with the announce
ment that she had boon authorized to
invite me to accompany a party to
spend two weeks at Long Branch. She
mentioned the names, concluding with
Adlow's. The prospect of seeing their
Joy day after day at the beach, showed
me that it would be far from ~apleasure
trip to me, and that I must decline. /
did SO, assigning business reasons. She
looked at me oddly, half wonderingiy;
and she was so lovely in her party
dress, that | would have thrown our
aside and told her my love
there IN the quiet corner behind the
people who wero watching the dane
ers, had not MI. Adlow came up and
claimed her for the waltz She left me
a merry glance over her shoulder
and a joking entreaty for her 'littls
old-time lover to change his mind.
Not many days after I made an excuse
that took me from New York, and I
went as l have stated, to visit my old
home.
Sand now" I said to myself while
alone on the farm porch, ''she
is coming here? What has changed
her planst The party was to be at
Long Branch by this time. / cannot
understand it."
Tho neat day was rainy, and I spent
roaming over the old house to solve
the puzzle of Graoe's coming. or
she could not know That I was
there, because I had kept my destina-
ton q secret, and because had she
known it, she would not havo come. 1
felt that I could not long rensin with
her among those pleasant scene. of our
childhood without telling my love, and
she relations which she and Adlow sus-
fsiHed toward each other forbade such
, declaration.
In the old farmhouse was q room
zhich had irresistibly attracted mo al
} boz. II SAs q long. lgrpv Dom.