The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1894-01-20
HER LITTLE JOKE.

Miss Jocelyn Is looking out Of the win
dow. II Is a drcnching day, aud there ~
nothing 10 be seen but the garden, with It's
heavy headed roses dropping under the
downpour, and the village street beyond,
now fast becoming a rapid water course.
II call this the dullest place In exist
encc." says Miss Jocclyn half aloud. 1.-THE
very dullest"
She does not finish her sentence, but
turns to the massive pier glass TO look at
the reflection OF hcrself-a handsome girl
In smart frcck After one glance she
turns back to the window with a sigh.
whats the user One might as well
wear sackcloth trimmed with ashes In this
place for all the people there are to see
ones gowns. II was much more fun at
school after all.
suddenly craning forward-"if
that isn't that frumpy little Miss Blake
with Mr.. Stanford, and he h holding his
umbrella over her. She has got his arm
too. | wonder how he likes IL. Poor man
I wonder II he ever notices whether a
woman Is old and plain or young and
pretty
''Now he's gone splash into puddle
and she is actually looking up az him and
blushing aud laughing. Oh, what iokel
Fancy her blushingl Why, she must be
forty II she's a day-quite forty. And
those little curls bobbing about as she
goesl
II wonder II her sister makes her wear
her hair like that. wonder II she is in
love with hims Poor old soulr
Mr.. Sanford Is curate but he Is n man
FIRST and afterward cleric. Strong, manly,
gentle. he plays cricket with the village
boys, is ready to gossip for a few moments
with the old callers, is a member Of the
debating society as well rs OF the rowing
club.
But Miss Jocelyn is young and il not
yet able To grasp more than the fact that
she Is better looking and better dressed
than most Of the girls whom sho knows
So TO her Ruth Blake is ridiculous
sight, and Mr.. Stanford's quiet courtesy,
which he would extend just as readily and
PLEASANTLY to his washerwoman, is a good
joke"
She watches them part at the Misses
Blakes' little green gate, and thinks she
can see Miss Rnths upward glance and
smile at the fine face above her before Mr.
Stanford turns and comes striding and
splashing back through the puddles.
Then. having nothing else TO do, Miss
Jocelyn plans a pretty little piece Of mis-
ing out She has one gift, this handsome
Miss Jocelyn; she is very skillful with her
pen, and, after a little practice, can initiate
almost any handwriting
And now she remembers that there is in
the study a letter OF Mr.. Stanford's to
her father, aud her eyes sparkle with de-
light
"What fun To send poor old Miss Blake
a love letter. Perhaps she has never had
one. II will be kindness, positively
How she will blush and simper-silly old
thingl Well serves her right When there
are so few young men in a place. what
business have old maids strolling about
with them under umbrellas
"Aliss Corneiia's a-lying down. Miss
Ruth. She have one Of her bad headaches,
and she says rs how no one is to disturb
her. And your tea is ready and waiting
miss"
Ruth Blake turns into the prim little
dining room, seats herself upon one OF the
straight backed chairs and begins to draw
of her brown cotton gloves.
She Is an odd little figure, small and
slim, and dressed in a hideous, antiQuated
plaid. with shades OF glazing blue and
green; yet her fair hair-which the wind
and rain have RULED and made to look like
halo about her meek small face-the pa
tent curve OF her lips and her slightly
flushed cheeks render her appearance not
altogether unpleasing
She eats her simple tea quickly, CHANGING
from time to time at book which she has
propped up against the milk iug-a book
Mr.. Stanford mentioned incidentally one
day, and which she had obtained from tho
village library.
The uaxf r,orntpnr Nftou It..tl. -. q. l..
ter. She knows the handwriting on the
envelope before she opens IL.
Parish matters, of course" she SAYS to
herself Perhaps it's about the school
treat"
She opens the envelope, unfolds the note
within and is reading IL slowly, when sud
denly she utters a low cry, her breath comes
fast and the familiar world about her
grows In a moment strange and unreal.
For Il Is a love letter. She is thirty-three
and this Is her very first.
And from such a man-the man whom
she has looked up 10 and revercnced and
followed 80 humbly and modestly ever
since she first saw himi She goes down to
breakfast with. flushed face. quiveriug
lips and radiant eyes
miss Cornelia's just on the ramp this
morning, miss, " says the little maid warn
Ahkil ~ she uttto ruin IN the NARROW
passage that does duty for hall
Miss Ruth mods and smiles as II this were
the pleasantest intelligence possible. Cor
nelia's diatribes this morning fall upon
needless ears
Ruth answers at intervals, Eyes dear"
and No, dear" and II will see 10 IL. sis.
ter, as in duty bound; but her heart and
ool are filed with one thought-that won
derful letter.
After breakfast Miss Cornelia goes out
10 visit her district. Then Miss Ruth takes
up her pen and writes tremblingly out OF
the fullness Of her heart.
DIAN Ma SrANfORD-Your letter has sur
priscd me very much | scarcely know what
10 say. except that am most grateful 10 yol.
IL n - good OF you 10 love me as you say yon
do, and love has always seemed such . heaufi-
ful thing 20 me. though l never thought that
| n wa likely 20 come 10 either my sister or me.
But ! am very. very glad to have had your
letter. and shall always be- 30. even II you
/ change your mind for. indeed. l am not
worthy Of all the kind thines you say OF me.
stu. whatever happens. l shall always feel
happy 10 know that you once thought a. you
have written And l her Nnu will flfrL H.