Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-04-17

| worse: simply an ordinary girl with
Latural craving for better things
When she took up her book again, wit
q grim determination worthy Of he
cause, 10! one word written here by a
Invisible hand had solved the problem
that one word, - full Of meaning eve
to Melissa, was knowledge"
A few weeks later q generous pach
age Of journals and magazines fOun
their way to the Hadden home, an
tneir contents were literally dexo
by Melissa.
THAT artist feller's bound ter pa,
Ais way In some fashun," commente,
the old man.
| What that miscellaneous bundle o
journals did for Melissa it would b,
hard for the cultured reader to under
stand. They found her, asThorne Hal
loway had. an ignorant girl: they lef
her with the seeds of a new understand
Ing implanted in her nature.
She read Of what women In the worlt
are doing, what girls no older than her
self had done for t..eir own advance
ment. and she longed to do likewise
| !onSed so intensely, that one day she
suddenly said to old man Hadden
dad. I'm goin' ter schoolv'
"Wh-a-t?"
~Schoof'-laconically.
WALL" he said. meditatively, ,"wher'I
Fou get the money!"
Melissa made rapid calculation.
ITS just four months till September
four months means about sixteen
weeks; there's Mrs. Telney down to the
village'H give me six shillinss a-weel
to mind the children afternoons and
erenin's: that's nearly five pounds;
then can do up my work here of morn,
ms, and pick strawberries for Mr.
Morrow, who ships 'em to the city;
that'u be one pound; and I've about
two pounds in my box. Dad, your
have to make up the rest"
"1'll do it, Meliss. By Jove! yer gri,
:lean through! Git ready, an I'll see
hat yer don't stickr'
And SO when b Seminary. a real
ly refined school for young women, re.
opened that golden September, Melissa,
clothed In a neat new dress, a modest
hat-a gift from the wealthy Mrs. Tel.
hey. who admired her "grit"-and much
perturbation of soul, embarked upon
the sea of its life.
Let us skip over the months that fol
lowed and touch her once again ut the
end Of the term.
The exercises were over. and tn.
young ladies We're receiving their
friends when strange occrrence hap
pened to Melissa Hadden AS she
Glanced to look across the hall, she en-
countered the gaze of a pair of steady,
'amiliar eyes.
MIR. Hallowayw cried a dozen girls
each desirous Of obtaining attention
rom the rising young artist
But Holloway, with a courteous smil,
mere or a jest there, was making his
way slowly but unmistakably TO the
spot where Melissa, clad in a straight
white dress. with bunch Of violets il
her belt, stood.
ut is Meliss-Miss Hadden, is 1t not?'
be said, hesitatingly.
And Melissa, with little flush creep
ing up to the waves of her dark hair,
held out her hand with unconscious
yrace.
Il am Melissa" she said quietly.
81 have been out your way again
sketching. 1 saw your father, and he
talked Of you"
Melissa grew a little confused unde,
ais persistent gaze.
Are you studying me for a sub
'ect?" she said. with a sudden gay
laugh. Because, If you are. 1 warn
"What?" he said, eagerly.
But with a saucy smile and nod sh,
was gone. swallowed up in the crush.
Somewhat disconnected, Halloway
Zazed after her.
Melissa had grown graceful and cul
ured since he saw her last, and many
thoughts tangled themselves up in his
brain.
Was this the thing that had beer
oothering him since that early morning
In spring, when he caught the light from
n pair Of flashing gray eyes. and whose
solving had drawn him back to the
Hadden clearing to "sketch?"
A flush crept over his face at a sud
len thought. and he turned on his heel
and walked away.
A year later. 1t was the day Of Me
issa Hadden'S graduation, and all M
ture had put on royal robes apparently
to do her honor.
A superb bouquet Of flowers had beer
brought to her carly in the day. In
their midst nestled a card. with a few
written lines upon them. a portion Of
these flowers she carried when she re.
ceived her honors.
AS her eyes wandered over the sea Oh
friendly faces they encountered again,
as once before, the face of Thorne Hal
loway.
For a fleeting moment the brown an,
the gray orbs met and in that instan,
the truth stood confessed. Holloway
knew that he loved the girl.
Melissa. who had worn a faded prin
iress. and said "mornin' to him once
on q time, but whose serious eyes mel
his own SO sweetly and steadily to-day;
for ON her brow was written the ligh,
of knowledge. and the grace Of simple
ity and the beauty Of truth. These
things had crowned her with theb
changeless glory.
Beginning Early.
He-Darling, I am getting into eco
aomical habits. saved my luncheon
to-day.
she-Yes; father told ME you called
on him ut noon.-Exchange-