The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-12-03

she was there, and perhaps I did push
against her-I think somebody pushed
against me from behind-but she was
such a coward that. instead of resent
ing 1t, instead of letting me nass or TAX
ing no notice, as quite lady would
have done, she turned round and she
said very pointedly: II am so sorry.
! beg your pardon" Well, really, you
know. she had nothing to beg my par
don for; 1t only showed me how anx-
ious she was to scrape acquaintance
with me. And / wouldn't have known
her for fortune.
Years went by, more years than ]
like to think of. Somehow it isn't so
nice, when you are past your first
bloom. past your teens, thinking Of the
years that have gone by forever, when
you feel that you are getting nearer
and nearing to dressing st. GATHERINGS
tresses, and that you are going to be
like all old aunts and cousins whom
you pitied when you were younger, be-
cause they were old maids. However.
l always had the satisfaction of feel
ing that Ruth Jeaffreson was at least
two years older than l was, and there
was satisfaction in it. People used
to say about her: "Ah, it is a case of
going through the wood and through
the wood; II as to be hoped she won't
pick up a crooked stick at last" l
noped that she wouldn't pick up a stick
of any kind: but nobody knows how l
would have loved to be married-not
because l cared a straw for being mar
ried, for marriages sake, but just be-
cause l would have liked to be able to
look that horrid girl straight between
the eyes, and to make her feel that ]
was married woman, and she was not.
But fate is unkind to some people. A
rumor suddenly went through Blank
hampton that Ruth Jeaffreson had got
engaged again, and was to be married
Immediately. And 1t proved true
enough. She had sailed off on a coun-
try visit. had quietly captivated the
eldest son of the house. came back in a
few days engaged, sailed about with
this man in tow-quite a decent-look-
ing man, too--in fact. i have heard peo-
pie speak OF Adrian Holt as very
handsome man, but for my part could
not admire a man who could wish to
marry Ruth Jeaffreson. He did, how
ever, and he did marry her. And so she
sailed away out of Blankhampton life
into a wholly new sphere: and that Is
ten years ago. and here am !. Mabel
Grantley still. n spinster and a wall
flower. Life Is hard upon some people!
1 see Mrs. Adrian Holt sometimes.
one Is 1T1ft't nOTT1u even tf1dn Sne used
to be. mere breezy. more head-in- the
airish. more successful. with a more
radiant smile and happier CLINT I'm
her eye each time that see her. was
in Paris a couple of years ago, and,
while staying at boarding house there,
met young lady who knew Mrs.
Adrian Holt in London. 1t seems as
If. although she has long ago shaken
the dust of Blankhampton from Off
her feet. I cannot get rid OF the
shadow of my rival. This girl
was quite rapturous about her-just
chance acquaintance picked up
in a boarding house! I had been
quite civil to her. had told her good
deal of my life in Blankhampton, had
told her how I was closely related to
the highest dignitaries of the cathe-
dral, I had made quite a friend of her,
and yet, one day. when was glancing
over a society paper. and happened to
see the name of Mrs. Adrian Holt men
toned, and said ip a casual kind. of
way: Ibid you ever meet Mrs. Adrian
Holt? She was Blankhampton Girl"
II that fool didn't break out into per-
feet TRADE Of rapturous admiration
apbout her. 1t ID strange that. even
when our paths have gone widely
apart 1sshonld stun be haunted ~ the