The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-05-09

1E-SlI adjective IN TINS
]E1lN connection ha &
~ grown rusty from
long disuse and Sweet Sixteen remains
positive in kind and superlative in de.
gree.
And Lois Tanner was sixteen.
From the first day OF our meeting
we were the children of wealthy
parents and were summering by the
sea-some intangible influence, some
inexplicable force seemed to draw us
to each other and to run the lines of
our lives parallel. For two years we
had known each other, and one day
it was the third summer after our
meeting-we sat on the rocks by the
shore and as the waves beat in rhyth-
mic measures upon the silver sands
stretching out at our feet, looked
into her sweet blue eyes and knew that
Lachesis as she drew two threads from
Clotho's spindle was twisting them
into one cord, forever indivisible.
In early youth, how far the eyes,
undimmed by years, can see into the
future, and how keen is young love to
decipher the handwriting on the wall
Lois, said as we sat there in the
fading twilight, "do you know how
long we have known each other?"
docs it seem long, Mr.. Belden?"
she replied with coy little smile.
at has been two entire years, Miss
Tanner" said /, falling into her mock
formality of manner.
''And one learns great daal in two
years, she added. l." HAN" = O.
-', - r :ection / have learned
nothing Lois" | said with aquietness,
did not feel.
"Why, jack" she exclaimed, 81
don't see how you could stand still"
"But | have" insisted.
"How? and her eyes looked her
guilelcssness.
''ln loving you, Lois, broke forth.
az couldn't love you any more in
thousand years, than loved you after
our first meeting"
"Oh, Jack, she cried nervously,
"what made you say that?"
"Why shouldn't l say it?" ! an.
swered with dogged resolve not to
be put down by any woman's whim.
because, Jack" she said very earn
estly, papa has been saying all along
that you and were together too much,
and the first thing the family knew
there would be a case of puppy love
to cure.
''Dil your father say that?" | asked
with the anger showing in my face.
'He did, Jack, and he says"
"Well, l don't want to hear what he
says, or has said or will say" inter.
rupted. 'If he says anything like
that be doesn't know what he is talk
ing about and hasn't the most remote
idea OF what "A man truly in love with
the one woman in all the world for
him, feels.
'He ought TO know something
about it,, Lois said hesitatingly.
'iou know, Jack, he has been married
three times.
"That's just it." growled; "he's
grown callous. He thinks because |
am not u hundred years old don't
know my own heart and am irrespon-
slble into the bargain. If it weren't
for you, Lois, added, ameliorntiug
my wrath to SLIGHT extent, ~
wouldn't have man like he 10 for my
father-in-law under any cIrcum-
stances
Papa isn't so awrully bad, Jack" >"
she said in cXteuuatloa of the paternal
weakness.
81 never thought he was, either, un-
til you told me what you have,' | nd
~
hard again, "you must know that no
father who regards the future happi.
ness of his daughter can take the posi-.
tion he does aud assume to dictate the
course OF two lives which in the nature
o. things IN lst be Independent OF his" "
Papa says your papa said the same
thing and agreed with him thor
oughly,' she replied, arguing us
women do.
'Lois," | said in my firmest tone,
don't speak to me of your father
again. If you do shall be tempted to
do him some bodily injury
The dear little woman laid her hand
on my arm restraininsly and smiled
with such irresistible sweetness that
even forgot the wound my fatheg had
given me.
"Let 1T go, dear" she pleaded.
"They have forgotten they were ever
young"
The shadows were growing into q
deeper purple and the waves took on
the mellower shades of the evening
sky. The night wind. just rising,