The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-11-13
THE OLD CEDAR CHEST,

had not returned to my old home
since the death of my parents, many
years before the summer of which /
write. That summer, rs will be seen,
a powerful influence drew me thence,
from the activities of business. My
uncle, who had taken charge of the
place when my father died, received
me cordially at the spacious, old-fash-
ioned farm house.
"Ralph," he said, as We smoked on
the wide porch after supper. lyon will
have a companion during your visit"
"a companion, WhO?"
''Grace Northbrook."
Grace" | cried, in astonishment.
''Yes, she will come tomorrow at the
same time you came to-day" he re-
piled, rising. al am going to the barn
now. | hope you and she will find ii
agreeable to renew your old acquaint-
ance."
"Grace coming here" said to my
self after he had gone. "What does it
mean?" Striving for an explanation,
| naturally fell to calling up the cir
cumstances which caused my astonish-
ment.
The NorthbroOks had in the old days
owned the farm adjoining ours, and
the families had been intimate. Grace
being an only child, and | the same, a
peculiarly close friendship sprang up
between us. We were inseparable
playmates, and it easily came TO be the
wish and intention of our parents, so
far as they couId direct events that We
should marry. But conditions chang
ed. Ny father and mother died, and l
soon left home and when | learned
afterward that Mr.. Northbrook, NOV
ed by ambition, had sold his farm and
gone TO New York to live, my belief
was that Grace and were finally sepa-
rated
Having been young when | left
home, and whatever boyish liking |
had for little Grace Northbrook being
quickly ground into forgetfulness by
business strife, the severing of our
Youthful engagement caused little re-
crct. But one evening after / had
taken up my residence in New York,
met her again at a friends home. Our
surprise and pleasure were mutual.
Walking together on the broad piazza
of my friends house, | soon found that
her temperament had frightened in
stead of dimmed. In the daring way
that is so easily excused in merry peo-
she lightly called up our old engage
ment.
| met her in the same spirit, and we
/ had a hearty laugh over the declara-
tions and promises, but charmed by
her mature beauty, | even then, had a
misgiving that, with me, this spirit
would soon settle into seriousness. \
| few moments after our promenade end
/ ed, saw her in company with Mr..
Frederick AdIow the son of a wealthy
| banker, and in the happiness of her
face. and the devotion of the young
man, found the reason for the amuse-
mcnt over our childish love-making,
and her freedom in speaking of it.
met her frequently after that and
our chief topic was youthful attach
ment. She took particular delight in
testing about it in her half-reckless,
light-hearted way, and seemed to think
equally delightful to me. But, though
Joined in her mirth, the effort was
great each time and | realized that the
boyish liking | had had for her as a
little girl had risen intoa mans love
for the beautiful, sweet hearted woman
into whom she had grown. / saw, too,
with growing concern, that, in the JOY
of her love for Adlow, she was perfect
ly innocent of even possibility of seri-
business on my part; and, wishing moge
every day, as l did, for revival of our
childhood engagement, the danger into
which we were drifting grew palmer.
We were setting up a barrier of mirth,
which | feared, would be difficult to
overthrow.
At last felt that | could no longer
endure the jesting upon what had De
come sacred to me, and, shrinking
from the possibility other amused sur
prise at revelation of my love, | de
termined to 90 away. This determin'
alton was fixed one evening when Grace
came to me with the announcement
that she had been authorized to invite
me to accompany a party TO spend two
weeks at Long Branch. She mention
ed the names, concluding with Ad
lows. The prospect of seeing their
Joy day after day at the beach, showed
me that it would be far from pleasure
trip to me, and that l must decline.
did so assigning business reasons. She
looked at me oddly, half wonderingly
and she was so lovely in her party
dress that l would have thrown oul
testing aside and told her my love ther
and there i'm the quiet conner behind
the people who were watching the dan
GERS. but Mr.. Adlow came up and claim
| OIL her for the waltz She left NE Will