Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1895-10-04

miserablel
''Lizzy, what is the matter?"
He dropped knife, and all, in dis
may at her woeful countenance, and
Lizzy told him to the best of her abil-
itv what ''the matter" was!
sis that all, he asked quietly, when
the recital was concluded.
"Isn't that enough" she rejoined,
piteously. "When we we're going to
have such a nice drive all by our
selves, and come home by moonlight,
and"
Don't fret, cara mia. it will be all
right. So she won't consent to our
marriage, eh?"
"5he says most positively that she
will not.
"What sh Ill we do, Lizzy? Shall
we elope quietlY?"
ooh, Charley, you know would
never marry without her consent!"
''And are two lives to be made mis-
erable just because she thinks matri-
mony mistaken" he asked gravely.
II suppose SO, Charley" ]"
| Lizzy Dewsford's pretty head
dropped like a rose in the rain.
Charley watched her quiverine lip and
tear wet eyelashes, and said no more
Mrs. Dewsford was ready, with a
preposterous drab umbrella to keep of
the sun, {: tin case to put ferns in, and
an extra pair OF Jsoots, in the event OF
swampy walking, when Nj: -Eyeretta
little light wagon drove up to the dooi:.
The springs creaked ominously as she
stepped in, and Lizzy, meekly follow
ing, was nearly overwhelmed by her
mother voluminous draperies.
81 had better sit in the middle-it
preserves the equilibrium of the ve-
hicle better" said Mrs. Dewsford,
wedging herself in between Lizzy and
Mr.. Everett with smile of great COM
placency.
Aud she Immediately began dis
coursing on the properties and habits
of the fern, with unpausing volubility,
while Lizzie, perched on the extreme
outer edge of the seat, had all she
could do to keep in the wagon, and
Mr.. Everett's eyes were in extreme
danger with the points of the drab
umbrella. which veered to and fro
like ship in q storm, as Mrs. Dews-
ford's tale waxed in interest.
Suddenly sbe checked herself, as
her eye caught cluster OF green wav-
ing vegetation on the crest like point
of rock which overhung the road.
"Charles! Charles!" she cried,
''stop minute Can't you reach
that Asplenium Ebenum?"
"Is this it, ma'am?" said Mr.. Ev-
erett, making dive at tall MULLEN
stalk.
mo, no; not that-the little green
thing with the black stem r.
"This, ma'am?" hazarded Charley,
clutching at q fat-leaved clover of
weedy growth.
ooh. dear, dear, Charles, how stu
pid you are!" sighed Mrs. Dewsford.
'I'll jump out and get it myself"
Mammal demonstrated Lizzy.
"Oh, I'll help her!" nodded Charley,
springing nimbly on the cliff, and
pulling Mrs. Dewsford by main force
up the steep side of the rock. "Here
you are, ma'am!"
"Yes," painted Mrs. Dewsford; ''but
but it wac very steep. I really think
women should devote more attention
to gymnastics. Oh, here's the Asplen-
ium-very choice specimens, too.
Charles, where are you going?"
For Mr.. Everett had sprung back
into the wagon.
s'Only for a little turn, ma'am,
while you are collecting your botani
cal treasures.
"Yes; but, Charles"
Mrs. Dewsford's words of remon-
STRANGE were drowned in the rattle of
the wheels, as Mr.. Everett drove
briskly away. with Lizzy nesting up
at his side. One long lingering glance
she gave after the departing pair, and
then returned to her tin case and um.
brella.
They'll be back presently" she
said.
But the afternoon sunlight faded of
from the cliff, and the red orb of day
sank msjestically down behind the
evergreen glens that bounded the
western horizon, and Mrs. Dewsford
grew tired and cross and rheumatic,
and still, like the character of ro-
nance, ''they came not"
Something has happenedi" cried
the prophetic soul OF Mrs. Dewsford.
ut can't be possible that I shall have
to stay here all night!"
She looked nervously round. 1t was
tall, steep cliff whereon she stood, cut
off from the woods beyond by the
rush and roar of wide and by no
means shallow stream on one side,
while on the other three it was almost
perpendicular, rising some twenty
seet up from the road. Mrs. Dews-
ford began to feel, as she surveyed it,
very much like st. Simon Stylites on
his column in the wilderness.
eff they. shouldn't come" she
thought.
But at the same instant Welcome
rumbling Of wheels broke the hushed
stiffness of the seldom travelled noun
tain road, and Mrs. Dewsford's
Sstrained eyes caught sight OF Mr..
Nverett's spirited grays flashing round
NSe curve OF the hill.
/ NWell," she cried, 81 never was
morA thankful for anything in my
life! Nm tired to death waiting"
! "AtSNyou?" said Charles Everett,
as he c1ed the horses in the mid
die Of THY ,ad.