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

many days after, made an excuse that
took me from New York, and i went
as have stated, to visit my old home.
"And now" l said to myself, while
sitting alone on the farm porch, 'she
coming here? What has changed her
plans? The party was to be at Long
Branch by this time. | cannot under
stand ID"
The next day was rainy, and spent
it roaming over the old house TO solve
the puzzle of Grace's coming. OF
course, she could not know that was
there, because | had kept my destina-
ton a secret, and because, had she
known it she would not have come. /
felt that / could not long remain with
her among the pleasant scenes ofour
childhood without telling my love, and
the relations which she and Adlsw sus-
tanned toward each other forbade such
a declaration.
In the old farmhouse was B room
which had irresistibly attracted me rs
I
ment, in which were preserved several
ancient pieces of furniture, sonse curl
Gus prints, quaint records madeiby my
grandfather while he had been Squire
and many other interesting relics. One
of the pieces of furniture was n large
cedar chest, which had been, in my
childish eyes, a veritable casket Of won
ders. Often had little Grace and |
played i'm this room, and reveled in the
curiosities of the chest, which embrac-
ed several old-fashioned playthings, a
coat my great-grandfather wore in an
Indian fight, with a bullet hole in its
sleeve, a number of arrow heads, sew
eral moccasins, a tOmaliawk, some
camp utensils, and four queer, little,
half constructed inventions ut which
my grandfather had worked. Much of
that long gloomy day, so filled with my
hearts perplexity, l strove to occupy
10y re-exploring this curiosity chamber,
and once again examining the contents
of the old chest and | discovered that
u
my interest in it, though of "A different
kind, was as strong rs it had been in
my boyhood.
At train time / easily persuaded I'm
Gle John To let me drive alone TO the
station. Grace came, and her surprise
on seeing me was unbounded.
"Why, what are you doing here,
Ralph ~ she asked, walking toward
/ the carriage.
frustrating" / replied, evasively,
as helped her in.
After had started the horse, | turn
ed 10 her and asked soberly 4:
"What has brought you here, Grace?
/ thought you were in Long Branch"
Excuse me Ralph" she answered
with a confusion which / pretended
not to notice, "bIt don't wish to tell
/ you-at least not now"
"Very WE'LL" 1 said, al won't ask
you, but will leave tomorrow II can
not stay with you'll"
I stopped the confession, and she
looked up at me in that same odd,
/ questioning way.
/ "Why not ~ she asked, after short
silence, and regaining her jesting tone
/ with an effort, 81 am sure il will be
/ very amusing TO run about our old play
/ grounds. We have been unexpectedly
/ thrown together here and might enjoy
recalling some of our-foolishaess. /
don't see why you want TO run away"
Her merriment and Adlow's relation
ship To her made it impossible for me
/ to give my true reason, but 1t was well
the rain brought darkness early, for
my face would also have betrayed too
much emotion. was silent a moment,
and then said
''rll tell you why, Grace. | don't
think it is just TO Mr.. Adlow. Every
one knows how attentive he has been
to you, and, although your engagement
has not been announced, we have rea-
son TO believe it soon will be. Irespect
, Mr.. AdlOw and will not remain"
"Still the same careful boy you al
ways were" she answered, laughingly.
"Don't bother about Mr.. Adlow. If |
choose to roam once more through
these beloved scenes with such an old
friend as you, he should not object
Now, you will stay until | say you
shall go, won't you?"
She looked at me with such an ap-
peal that readily yielded.
Days passed, blissful days, and Grace
was adorable. | loved her more and
more, and saw more clearly that for the
sake of my future happiness | should
90 away, but she was so merry, and
still 80 unconscious of my true feeling
that remained, and, fearing to cloud
her pleasure, feigned equal gayety. So
surely, though, as the days were pass
ing, | felt that my restraint could not
last long.
''Grace, / must go away. You have
not told me yet to go, but | must. We
have been as candid and frank as true
friends should be, but there is one
point we must meet. If you are en-
gagged to Mr.. Adlow, | must leave at
once. Tell me plainly
She kept a steady look at me during
the words, wearing the odd expression
had before noticed, but more intense.
had schooled myself for the ordeal
and had assumed the half-bantering
tone in which we had always talked.
. But she was now sober, and, after
dropping her head and walking on a
, short distance, she answered.:
"You are right, Ralph. l have kept
you here and you are entitled to know.
, Just before the party started for Long
Branch Mr.. Adlow asked me to be his
wife. / had thought | loved him, but
when he asked me felt that was not
|. sure. knew that if | should go with
the party could not give his proposal
the serious thought that it deserved, SC
| came down here, never expecting tO
. find YOU; and / have been thinking
/ seriously, though you may not believe
, it. Tomorrow is the day | promised
, Mr.. Adlow to let him know. Please
don't think me unwomanly in telling
YOU this. Our relations have been un'