Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-10-23


lily refrained from his usual evening
practice of taking off his boots by the
ire. When the young man came, how
ever, he was sitting with his stockinged
:eet on a chair.
"Cold out, amt it ?" he said, NOV.
ng the chair and his legs to face the
newcomer where he sat.
His wife had laid down her sewing
md was looking worriedly from one to
he other. Austin Brewster had not
ived long in the neighborhood. He
vas very tall, with long, sober face
md a silent manner which commanded
. certain general respect, though it
vas largely the result of diffidence.
N Joel Wilson it always reused a
pirit of rallying drollery; and his
wife waited now in patient dread of
developments. His venture with Miss
Nash was fresh, and the mood which
lad possessed him then was unas
iuaged.
'1s your father feeling any better
If his rheumatism?' she put in, pre-.
Ientively.
''Yes, he's some BETTER" said the
foung man, returning her smile. He
vas more at ease with her than with
Hr. Wilson; he would have said that
he liked her better.
"Has he got out any yet?"
"Yes; he was out yesterday tinker
ng up the cellar windows. I told him
ned better be careful"
"Why, yes; it was damp yesterday.
know enough about rheumatism to
NOW how damp weather makes your
oints creak. Last winter had these
knuckles swelled up SO l couldn't get
glove on"
He gave her the vague attention
Ehich the young accord such matters.
But Mr. Wilson shifted his legs, chuck.
ing as he settled his glasses.
oval, didn't know for certain as
Fou'd get around here tonight" he
aid. 81 heard you are going to take
1 job. You hain't heard what they
vas saying the t'other day?"
"No," said the young man, unsmil-
ngly. He flushed with apprehension.
he had beneath his awkward con-
traint enough of an underlying self
egard to be offended at it's injury.
"Wal, they was taking about the
lection fag-pole down to the store,
nd you was jest going by, and Jim
'aylor said you'd make a frst-class
me jest as you was, If you wasn't on
he wrong side of the question" He
.nded indistinctly and fell into cheer
'ul rumbling laughter.
The young mans face flamea and
lis jaw dropped; and Mrs. Wilson,
akin to him, thrilled with
lympathy. She got up hurriedly and
vent to the stair door and called Ellen.
Her escort took up his hat and stoodu
When she came down he was standing
tiff and red-faced in the middle of the
.oom. She thought that his abash
nent was due to her fathers blue
iocked feet, conspicuous on their
hair, and with her instructive laugh
he grew red and got to the door
quickly. Her father, looking on with
deficient comprehension, gave a jocose,
riendly-intentioned parting sally.
81 had the ceiling plastered jest
ately," he said. "You might scooch
iown little"
Ellen's attendant stalked out grimly.
There was silence for a time when
he door had closed. Then Mr.. Will
Ton, looking up guiltily, encountered
ais wife's eyes, and dropped his OVID
md cleared his throat.
81 guess you're going to get every
BODY in town mad at you," she said,
inally. Her temperateness was more
haunting than tartness would have
oeen. 81 guess after a while there
Won't anybody come here"
But her chief concern lay deeper.
She spoke again with an anxious
luiver in her voice.
eff you've got Austin Brewster SO
mad at you he won't come here again
[ don't know what Ellen III do" she
said. "Joel, I don't It's different
rom what it's been with anybody else
she's ever gone around with she feels
lifferert. If she can't get him 1 don't
know what she'll do" In the privacy
Of her husbands ear her short, moth
srly intuition found full expression.
Mr.. Wilson, sobered and silent, got up
Ineasily and opened the stove hearth.
'tYou don't take it to heart about
AUSTIN" his wife concluded. "Things
slip off from you like water off goose,
md always did. But you ain realized
how Ellen-why, she thinks the world
md all of him. Joel, you don't
tnow. Maybe if you had you'd have
lone different, and maybe yon
wouldn't. I shouldn't wonder if it
vas too late. You got him real mad"
The party at Stella Blakely's was al.
.eady in full sway when Austin Brew
,ter and Ellen Wilson arrived at half
,ast eight o'clock. 1t had, indeed, ad-
ranced from the for nal stage, when
he girls had taken off their wraps in
he lower and the young men in the
upper bedroom and they had passed
f.. strained fifteen minutes in the par
or-to the romping. With youthful
Indifference to the season they were
,laying Ruth and Jacob in the front
rard. A lamp in the window sent out
is light, and two roughly-hewn Jack
'-lanterns, set sportively on the
teps, filled the cold air with the pleas.
mt smell of burning pumpkin.
Austin and Ellen, when his horse was
,itched and they had been passed
through the bedrooms, were drawn
nto the noisy, laughing and jabber-
ng, swaying ring. Somebody called
ellen inside it, and when, after a roll
licking period, it was her turn to
.hoose her Jacob, she took Austin.
Ie stepped in, tall and stiff, and SUBJ