Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-11-15


hogany table in the corner, th
Old-faShioned cover of whic
reached almost to the floor.
When he told them he was go
ing away for a little business "trip
they beset hIm with questions AM
petitions to be taken with him
fnalIy declaring that they would
clean house whilo he was gone
and sort out his trash
So behold him, in the dead o
night, carrying the white ele
phanC up the narrow attic stair
humping his head on every rafte
and getting cob webs in his mus
tache. he covered it with OLE
clothing, pushed big box in frou
of 1t aud then crept downstairs
feeling as guilty as If he had btel
conceallng some crime. AT break
fast the girls both talked at ono
about the burglar who tried Il
get in; and how they pounded OF
Aps door and cJuld not even ge'
an answer.
At noon he was off, and as th'
train whiIled onward he becam'
possessed with fears, She nigh
not be at Hastings; she might no
care for hin after these year; sht
might even be married or dead.
Arriving at his destination d
last, he only stopped to leave hi
bag at an hotel, and walked rapid
ly to a familiar house In the sub
urbs. Ringing the bell, he IN
auired for Miss Burr in a matter
OF tact way, as he had seen hel
the day before. He watched thu
girls face he spoke, and saw ne
trace Of surprise. She simply
SAID:
Miss b uIr may not be able tC
see you, but come in, and | will
ask
Presently hc was shown INTO a
small, sunny room, where, on a
couch, lay the one girl he had ever
loved. He meant to explain al
once the cause of his foolish 80
lug and eager coming, all Of which
he had framed into frank. beautl
ful sentences, but somehow they
forsO0k him, and be fell back on
the commonplace. She received
him with quiet words of welcome.
and then sud:
pardon my position, but [ SIN
such an invalid that 1t Is a trlal to
sit up
CAN invalldu he echoed, family,
Yes; she answered. 'Dld you
not hear of my accident several
months ngol Ga coming home
from a visit | stopped for a day or
so in a London hotel. Tho build.
ing caught fire a few hours after l
entered It, The horror OF the
scene is so stamped-branded
would be more appropriate word
On my memory that ] cannot
bear to talk Of if. | lost every
thing except the ulster which wa,
wrapped ab0ut me, and would
have lost my life b ut for the brAYc
fireman who broke my fall. oh,
no, am not seriously injured,
she continued, In answer to lis
halfspoken question, though
have been i'll ever tince. 1t was
such shock, yon know
By deft q estloDlng he succeed
ed in making her say:
Yes, | lost my trunk 1t was
left at the station ( expec'ed to
go OIL in day or twO.) and the
deposit check was destroyed with
my pocketbook. Railway people
are nece 'sarily particular about
identifying luggage, and for two
weeks | WAS to- i'll to even remcm.
Der 1t. Besides, l had only gone
tor a short outing, and it held
nothing of much value, except
some keepsakes that were dear to
me-
A deep fash stole over her face
at these wOrds; lie watched it for
a delicious moment, and then
gathered her up IN his arms, ex-
claiming:
Il will bring them back, If you
will pay the reward | want
Then-or rather, alter he had
tortured her impatience merciess
Iy-he told her of Fred's "bargain
bought at auction. She begged
for it, coA6ed, pleaded, all in vrin
he declared she could only have
the little leather trunk as O we'd
ding present. And a very happy
wedding party it was, too,-
Tt-Bits.
Mr.. Braithwaite-This is Mr.
Nicholson, my dear, a business