The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-02-27


her mothers decision that, since heI
father had asked for place, she want
ed him To have il.
Singularly enough, the only person
whom she felt inclined to talk to about
it was John-John Hume-and now
he was gone, she knew not where, and
IT did not make things easier for her 10
reflect that she had herself been the
cause of his going. But with all Of her
reflection she could no. bring herselfto
think it was anything but stupid OF
John to go Off as hc had done. Hadn't
he been asking her 10 marry him once
a year ever since she could remember,
and hadn't she always given him the
same answer? And now, it did seem
too utterly stupid of him TO say that
since she was Older, he supposed she
was older, he supposed she knew her
own mind and that he would 20 away
and not'trouble her any more. Just as
tho she hadn't known her own mind
all along John was deal too mastery
and, 10 be sure, she was not sorry she
had said "no" to him, but she couldn't
help wishing he hadn't gotten in a hu.f
and gone Off like that to nobody knew
where, just at time when she most
wanted him. Ruth kept thinking Of
this after She had looked up her Meis-
terschafr and set to studying in case
she did have to go abroad perhaps
that's the reason she made 50 little
progress with her grammar.
III
1t was one of those clustering, windy
! nights toward the middle of March
when John Hume got home. Just
why John had decided to shut up his
Washington apartments sooner than
was necessary and to run down home
:or brief visit he did not quite ac-
knowledge TO himself, bat merely said
he felt that he would Ike last glimpse
of the old place to carry away with
| him-tO remember when he was - iaT
away and 80 long gone. There was no
one TO say goodbye to-no one except
Ruth, and he should not see her pro5l-
bly,.
lie was thinking Of all The the night
he got home and was walking up frum
the station TO the old quarters. lie
clIcIiated that none Of the boys would
have come in at that hour, and that lac
could look mp few papers that he
wanted, and have good, quiet, cosy
;ime of it. lie knew that JeSsUp, his
old roommate, would have LEFT plenty
of Goals in the crate, and ne felt quite
gratified that a comfortable glow stole
out beneath the door to greet him as ne
mounted the dusty stairway.
Everything was Just a. he had ex-
pectcd to find it even his individual
post on the d3or was full ofthe things
Jcssup had neglected TO send. IL took
them ont, the bundles 0C newspapers
and few letters, carrying them in
with him and dumping them down on
the table along with his grip. Within,
too, all seemed quite = Of old, bat
somehow he couldn't help feeling sor-
~, after ali, that he hadn't wired Jes-
sup he was coming. The little fellows
cheerfulncss would have made his home
coming happier, his last glimpse ofthe
old place brighter. lie had passing
thought Of going out TO look the boys
up, but his trip had been a fatiguing
one, 80 he emptied Jessup's tea kettle
and got the cinders and dust from his
face and hands, fOund his own big
slippers in their accustomed corner
and drew up chair close to the table,
stretching his long limbs to the fires
cheerful warmth.
1t was nice to be at home, and ne fell
to wondering if, after all, he should see
Ruth. Perhaps ne would meet herin
the street, as thousand times he had
thought OF meeting her while he was
gone, with the wind runpling her
loose curls, and tho dear look in her
bright eyes, and the smile on her sweet
lips. He had thought of hcr 20 often,
and the pain OF il ali was still in his
heart what would it be when he was
gone - far away?
He brushed his hand across his eyes
is if to shut oat a vision, aud, picking
UP one OF the dusty papers n had
brought in, began TO open ii listie-Sly.
The firsi thai caught his eye was Judge
! Acton's name at the head OF column,
and, like one awakening from a dream,
he read Of his probable aPp)intm,l-.
He had hearI nothing Of it, aud n
read the whole thing twice over before
he seemed to understand, then.biowing
a loag, low whistle he threw the paper
| down beside him OH the flD0r.
Jcssup's step was heard mounting
the stair, and in a monent the little
follow burst in, fairly kissing Hume in
the exubearance Of his delight at seeing
him.
"Why didn't you lei a man know
you were coming" he said, frisSing
about the room in his nervous little
way. ''i'd have had the h1ys in to
glorify. Why, didn't you write to =
fellow, anyhow? Why, y0a had me
here pining my young life away, be-
lieving you had game to that neither
region you casually mentioned that
night you flew or like a shot ont of Il
shovel to the Lord knows where. Say,
why didn't you write 70 m
"Write ," said HIms. ''ToI arc a
great one 10 talk about writing; why
in the mischief didn't you writc?"
"I? Why had nothing to write, y
said Jessup helplessly.