Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-06-10

through which the train was hurrying,
md In her eyes was a look OF expec-
fancy.
Presently she turned to nnd . tall.
bark man coming down the aisle to
ward her. and then she heard q voice
with a wealth Of love In its tones say,
"Edith." and the voice was that Of the
tall, dark man In her dream. Then the
pretty face hardened and the bright
eyes grew cold and the little head lifted
haughtily as she said: "sir. you have
made mistake"
The tall man paused a moment. look
ing down at the averted face. and then
said, softly: Edith. will you not come
to breakfast with me and talk 1t overr'
Certainly not" was the reply. In
frosty tones; II prefer to breakfast
alone" and with that che rose and
stalked past him directly away from the
Ginning car. 1t was humiliating to be
obliged to retrace her steps and pass
him again, but she did 1t bravely. trying
not to see that he sat with his head
pressed close against the window. When
after breakfast, she returned to her
reat, her neighbor was not to be seen.
The great train rolled on, and the car
wheels whirred and sung their Christ
mas carol, but to the little lady In sec
tiop 8 they brought no thought OF
peace on earth, good will toward men,.
She had taken another book from her
satchel. and appeared greatly absorbed
In it. A very dear old lady In the sec
ton back of her had been watching all
the proceedings, and now, glancing
over the shoulder of the little lady she
roted that the leaves of the book were
never turned, and she said to herself,
With a kindly smile: Poor children!
lovers quarrel" Soon the book boy
came through the train with his armful
Of books; he paused at section 0. and
laid a volume Of poems on the seat be-
eide the little lady, as he said: 1.-The
ger tleman in the smoker said l was to
hand this to you. ma'am."
Edith glanced at the book, then out
IF the window for moment, then again
ut the book. She saw that leaf was
turned down, and her hand went slowly
out toward the little volume, and the
very dear old lady In the next seat
looked on and smiled. Edith turned to
the indicated page, and found q verse
| marked; it was part of a poem that the
pleasant voice of the tall, dark man had
many times read to her, and now II
came to her rs a message, and this was
the message:
| Alas. how easily things so wrong
| A word unsung in q lovers song,
| There comes a mist and a binding rain,
And life is never the sume again.
: Alas. how hardly things 60 right
| A storm may come in a summers night!
! The stars will fade in the gloom AWAY.
| And the summers night is a winters day.
She read the verse softly through, and
| q tender light came into her eyes: then,
rs the book dropped to her lap. she saw
soEie ,iing was written on the tyleaf
| turning to it she read: Edith, from
Philip; ilerry Christmas" written IN
the strong, manly hand that had writ
ten her so many words of love. If Phil
| ip could have come to her then all
would have been well; but such Is the
perverseness of fate we do not know
| wi en- to "come back and be forgiven.
and in the smoking compartment Phil
ip sat, glowering out of the window
twisting his mustache fercely and say
Ing to himself:
Poor little girl, she Is awfully hard
with me, and all about a beggarly dog
Confound the beast, anyway. Ialway:
did hate little dogs"
And the car wheels still whirred anC
su1g, and all their song was "Peace or
EARTH" and ut every station the passen
gers leaving the train, laden with theil
plcasant-looking parcels, were met ant
greeted by those who needed them t.
complete their Christmas circle, anG
the train hands were greeted by thei
friends in passing, and everyone wal
happy and full of holiday cheer saw
only the little lady IN section o and th'
tall, dark man in the smoking compart
ment. Philip made another effort n
luncheon time; he came slowly down tn
aisle and said: Edith, shall l get yo,
some luncheon?' The little lady, see
ing him approaching, had seized he
novel, and, In response to his question
glanced coldly up from Its pages JUS
long enough to say, with extrem
frostiness: "Thank you. no."
Philip noticed the book of prems OF
the seat, apparently untouched, but h
gained some trifiing comfort from ais
| noting that the novel in Edith's hand
was upside down. He returned to tn
smoker, and Edith, throwing her move
pettishly down, sat gazing out Of tn
window. Presently she had the porte
bring her a cup Of tea, and just as sh
had finished 1t she felt a light touch o
her shoulder as a sweet voice said: IN
dear, don't you want to come and tai
to tired old ladyT
After they had chatted a while til
very dear old lady said: 81 have bee
watching you all day, my little girl, an
you must pardon an old lady If she ask
you some questions. Is the tall youn
man your lover?'
ne Is my husband"
"Sorryy' said the old lady; "oh n
my dear, not that. And am sure he
, still your lover as well as your hu
hand. Don't you want to tell the Ol
| lady all about It? / have had lot {
experience. and perhaps I can hel
! you"
Edith looked into the very dear ol
. ,ace and then said: "Oh, thank you {
, much! Yes, l will tell you. But 1t
: too late to help US. l can never forGi'
Philip"
And then she told to this sympathet
, listener the whole story; Of her MARI
, age six months before. Of her dear lit
} home in New York, Of her happy Iii
: with Philip until-and here she pause
r With a slightly shamefaced expressie
E well, until she had one day spent o
: cbsurd sum for fancy terrier. Phil
p i In oil hal4