The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-03-31

every one OF Fortunes hardest blows
and had detied that capricious dame Tn
do her worst. Bat the last was tbo
worst OF all, and he thought about il
moodily, with an expression of conf
cal despair on his face.
He was little bustling, happy cren
ture. with many friends; Il man who
came upon one like breath of fresh.
free air or glimpse of sunlight. His
very laugh was contagious, it seemed
to put the demons of Doubt and Wor
rY to fight with its scho But, ut the
present moment, Bob Griffin sat silent
and glum, with II frown catherine
about his freckled brow.
III was to be expected, | suppose,
he muttered. 'Sbe's always known
me as sort of elder brother-a friend
to whom she could tell her small
troubles. A poor sort of friend, Bob.
my boy, that you couldn't save her
from this. But l suppose that's only
absurd jealousy on my part. Heigho
It's the way with them all, my boy.
Better steer clear of them, Bobby ::
better steer clear of them"
He rnfied his fair hair up all over
his head and sighed.
That's the worst of it," he went
on, ruefully; "there isn't one of them
mot one--that takes me seriously.
unless It's my tailor, and he's mercen-
airy, AMI doesn't count. It's always
same. BY Jove! can see her now,
half laughing and half crying, when
she told me all about it. She takes nv
hands ''-Bob spread them out before
him md lnnl-n1 o.
head on one side, as though new
glory had been added to them-"and
she shakes them up and down, and she
wags that dear little curly head at me.
and she says, Bobby, dear, Pm going
to be married. And then things be,
gan to go found and round. But I
managed to smile ut her, and con-
graduated her. What does she want
to get married for? She's so UNHAPPY
at home, she says, and that chap is
such dear-bah and they are going
to live such an ideal life-poetry and
moonbeams and things, ] suppose :;
and the end Of it is that the dear little
goose wants bit of romance, and that
dark, unhealtby-lookiug chap has
promised it to her, and has turned
her head. 1 wonder why the duece
amt an ideal chap, with long dark
hair and slow smile"
Even at the thought of it, he threw
back his head, and burst into roar
of laughter, and then as suddenly be-
came serious again.
"And she kissed me heaven bless
the dear baby kissed me out there
under tho moon, and said, Wouldn't
hope that she might bo happy, and
wouldn't / think kindly OF hcr?' Think
kindly of-here Bobby, boy, you're
making an ass of yourself, you ugly
little beggar."
He got up, and paced about the
room, and blew his nose violently.
''It's not bit Of good can't stop
here. shall go away, and seek tho
seclugon of natures vale, as the poet
says, until / get over it, Nothing like
natures vale for giving n flip to n
wounded heart, Bobby, boy Let me
see-where shall ] 90? Nothino TO
keep me in town-nobo1y TO miss me
nobody 20 hold mo back and snv.
You shall not go 90 natures vale. ,
No-I'll go down to Allingbury-
dear, sleepy old AIlingbury-aDd
ruralize. That's tho thing; ri start
tomorrow. But ] wish There, never
mind that.
Twenty-four hours later saw Mr..
Bob Griffin ON his way TO the old aud
little known market town of Allina.
bury. Ho had come suddenly upon
it in some former wandcrngs, and had
been charmed with its Old World air
OF repose and simplicity. It's one
small hotel was clean and comforta.
bic, with wide hreplaces, and oak set
ties, and great four-post bodstoads
that carried one back iDfensibly 20
the days Of wigs and powder and pos.
tillioRA