The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-04-09

" Noo1 She sat on the
AoU ~ rude stone stile,
SAN with her fluffy gold
% en- Sn,tG tre'ss' ss all al di,o5- 3I,sS
her cheeks Redeemed with the stormy
Brightness OF tho March sunshine,
and nest Of little field mice in her
lap, whose mother had been killed by
the schoolboys under IA fallen log.
Sylphide-a creature OF reckless i'm
pulse-had driven away the little ty-
rants, who were about to torment the
helpless brood, and was now carrying
home the nest of velyet.soft orphans,
to care for them as best she could.
'They are only field mice, to be
sure, )" said Sylphide, "but they are so
helpless and so cunningl And if no
one else will succor them, l will"
SO, in the dishabillo incident to
climbing half dozen fences, wading
across brook and making her way
through a thicket of tall bilberry
bushes, Miss Sylphide found herself
confronted with the young clergy
man, whose spotlessly neat attire and
air of quiet dignity were an unspoken
satire on her own torn dress and brier
scratched hands.
"Can ! help'you over the stile, Miss
Egertou," said Mr.. Highland, cour.
teously.
"No, you can't" said Sylphidc,
secretly hoping that if she kept sit
ting there he would not discover that
the ilounce was half ripped Off her
dress, and that she had lost one shoe
in the mud.
He smiled little at her brusque
reply.
at is after sunset" he said. "The
wind grows chill. "tet
4 RkfNw itw a ,Jre eed Sycril,l
"You don't expect to sit here all the
EVENING""
perhaps 1 shalt" said Sylphide,
darling defiance at him from under
her level, golden brows. al don't
know of anyone who has n right to die.
tate to me upon the subject"
Mr.. Highland stood looking ut her
with folded arms and imperturbablc
gravity.
"You have been on a long walk ?"
said he.
yes" acknowledged Sylphidc,
picking at the fringe Of little scar.
let India scarf that she wore.
"And yet, he went on, "you tell
me that you cannot find time TO at
tend the daily afternoon service?"
Sylphide flushed to the very roots
of her hair.
81 don't want to be lectured," said
che.
"And am the last person who has
any right to lecture you, Miss Eyer.
ton," said Mr.. Highland. "All / ask
OF You is to stop and think. Indeed,
i cannot comprehend how it is that the
devotional sweetness of your sisters
can have SO little effect upon you"
"Oh, L know!" said Sylphide, be.
ginning to lose her temper, as she al
ways did when the perfections of
Josepha and Lesbia were sung in her
ears. "My sisters are angels, and l
am q castaway."
"Miss Sylphide-"
But she put both hands to her ears.
81 told you l would not be lee
tured," said she. "Please to remem-
Der that You have brought this on
yourself!"
Mr.. Highland colored little, lifted
his hat with punctilious courtesy and
passed on.
Why was it, he asked himself, stern
ly, that this lawless little romp, with
the deep blue eyes and the cloud of
golden hair, had such power to tor
ment him with her reckless moods and
wild caprices? -le had done his best
TO civilize her. He would abandon
the task here, and let her go her own
fantastic way.
And not until he was cut of sight
did Sylphide burst into a passion of
tears, She would have cut out her
tongue sooner than tell Mr.. Highland
that she had meant to come to church
that afternoon, but that the episode
of the feld-mice had entirely driven
everything else ont of her head
"He always sees me at my worst, "
she sobbed. "Well. why need / care
Let him fancy NE savage if he likes.
What is 1t to me?"
When she reached home-still with
the nest OF tield-mice tenderly elapsed
to her bosom-Lesbia, her tall, hand
some sister, met her ON the threshold.
Goodness gracious, Sylphl" she
cried. "What fright you have made
of yourself!"
~ am always fright" said Sylp-
hide, with ironical calmness- accord
ing to you, at least"
''Mr. Highland was SO grieved at
your missing the afternoon service" "
said soft voiced Josepha, who had red