Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-07-01
CLARE'S TWO LOVERS

tringham to herself, gazing composed
ly into the depths of her mirror, but
/ don't think Pm sufficiently beautiful
to send all the young men Of my ac-
Qnaintance into ecstasies over me-"
1t is not always very easy for a girl
to Judge of her own looks, but Clare
tried to be as Impartial as possible on
this special occasion.
"Yes," said Clare, nodding her head
so that certain spirals of golden brown
hair which always hung over her fore
head danced coquettishly up and down,
81 am pretty. And then that S1-2OO a
year that Uncle Bruce's will secured
to me isn't altogether a disagreeable
pill for some OF my lovers to swallow.
! don't think l was made for an heiress.
I've always had an idea that l should
make a splendid poor mans wife"
She took from her belt a withered
rose and bunch of faded violets as she
spoke, and arched her pretty eyebrows
over them in puzzled fashion.
Harvey Gillette gave me the rose"
she soliloquized. Hes very hand
some, and 1 always did have weak
ness for handsome people; and he's n
rising young man In his profession. peo-
pie say. l like talented people, too.
III keep the rose just little while"
And she laid II away in n certain satin
lined box where she was wont to treas
ure souvenirs of these, her girlish days.
"And Frank Hoods violets-poor
Frank Hoodl He's so silent and SO
awkward, and yet there's something
about him that won't let you despisc
him. Well, I won't throw away tho
violets, either, not just yet"
And Clare went composedly to bed.
For why should she lie awake and
lose the roses of her complexion and
dim the sparkle of these glorious violet
eyes, thinking about the respective
claims of tho various lovers who
lowered. mOth-like. about the torch
light of her charms? There was time
enough to make up her mind-Quite
time enough.
So, in the very middle of the season,
when balls, operas and dejeunes dan
cantes We're Mt their height, and when
old Aunt Dalmayne wrote piteOus let
ter up to her brother in town, setting
forth that ''she had the rheumatic
dreadful bad. and there wasn't no re-
liable help TO be had, and she was that
lonesome that she couldn't stand it no
longer, and wouldn't one of her three
nieces come down and stay with her
a spell?' Glare astonished the family
circle by volunteering to go.
"My dear" said Mrs. Wintringhan,
"you don't know what you are under
taking. 1t is common farmhouse,
not even painted. among the hills
"And Alantha Ann is as full of wEiTnS
rs an egg can he of meat" said Papa
Wintringham, rubbing his nose. 'Bur
/ suppose she is lonesome"
well" said Clare, "Miriam's busy
with her conservatory lessons and her
German class, and Laura belongs to
those sociablcs. and I seem to be the
only one dsengaGed. Besides, l am
getting tired of balls and dances and
suppers. | should like to try the other
extreme, just for fun
The scene looked indescriba bly, beau
tiful to Clare Wintringhan that frosty
December night, as the Jolting old
wagon, with buffalo robe spread over
the seat, and sleepy old horse trOtting
In front, turned into the valley road.
and she could see the ancient farm
house, steep-roofed and brown with
half n century of suns and rains, with
the maple boughs wrestling overhead
IN the gale, and the wooded hills rising
up on every side, while one ruddy
beam of light glowed from the tiny
window under the caves, casting, as
It might he, n javelin of brightness
athwart the road in front of the door
81 guess she's eXpectin' of you" said
the rough charioteer who had been
sent to the depot to meet Mrs. Dal-
mayne's city niece, but I'm afraid
you'll hni 1t despnt lonesome"
"Oh,' cried Clare. gleefully, rs sho
sprang out of the vehicle, II think It's
splendid"
And she entered the low-ceiled kitch
en-, all aglOw with the roaring fire OF
pinc logs on the hearth. Aunt Dal.
mayne had evidently bcsrirred herself,
for the table was spread. and the old
lady herself hobbled forward on
crutch 20 wercome her niece.
"Why, my dear" cried Aunt Dal-
mayne, stepping back to take n second
survey. you're as pretty as picture"
"Am II" said Clare, laughing. Eat,
nunty, what n glorious fire you've got.
and what 4 darling old urn. and bow
good that tea does smenr'
And before Clare slept that nigh: sho
had taken Mira Dalmaync's heart fair
ly by storm.
She had been an inmate Of the farm
house for about week, when one of
those grand ante-Christmas Snow
storms came on which veil the whole
country in :spctless white and hang the
woods in royal robes OF ermIne. Aun,
Dalnnyne's rheumatism grew worse
and she kept her room, but Clare went
about as liCht-hcsrted as ever. doing
the whole work Of the horsc. with such
assistance rs Moses Peckham. the
Iir.i ran. w9s able to render
The s3ow had fallen steadiIy nil day.
blown iato drifts by the wind that
howled lugGhriousIy through the
g0rSas OF the hills. and at last the
twilight accpenad ove: the stormy
earth. Clare "Hs sl7ting thoushtfrcy
before :ho freight. peel!nS arpiec fc-
u i'u'lH!.'B' n.ti'i' Nhe hc--- ~ -Nu'-'
DnlmayQc's soul. when Moses came Ia.
Miss Clare" sn.d he. there's t:To
gentlemen got storm bound OUTSIDE.
hnd they've missed the way ana ti:cl.
korGe IS clean tired ont. and they want
I'd t. kEow # we3 give 'em nights
lheite-. I told 'em Mrs. palmnype was
lick and I wasn't boss, but I'd ask the
sounG woman that does the work"
Clare WINGED n little and then
aughed outright at Moses unpublished
language.
"Of course they may come in," she
mid. Il wouldn't turn even dog from
he uoor on such a night as this"
And she threw a fresh log on the
Ire What was her amaZement, or