The Penn's Grove record., 1896-08-28


Hattie Furman was a great rayorite
with the gentlemen, and her Partially
for the sterner sex was as great as
theirs for her. She was engaged to
young DIR. Hartley. but he bad one
year more at the university before his
studies were completed, and his fan.
Gee seemed nowise inclined to mourn
his absence. There were admirers In
plenty ready to take his place, and she
never lacked an escort to any OF the
neighborhood festivities, where she
was always the life and mischief OF
the party.
Then she would write a full history
o. each affair to her absent lover, never
forgetting to tell him how much she
had enjoyed herself, how agreeable
Mfr. So-and-So had been, what pretty
speeches Mr.. Such-a-one had made
when she accepted his escort for the
next dance at the ball, land he's such
an elegant waltzer, you know" she
added, tantalizingly. The young doc.
tors blood fairly boiled when he read
these mlsslves and imagined some
other mans arms where he considered
none but his had any right to be-. Yet
he dared not protest. He ventured
once to assert his rights. on his last va
cation home, and his ring had been Of
fsred him with such p~romptness That
Y fairly took his breath away.
81 don't want 1t. l won't take IT."
he gasped.
"Just as you like" replied Hattie,
coldly. II thought you were tired of
me. If you are, just take back yonr
old ring. Fred Fox offered me q
nicer one last week.
"Oh, Halter was all the Doctor
could say.
His grieved tone and white face
touched the girls heart, aud she burst
out with: "Oh, Frank! / didn't mean
1t. I'd rather have your ugly old ring
than all the other rings in the world,
and I'd rather have you than alI'-here
she threw her arms around his neck
impulslvely, hid her face on his shout
der and burst into tears.
Then, of course, he begged her par
don and called himself a brute. and she
forgave him, and when he went away
firted more than ever.
She was usually very prompt In full
filing their compact of writing week
ly letters to each other, but on two oe-
casions the weeks had made a month
before the longed-for letter came 10 the
-lzO.k Inxgnr on1 fhnn Oho mazda M ar.
cuse but that she had been having SO
much fun she had quite forgotten to
write.
The young doctor really believed she
only meant to tease him, yet he felt In
dignant and mutually vowed that II
the reins were ever in his hands she
should repent herssseming heartless-
ness. 1t is a wonder the poor fellow
could study Mt all, but he did at last
graduate with honor.
Hattie seemed proud as he of the
hard-earned diploma, and the young
couple spent a delightful fortnight max
ing plans for the future and trying to
decide upon the most desirable location
for a young physician to gain n lucra-
tive practice and a home for his bonnie
bride. He was far too manly to ask
Hattie to link her fate with his until he
could offer her a home that would in
some degree approach the comfortable
one she would leave, even If her par.
ents had been willing for such a pro
eeeding.
While still undecided a position wal
offered his as physician and surgeon
with an exploring and surveying party
that we're making a tour to the far
Northwest. There was money in II
and the needed practice without fear
of competition or failure. 1t seemed
the chance of a lifetime and had been
rendered him through the influence OF
n Of the university professors, yet
II would involve a three years separa-
ton from Hattie, and what assurance
had he that some of those other fellows
would not win her from him7 Even n
they did not he felt as IL he never
could endure three such years of tor.
ture rs that last one at the university
had been. Still he could not refuse,
especially when her parents urged him
20 strongly to accept.
Hattie seemed very sorry to have him
60 and promised very faithfully to be
true to her troth.
But you can't expect me to be an
old woman, Frank" she said. why,
II l couldn't have any fun for three
years I'd be wrInkled and gray-haired
when you came back, and then you
wouldn't want me at all"
Frank laughed and said he'd run tho
risk, and II she'd only walt for him
twas all he'd ask, but It was Will,
aching heart he kissed her a last fare
well. and a torturing fear OF what that
long three years might bring forth.
1t was twelve miles from the pretty
little village, where their childhood
days had been spent, to the nearest rail.
way station, and he arrived there at IL
O'clock one beautiful June night. He
found that schedules had been changed
and that he could make better time in
reaching his party to wait for the
morning express. He felt aggravated
to think of waiting six long hours that
he might have been spending with Hat.
tie. who he knew was almost crying her
eyes out owe his departure. The
more he thought Of 1t the more tortur-
Ing 1t became and with a sudden re-
he bought his ticket, checked his
baggage, visited the nearest livery
barn and in fifteen minutes a horse and