The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-08-11

CATER Hitchcock, carefully folding the
evening paper and placing it on the
table.
The person addressed-a tall, slcn-
der woman about 35--looked up from
her knitting and answered with
pleasant smile "About half past
eight, l believe" and, rising, began
to put away her work.
Gaifer's question had been for the
last six years the signal for retiring to
rest, and although it was full an hour
and half before the usual hour,
Madeline never thought for n moment
of hesitating to obey.
"Something has occurred" she
thought, "and he will tell me before
long" for Gailer had looked Mt his
watch 1T eight, and few minutes
after, and at quarter past had
changed his chair and coughed un-
easily, and now he asked: "What time
is il p
Madeline was the orphan daughter
of an old schoolmate CATER had
taken her home with him when she
was only 10 years old, and his sister
cared for her with motherly solicitude
until she was wooed and won by Frank
Reynolds and went to distant city to
live. Gailer had made n terrible to-do
about her marrying, called her, AN I'M
grateful good-for nothing, and declared
it was proper punishment for taking g
her in the beginning but, neverthe-
less, he spared no expense on the
wedding trousseau. And when, about
nine years after, she came back to her
old home, widowed and childless, she
was tenderly welcomed by the lonely
man, for the grass waved over the
grave of the good, true-hearted sister.
For six years she had kept house
for him, lumored him, aud made
everything bend to his comfort, as few
daughters aver do. Lovers she had
in plenty; those who would mt any
moment have laid heart, fortune and
hand at her feet {; and when Gaiier
heard that Madeline had refused them
he chuckled at their discontinue and
smoothed her soft brown hair, telling
her she was good girl, every way
worthy of their love, only he knew
that she would never leave him.
He had grown 80 accustomed to see
ing her happy, contented face by the
opposite side of the fire, with some
kind of work in her hands that oc-
cupied neither brain not attention, but
left her always free TO listen to him
when he spoke, that he felt no fear
at the attentions she received. He
seldom spent an evening from home
unless Madeline was with him and
he had never left his native city since
she came home. He was thinking of
all this tonight, as he watched her
folding her work so carefully.
"What are You going to do Made
line?" he asked, at last.
"Going to put away my work., she
answered, simply.
"What are you putting it away for?"
"You ask the time, and that is
equivalent to saying: Il am tired OF
you, Madeline go to bed"
"No, it amt" said CATER, grufily
"come back here, want to talk with
you-there, let that knitting work
alone. What is it, that you are in such
o hurry to finish it?"
Stockings" answered Madeline,
sententiously; stockings for Made
line Reynolds.
CATER sat for few moments in per-
feet silence; at last, with q VIOLENT
effort and with very much the air of a
man who has just made up his mind
to have tooth pulled, said:
"Maddy, am going away"
"Going away?" she repeated.
"Where to, pray?"
The tone of surprise in which the
question was asked fully satisfied
CATER of the Importance of the revela.
tion.
"Yes / am going to New York.
Bonnehue is going to be married OH
New Years day, and wants me to be
groomsman. Who would have thought
old Bonnehue would have got married
at last T? Why, he's at least ten years
older than /, and ! am most fifty. You
see, Maddy, child, your old batchelol
friend is not too old to get married
yet. Dreadful pity leap year is most
over. Here I ami hale, hearty man,
in the prime of life, with plenty Of
money to support wife, and no wife
forthcoming. But what makes you
10 quiet-don't you want me to go?"
mo" said Madeline, gravely, ~
would rather you would not go.
had made different calculations fol
New Years; in fact, / rather think
of'getting married myself"
Madeline, are you crazy ?" ant
CATER fairly bounded in his chair will
astonishment. why, what wall be
come Of me ! I'll starve, / know
shall."