The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-07-14
TIE MARKED CHEEK
'Is this Mr.. Robbin,s2,

Is this Mr.. Robbin's?''
1t was IA handsome young man VIII,
ask the question.
And the girl who had opened tn,
door for him, in that pretty country
place where the richest people wer,
not very fashionable, was Mr.. Rush
toms only daughter, Fanny, herself.
what pretty little soulr' he
thought.
Then, as she tuned her head, he won.
dered for moment whether somebody
had just slapped her on the left check,
there was such singular spot there,
exactly like the scarlet print of palm
and four fingers.
Bat that mark had been there all
Fanny Rushton's life, and it was her
one grief, her perpetual torment.
She had grown morbid about it in
these early days Of womanhood.
But there was no cosmetics and no
arts of surgery that could remove it.
There the red mark must bc as long
"a she breathcd, lis hateful scarlet al
tracing the first glance from every
stranger.
"Mr. Rushton at home?" said Luke
Robbins, with bow.
"les," said Fanny.
Then she ushered Mr.. Robbins into
the parlor and went away; in a few
moments the mill owner sauntered in.
1t was business call.
The business was easily completed,
and then Luke Robbins rose TO depart.
"rhe hotel is long way off, and
should he pleased to have you stay over
night with us said the old gentle
man. ''rhere are one or two spare
bedrooms, and supper will be ready in
fifteen minutes. Let us have the pleas
ure of your company"
Thanks" said Luke Robbins.
''You are very kind"
Then he thought of the pretty face
with the red mark upon the cheek.
Despite the mark, he wanted to see it
again.
1t sat opposite him at supper time.
''The best and the kindcs. .acc in the
world" he said to himself u dozen
times.
And he did his best TO win little
chat from the shy girl, who could not
forget her tormenting mark until they
sat on the piazza in the twilight after
ward.
Mrs. Rushton had a call from some
neighbor, and sat apart conversing.
Mr. Rushton, after many amiable at
tempts to rouse himself, went soundly
asleep.
Through the evening shadows Luke
saw the girls fineiy-cut profile and ex-
quisitely shaped head; and the moon
turned all TO black and white soon, and
blotted ont the red mark.
And he sat Us close to her as he
dared, and her sweet voice charmed
him, ank he fell in love, as men do, for
an hour.
Poor little Fanny gave away her
heart that night in one whole piece.
1t is always best to keep little
piece, if one can; but sometimes that is
"Oh, what beautiful nightr' said
Fanny, rs she stood on the porch with
her mother, after the gentlemen had
retired. "Such fine breeze and such
a bright moen."
"It's quite damp. We'd better re-
tire. l wonder whether your pa will
be suited with to-morrow's breakfast.
He does ask visitors so unexpectedly"
Mrs. Rushton.
Married forty and single twenty take
different views of life sometimes.
Fanny went TO bed TO dream of para
disc, and the next day was all happy
in memory ofa party pressure of the
hand whispered hope that they might
often meet again.
"What a pity that mark is, )" thought
young Robbins. ''She's darling little
thing, and suppose that Rushton is a
very rich man. A young man might
do worse than be his son-in-law.
Then, as the train whirled him away
he said to himself:
"What q pity that mark j.
Nevertheless, very often alter that he
was with Fanny great deal.
Fanny's mother felt that though this
,uitor was not rich, he was eligible,
and she knew that that mark was a
disadvantage to her Fanny.
ale certainly means somethingii"
said mamma.
"And they could always live with
Is, said papa; 1--WE need never part
rom our only one"
Our eyes grow used to everything
after a while.
Luke Robbins forgot that there was
my mark on Fanny's face, unless
particularly called his at
ention to il.
He loved her very much at times,
hough there were long hours in which
he never remembered her existence.
Twice week at least, Luke, thought
enough of Fanny TO buy her bouquet,
,r some music, and to spend two hours
IN dusty railroad for the sake of see
ng her.
He felt her love for him in her very
niger tips; he saw it in her eyes; he
heard il in her voice.
He was man who is happy in be |
ng beloved.
And it was not old Mr.. Rushton's |
money that made him decide to offer
himself to her, despite the red rlark.
Yes, the next time he went he would |
lsk Fanny to have him for better or
worse.
And he knew that she would say
'Yes.n
There are evil moments in every
mes life-moments that change ones |
lestiny for the worse.
If only it had rained one morning; if |
'nly Fanny had fallen ill; if only she |
lad not undertaken that trip to the |
'ity just when she did, this would be a
lifierent story.
She used to be shy of going into the
.rorded street. alone and, even with