The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-04-29
BRIER HALL.
A Serial Story in Eight Chapters
Written by Members Of Mrs. VIM,
Pennock's Sunday School Class,
Marlboro, Ohio.
CHAPTER III.

Ned had been wishing for several
weeks to be back at school and countsd
the days ss they slowly passed on; and
had spent many Of his idle moments
trying to study out some plan by which
he could make time pass much more
rapidly. Now that he was back and
in the presence of the one that had been
foremost in his day dreams, he felt so
delighted that even Toms presence did
not cause him TO suspect the truth, be-
cause Anna's welcome was 50 cordial and
Tom was not unsociable.
AZ the first half hour after Ned's arrival
had passed and Tom had not yet taken
his leave, hs commenced to wonder at
Toms stayiug 80 long, but his wonder
ing mind was soon diverted from this
channel by the arrival OF a group Of five
college boys lnd girls, who were out for
an evenings sport, and having beard of
Anna returniung, dropped IN for min
ute's call.
Anna had been sadly puzzled siuce
reading Ned's noto as TO the manner Of
her proceeding should bath Ned and Tom
call, and was doubly so since their arrival
for she would not be so cruel as to send
Tom away aftes accepting his PROPOSE
tion TO call and neither could she possibly
muster up courage enough to tell Ned
the true state Of affairs.
However, 20 her surprise, the suspense
did not last much longer, for the pai ty
directly af5er their arrival, invited the
trio (Anna, Ned and Tom) to join them
and Anna, sseng a solution for her oitli-
cult problem, was no great length Of
time in accepting
1t wou uld be useless at this stage Of
the story to give any description of the
Individuals of the little party of five,
with the exception of one whose name
was Pearl Leland, and whose disposi ion
was we'll adapted to conquest Of this
kind.
Miss Leland was the only daughter Of
Judge Leland, of San Francisco, an hGiI
60 very large estate. She was of me-
dium height, rather slender, had laugh
ing blde eyes and wavy golden hair AL
ummed up, in short, she was very
beautiful and accomplished young lady,
and although she had come from the far
west, she soon became favor'te and
was esneoially popular among the boys.
Now, Ned had never been thrown into
Pearls company to any great exte nj
during his short stay in school, but foI
some reason he thought she never
seemed SO lovely or gsy as on this occa
sion, and as the addition of A nna, Tom
and himself to tie party made the mum
seemed to linger near Anna as they
were preparing for the trip, little bit
Of jealousy seemed to arise within hin
and he concluded to even matters by ask
ing PEARLS permission to walk with her
which must have besn very agreeable &c
her, as something seemed to make her
radiant face still more radiant as Mel
spoke few words to her which could not
be heard by the '.mainder Of the group
as they l ft the room.
The evening was spent by strolline
through the STREETS and taking in the
sights in general, and by each relating
how or where he spent Christmas, and
such othes subjects of interest tina,
might come up. During the evening
Mad frpuuaptlv haf
might he thinking Of him and at times
really thought he wonld like to be with
her long enough for little private talk,
yet be was enjoying himself SO hugely
that he didn't envy Tom.
The hour Of 0 arrived, and our
little party concluded that the evening
had been well enough spent to return
60 their respective rooms, but Tom had
noticed that Anna had been unusually
quiet, for which he could not acc iunt
All that passed In Annas MAD could
not be related here, but that she often
thought of Ned and the future Is not to
be doubted.
AS the days following the scene We
have just presented, passed, Anna saw
little Of Ned except at meal time, but
Ned, she thought, did not appear like
the same Ned whose eyes had sometimes
met hers with such pleasant smile.
Anna was somewhat grieved at the man.
uer in which he treated her, for the fact
that she really loved Ned Alden had im
pressed itself upon her mind only when
it was too late. At first she tried to con-
vince herself that her love for Ned was
only vain fancy, and that she would
soon forget the past, but as the weeks
passed on she only found 1t the more
vividiy before her mind.
The weary wintry months that really
were weary TO Auna, had finally passed,
but she found no comfort in that. She
now decided on a new conquest, and as
she was sitting alone in her room one
afternoon, she said; "I will win Ned
Alden or"-the sentence was not finished
for just at that moment the door-b
rang and a lady friend came Ia for a
short chat about the latest fads, the