Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-04-13

~ Es1l j. LAA 10 De heTS alSO.
M saiH tAN They both landed
EI IEIkA NEat Roderiek, and
l.lszsa------> size preceded him
along the landing stage to the hotel,
and, as we have seen, entered her name
In the visitors book at the request Of
the proprietor.
Mrs. Walton, Why, she must be .
widow
He thanked his stars that he was
planted in the same hotel with her.
Then began the maddest, happiest
tine In all Edward Brogden's career.
He let himself go. In proportion to the
discretion in all previous affairs of the
heart was the abandonment and reck-
iessHess of this last infatuation.
He cast all prudence to the winds. He
knew nothing about Mrs. Walton, nor
did he wish to know anything.
He was sick of prudence. He had
been prudent and cautious all his life,
and here he was at so years of age un-
loved and uHloviGg. Yes, he would let
himself 20 for once.
1t would appear that all the unattach-
lar decision. for before many days were
over they We're all her devoted slaves.
She smiled through her gold-rimmed
glasses on all impartially, and she
showed no iRvidious preference as to
the person with whom she walked or
talked.
The ladies, too, fell under her SPELL
and declared that she was a charming
goung thing. so gay. so innocent.
Mrs. Walton is quite delightful, OF
course" said one matron TO another,
but ! must say she is little indis-
Greet, and may lay herself open to mi.-
construction
Il suppose she is what one might cal!
IN emancipated woman"
But even an emancipated woman
might discriminate; she accepts atten-
tions from all sorts and conditions Of
@en."
And yet one cannot say she encour
ages them; she Is quite pleasant with
women, too. and will spend a whole
morning playing with the children"
Mrs. Walton came up at this moment,
,miling and readjuSting her glasses.
These We're attached by slender gold
chain to her brooch, and were constant
ly slipping from her eyes, but they were
Indispensable TO her sight, and she al.
ways replaced them.
"Ah, here you are. My dear Mrs.
owen, your cap is one side. Let me put
IL straight this minute" which she did
with light touch, stroking the white
hair dellcately, and remarking she hop
ed she should have beautiful white hair
when she was few years older. And
now this cap tells tale; you have been
at your troubles again. You have been
shaking your head over the shortcom-
ings OF your cook down there In Surrey,
or the depravity of the gardeners. As
l said the other day, when you were
worrying about the jam-making, For
get, forget; be happy at least once a
year; leave all troubles at home, and
come out for holiday; laugh, be gay
forget
Il believe you promised to sing to us
20 night, Mrs. Walton?" said Edward
Brogden, strolling up at this point.
"Ah, did | promise? l never meant
10 sing here, and brought no music: but
perhaps something will come to me-"
she said, rising and sweeping across the
room TO the plano. where three or four
men stood waiting for her.
She always dressed in half mourning
and tonight she wore a long black
gown with bodice of heliotrope glace
silk yelled in sequined net of the same
10 Al N bfnh oef IA
lovely complexion and hair to perfec.
ton.
She ran her fingers over the keys. ut
is no USE" she said at last, letting her
hands fall. Il must contradict my own
teaching and be serious; none of the
happy songs will come"
They all declared they liked serious
songs best.
And | must warn you" she said,
|all my songs are old songs-all my
songs are memories" A far-away look
came into her eyes as she lifted her
hands to the keys again and played the
opening bars OF Tostis "GoOd-by." Oc-
casions on which they had heard this
song beautifully rendered recurred to
most present: but she had not sung
many notes before they realized this
was a new thing in singing. The voice
had a rich, peculiar quality, and the
Il of the woman spoke through 1t.
Lr. Hardcastle decided there and
.en that he would ask her to marry
i'm. Mr.. Cyril Ranger could not for
he life of him think what he had been
doing TO have spent a whole week near
such a woman and not have proposed 10
her. Two young men who bad come
week ago. intending to stay for the
night only. and who fingered on be
cause, as they said. Of the sociable, gay,
unconventional life of the place-in 9th
er words, because of the little widow
each vowed to himself he would write
that very night to his father and eX-
plain the situation, suggesting a read
iustment of business relations with
view to marriage at an early date.
Edward Brogden was deeply affected.
Next morning when he found himself
seated beside her on a steamer making
an excursion round the island he said:
well, Mrs. Walton, have you any more
surprises for us? Do you know you as
tonished us all last night? 1 cannot
reconcile the sadness of your singing
with your usual gayety. l am puzzled
70 know which is your real SELF"