Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-03-30

4 O2G 0On~A0y ~ - y -
usual care, booking remarkably fresh
and clean, too, and went to church and
Sunday school Afterw1Sd he WALKED
home with Mary, holding her sunshads
over her carefully an the wly.
Mr.. Hallett stayed at home With the
children Sundays, and 1t was Hsther
tiresome for him. So when he saw
Jack coming he frightened up and ask
I'd him to stay for dinner. Jack con-
sented, much to Mr.. Hanetts sat.fac-
ton. and the children's boisteeous oe-
Hight. Mary's father dearly loved 70
talk, and Jack appeared to entsy hs-
tening equally well.
After dinner Mr.. Halleot went iuco
the sitting room and fell asleep n hi
chair, while Jack insisted on wtping the
dishes for Mary. The children swarm
ed about him and got in his way. till
he declared that they were as bad as
cats, and he'd have to sprinkle them,
and see II they would clear out then.
When the dishes were done and Mary
had taken of her apron Jack began to
notice signs of uneasiness in her man.
ner.
About time for Bert" he said to
himself; then aloud: Il should think
you'd go crazy with these noisy young
sters around all the time. I'm going
TO take them away and you can rest,
instead of working as you usually do"
Down the road they went, and were
hardly out of sight in one direction he
fore Bert Hill appeared from the 9TH
or. He, too, was dressed with particu-
lar care. but though there was no de
nying that he was handsomer THAI
Jack, there WAS a certain set to his
law and a kind of fierceness In his dark
eyes which were not prepossessing.
These softened when he greeted Mary,
and he became very agreeable.
But Mary for some reason felt nm
easy and hoped he would not ask her
where the children were. She also
dreaded their return. What would Bert
say when he saw Jack!
After he had gone she sighed wearily.
She felt dissatisfied with herself; and
the children, as she put them to bed,
irritated her by their constant repeti'
ton of Jacks name. Later she sar in
her own room and cried. because she
was tired, she told herself.
She had not reached that state OF
mind, which came only a few weeks
later, when she cried from perplexity
and indecision as to the course she
should take. She had honestly sup
posed herself in love with Ber., and ii
took her some time to find out her mis-
take.
When Bert learned what was going
on between the Halletts and Jack he
was In towering rage. He met Jack
one night and stopped short before
him, blocking the way.
What do you mean fooling around
Mary Hallett, thenT' Bert raised his
voice.
Have l ever interfered with youi
Have 1 ever been in your wayT de
nIanded Jack.
NO. and you'd better not" Ber,
! threatened.
You'll be the one to suffer-" retort-
ed Jack, unless you are more sober
than you are now
That night Jack held earnest consul
tation with himself up In the darkness
Of the pines. he applied many uncom-
plimentary epithets to himself. How
could be so base as to start this thing ::
To 20 to work deliberately to get girl
away from another fellow. with the
firm intention of giving her up when
I'd done 1t, 1t was vile. And how has
Il come out? 1t has come to this-that
If she refuses to marry me l shall be
the most miserable man alive, and will
richly deserve it, too, for being SO con
temptibly mean"
For a long time he sat medfta ting,
then he stood up, and there was look
of determination on his face as he
raised it to the troubled sky, such as
had never been there before.
you've got to try and be half good
enough for her now," he said. And
you'll have to work harder to do 1t than
you ever dreamed of working before"
From that night it was noticed that a
change had come over Jack Raymond.
AS time went on he could no longer be
called shiftless. He was working hard,
and people began to speak Of him as
John" He continued to call at Hal
let's. but Bert's visits had suddenly
ceased
1t was in September that Jack asked
Mary an important question as they
were walking home from church.
Mary answered with a Yes" and
then Jack, with some hesitation and
do you suppose you can ever for.
give me?" he asked at the end.
II should have been grateful to you
after awhile-for saving me from
him, even If you had not come to care
anything for me yourself."-Ex.