Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-11-28
THE NIGHTINGALE
~~~~~~

the plumes Of Towering lilac and
q the bright promise Of laburnum
The red buds on the May bushes had
not yet uncurled. The water cart had
Just gone by. leaving a pleasant scent OF
wet earth.
She was leaning her arms on the gate
and looking away from him.
80 it's NO use" he said-he also was
leaning on the gate. The road was very
quiet except for passing tradesmen
whose carts now and then flashed alOns
its silence. He had called to bring heI
q book, and she had walked with him T.
the gate. He had not meant to speak
them-had indeed rehearsed many q
time a declara ton to be made In very
different surroundings-but she looked
SO dear in her blue morning gown. the
breeze Of spring played SO charmingly
with that hair Of hers that quite sud
denly he had spoken, and she had said
mo"
Its NO user he repeated. for she
still kept silence, and her eyes We're far
away.
NO, it's no use," 81: ID. II couldn't
marry anyone unless as 30 fond OF
him that couldn't bear my life with
out him. That's the only excuse for
marriage"
-'rhen I'm not to come here any more
Il supposeY'
"Ou. dsarw she said. drawing her eye
broms together with a worried frOwn,
why DID you 60 and spoil It all? 1t was
Ill - plea SAINT! Can't you be really sens,
Hle? Let US 60 on just as We were. AMI
pretend that nothing has happened"
NO" he said, II shall go away.
When oEe lives In lodgings they may
~ well be in Putney or Kew-as here.
She thought how dull tennis and
dance and picnic would be without him,
and said stifily, "Just as you please. OF
course"
Then her face lighted up as the rattle
Of hoop and hoopsuck and little patter-
ing feet drew her eyes to the other side
Of the road. where little girl in scar
let frock came quickly along the as
phalt, her brown hair flying behind her.
Here's vynie-"
The child saw her sister and her
friend. for he was a friend to all chill
Aren, and struck the hoop so that II
bounded on the curb and flew into the
middle Of the road. The little scarlet
figure followed 1t. Then, in a flash, a
ter, q scream, a curse, and the butcher
was refining In his horse thirty yards
down the road and looking back over
his blue shoulder at a heap Of scarlet
and brown that now had crimson mixed
with II, and over which a girl in a blue
gown and q man In q gray suit were
bending.
"Her leg is broken. They have set It,
1t will be months before she can walk
But they say she will be all right again
then"
The two were standing at the gate
again. but now there was no fresh rose
In her face, and in his eyes no light OF
passion.
MY poor DEAR" he said-and she die
not resent the words-"let me do any
thing 1 can. Forget all that folly OF
this morning, and let me help my pool
little vynie."
81 will-you SHALL" she said, looking
at him through swollen eyelids rec
with weeping; but there Is nothing
any one can do. 1t Is horrible! Wher
I told her she would have to lie still fol
Q time she tried to smile, and then she
said. Don't cry. Sissy. will be as goot
as gold:' and then she said she shOulC
sleep all day. and lie awake at night t.
hear the nightingale. She has never
heard 1t yet
He remembered how he had listened
to the nightingale in the cOpse behinC
her house on many summer nigh
when he had walked lonely In the fieldi
to see her light in the window and hel
shadow on the blind, and he sighed, an(
said:
THE nightingales are singing bravel.
In the wood beyond the station I'm glat
she has thought Of something tina
plea ses her. poor darling"
Vynie. lying still and rigid In he.
splints. with wide-open eyes, watched
ne day die. Then the lamp was lighted
and presently in its turn gave place t
tho yellow glow Of the night light, ant
the great shadows 1t cast
Are you asleep. Sissy. my Ownf
said the little voice.
NO. my darling" Rose bent over tn
bed Does 1t want anything. Will
have some milx-n:ce fzzy milkT
-No-yes: but I want to hear tn
nightingale. Sissy. Why doesn't he be
gin: Isn't it late enOughr
Yes. my sweetheart: but perhap
the nightinGale's got such q prett,
home, in the warm country where n
lives, that he can't make up his mind t
come here
"Oh. Sissy. he must come! can't II
still all the time unless he comes! d
please ask God to tell the nightinsal
how badly want him. And, Sissy. pu
out the night light. Perhaps he do esn
like to sin. TIL he's sure I'm In bed. an
lie couldn't know I've got broken. coui
he!"
NO, my precious, no. Try to go t
sleep. and Sissy will wake you II b
begins to sing"
But Vyn.e could not sleep. and b
morning the fever was high. She talke
and nioan.d and laughed. but alway
her o.y was for the nightingale.
Muster Tom. miss. to inquire"
Rose welt down, trembling wit
want of sleep. haggard with anxiety
She took the great basket Of roses he
-<-l.Aad had brought, and, holding it. to-
pw the night had passed. The
pging like mad down by the sta
said. "ConfOund the brutes
expect Jour AShAaoa1s isA't esoa4n
this year."
Don't" said the girl 7 believ