Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-05-16
CHAPTER I.

Nf<& lE4
CHAPTER 1.
"And do choose a nice one this timer
says a small woman. with pleading. soft
brown eyes. Just fancy those long days
and weeks-in far out-of-the-way places:
want someone who is very, very pretty.
and very, very delightful, to be my com.
panion. Never mind about her being
heroine. Everybody can't be a heroine.
/ want somebody who will be merry at
dinner, and cozy to walk with on the
moonlight nights; and I don't care two
pence about her character"
WHAT"
You know quite well what l mean. /
ietest strong minded women-they should
all be sitting on school boards, like a row
IF character; but you can kiss Peggy
Rosslyn."
You mean you can"
"Well?" says Mrs. Threepenny- bit
with a stare. Isn't that enoughT'
HIN! However. it's Perry Rosslyn
you've fixed upon? Well, l shouldn't
have called her SO uncommonly pretty
Let's see. Her eyes-her eyes are rath
er CLASSY, aren't they?'
Il think they are most beautiful eyes"
says this small creature, warmly! "Why,
they have the clear, shining blue Of the
eyes of a childv'
But when you come to her conduct,
what are you to say? Why, you know
she is a most outrageous and audacious
and abominable fiirt!''
Queen Tita condescends to smile a lit
tie.
She is mischievous monkey" she ad-
nits. But it's only her fun"
Her fun? A nice kind Of fun! call
her simply White Pestilence."
Its all very well for you to make a
joke of it; but if you would only think
of those two grown-up boys, and the kind
of example that is set before them
II dare say the boys will be able to
look out for themselves"
If they take after their father they
will
Come, now, about Peggy. You know
she has a way Of expecting good deal
Of attention"
Yes; and men are never willing to
pay her all the attentiop she wants! Oh,
40, they are quite reluctant-.you espe-
ciauy! W :, never mind. III take Peg
gy. dare say we shall get ON excellent
iy by ourselves. But rememberx-Pe9gy
Is to be mine, and mine alone. OF conrse
she will share my cabin at night, but
mean in the day time as well-when we
are walking along the bank. Peggy is to
be with me; and il we go for drive any
where, she and are to sit together. And
won't you men be wild!
And won't you women be dull! But l
don't know yet that can allow a per-
son of that kind to come with us. Look
at the way she goes on at cards"
Its only her fun"
why, everything is only her fun! Ii
she to be allowed to do whatever she
pleases, SO long as it amuses her! Be
sides, there are other considerations.
She's Yank."
She's q dear!'
Obviously it was of no use to argu
further with a woman who wonld make
such irrelevant answers; for the sake OF
peace and Quietness it was better to say
"Very weH;' and so it came about that
1t was resolved to ask Miss Peggy Ross
lyn to accompany US when we should pe
ready to steal away from the busy
haunts of men and begin our explorations
Of the devious waterways In the west TO
England.
And now we had to lay all our plans,
before our young friend, IN the nope OF
enticing her to go with us. 1t was speed
ily found that very little enncement was
necessary. When her hostess described
TO her our preconcerted and sudden with
drawal from the road and turmoil anc
heated rooms of London; the assembling
of the small party of friends ON board
the mysterious barge, as yet unconstruct'
ed and unnamed, that was to bear US
sway toward far western regions; our
stealthy gliding through the silent land,
in the pleasant May-time Of the year; the
eyer-changing panorama Of hill and WOOD
and daisied meadow slowly going by; our
morning walks along the banks; our
moonhghted evenings on deck, with per
haps a little music, Of plantatio Dirtni
lotar still a game of cards In the
Iamp-lighted saloon-when all these
things and many more have been put be-
fore her, the question comes:
Now. Peggy, what do you say! WIN
vou go with US?
win I?' says Peggy. Wonti
And then she seems to think this an
,wer too abrupt; and she goes round ent
table and kisses that small mHe Oh
woman. .
lyon are Just too good to me-, she
,ays: and then she returns TO ner place
"You win bring your banjo, Miss reg
KyY" says one Of us.
"Oh, no! A guitar SOUNDS an risn, !,
But a banjo would be out OF seepang g.
"Oh, we can't get on ".1nouI va
wel.' and Garry Me Back to Oio VT
ginny.'
..There Il a much more mpor'an'
thine." interposes Mrs. Threepehhy-oi -oit
and she eyes the young LADY WIN S.
and significant scrutiny. we snan van
!. fonrth for our party; and ne may
- n,.v-be a man; and even possibly
. vonnp man. Now. Peggy, want u
49, n you are going to behave your
self?"
H,;., pecyv turns to the third member
of this trio, with appearing an inn0
cent and injured eyes lid, n,
Snow, Is that fair! Is tna1 Ainu'
ever misbehaveT'
.NeverI will swear it! But se'
.,, Lnow where to come in, you poo
L. when they say things about you
W know where sympathy and consoia
Hon are always waiting for you.
e"
Tho first dificulty we encountered wa
Sd suitable name for the noo'
craft that was to carry us away 'nt'
those sylvan sohtudes. ,s .,l
4 hundred names were examiner am
.t1d. and we were growing desperate
I'm Miss Peggy Rossiyn, happening q
-,,n in one evening, settled the matte'
in a moment. It, Oh.
..If that is all the trouble, said sne 81 I,
.,,hx not call Ii the 'Namesess Barge
s,,h. .Nameless Barge" was the ver'
.h;,g we wanted-mysteriOu gnost-nAe
.nJ entirely in keeping with our secfe'