Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-06-27
The Squire'S Hobby.

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" Oh ten yeers people had been
liz waiting for Squire Harding to
- marry. East and west he was
known a. the catch Of Oakdale.
In the flrst place. he was very hand
some; then he was very wealthy: and.
anally. he was irreproachably connect
ID, and as the most wary young Lady
Of OakdAle said. there was nothing
disagreeable about him." No: the men
said that Squire Harding was ''nrst-
rate man." and the women voted that
be was nice" Yet when pretty Gladys
Ray became engaged to marry him. she
nearly cried her eyes out
This Is the way II was: When the
squire had come and built the hand
soonest house In town, what "nutter-
ing there was among the dove-cotes!
B. .ondes and brunettes successively set
their caps for him. but in vain The
squire confessed to certain old ladies'
that he had hoped to be able to nll his
dear Matilda's place" but. beyond q
few civil attentions, no young lady Of
Oakdale could boast Of him As q con-
quest.
This fact showed the man q little dull
and unappreciative. for nowhere In the
country il q prettier. more Intelligent
and domestic set Of girls than In the
nice agricultural village Of Oakdale.
But the squire had his idiosyncracy-,
bis hobby. 1t was that Of health.
He had uttered q vow never to NARY
woman who was not perfectly
healthy. On this point he was un-'
changeable. Let scarlets and purples
aaunt, let ringlets wave and smiles
brighten, the squire turned neither to
the left nor right. His standard OF the
Ideal female physique seemed never TO-
be approached
Most people thought Oakdale girls
buxom and blooming enough. but the
sQuire's observant eyes saw erysipelas
In burning cheeks. consumption in mar
row shoulders. drOpsy In the plump
forms. It was only when he beheld
Gladys Ray that this exactins man
was satisfied and enthusiastic.
She had Just come from a years stay
with her grandparents in New York.
and was barely sixteen. Pretty-well.
that Is NO word for 1t. She was just as
lovely - Q new-blown rose And she
was a. good ~ she was pretty. and As
loving a. she was good; and every one
would have seen 1t was out OF the
question for her to marry Squire Hard
ing, Q worldly man Of sorty. with .
ahrswd eye for the main chance.
She WAS Just a. unseldsh ~ . sun
beam, - impulsiye - . kitten. Is
guile2oas - . violet, and cared nothing
dor the petition Squire Harding could
o@ne NJ wife. She never knew what to
|0y. - Mn WbeR he eame r. Clenafta.
Cottage, q her home was cAlIed-w4s
afraid Of his bass voice. and shy Of his
eacstiousness: and yet he came and
came. and her father encouraged his
suit and Gladys was told she must
agrse 10 marry him.
Most. because business was dull. and
there was q mortgage on Clematis Cot
eage, and there was NO sense In girl
refusing such q chance. OF course. she
would never have another Ike 1t In q
lifetime.
Thus her father talked common sense
to her. and Gladys protested with her
uncommon sense, and said she did not
want to be rich, and the sQuire's money
would not make her . bit happier. and
that It would be q dreadful thing to
make her miserable all the rest OF her
Me.
She had NO mother. but her brothers
protested, telling her that she was
goose; and at last the poor girl was
harasssd into making q half promise
that, ''perhaps, some time. she would"
But her father At once set In motion
preparations for the wedding. and sent
Tor Aunt Phoebe.
Aunt Phoebe was an uncommonly
skillful needlewoman. but what was
more In Gladys case she was . person
with . heart
Though she had known the grimmest.
hardest and bitterest Of experiences. her
trials had not hardened her against the
griefs and SORROWS Of youth; and the
moment she saw the face Of her niece
she knew that something was wrong.
and she determined to and out what 1t
was.
Ono morning she went into Gladys
chamber and found the girl hastily
putting away . letter-a letter post
marked New York. and directed to her
self, In the boldest and handsOmest Of
ehirography. Having put the letter
under lock and key, Gladys turned ST.
lently to b measured for Q new en-
broidered waist
Are you tired. Gladysr' Aunt Phoe-
be asked.
"a little." replied the girl.
didn't you rest well last nightr'
mot very"
'Gladys, you are my dear dead Sis
ters child! Tell me what ails you"
"Oh, auntie, my heart achesr'
And she put her face on the broad.
womanly shoulder and burst into tears.
There. there. dearie! knew It was
. heart trouble. Tell auntie all about
t. don't believe you want to marry
Squire Harding"
II don't-I don't!' sobbsd Gladys
'Law. child. what makes you. thenT
'"They all say I ought. But, oh,
auntie. love somebody else. and that
makes It 20 hardr'
And Gladys. weeping. blushed 70 the
ups Of her 6nserA
"Well," CALCULATED Aunt Phoebe,
putting the embroidered waist away:
heres Q pretty state Of thinSs."
know Of anything better" moaned
GladyA But Dick was 20 kind and
gentle. He made my life Just beautiful
al the hast s1x months. When I came
away from Orandpa's Dick said he
loved me dearly. but hs was poor. and
could not marry now-though he would
be true to ne. and tly to get place In