Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-10-03
- CONFIDENCE.M <.


SNOlNS<SO0S)
7F poverty does not render a man
morbid 1t makes him gentle and
kind-hearted. That 10 what 1t did
for Jonathan Harrod. In the early
days We had roomed together in col
lege-I was going to say slept together,
but Jonathan seldom slept He smoked
! and drank coffee and worked instead
and blossomed into a winner Of prizes.
As Jonathan was in love ~ we'll as in
debt, and just as prone As to substi
tute pipes for meals when the larder
was low, we learned to love each other
during those four years with an affec-
tion that was firm and condding.
Jonathan used to advise me to fall in
love, too. II tell you, old man." he
would say. when opening a letter of
familiar blue, when you are not feel
Ing we'll. and the world CRATES on you
like a camePs-hair shirt, there il moth.
Ing so good as an old-fashioned love
letter"
The writer of the old fashioned mis-
sives lived out West. in Harrod's ma
tive town, and, although l never met
her. l came to know her almost as well
as Harrod did. he spoke of her SO often
And then | used to watch his face
when he read her letters. They must
have been tender and sympathetic. but
withal dash of ambition and inspira
ton in them. No tale of village gossip
could have brought that light into Jon
athan's eyes nor that flash Of color to
his cheek. At their conclusion he woulc
dream a while. perhaps, and then faI
at his books and work like mad.
He showed me her picture one night
She was dark-with a high forehead
and shadowy eyes. The mouth anG
chin were both well formed but rather
masculine. 1t was a beautiful face
hough not pretty.
Although Harrod had loved the girl
all his life-and she him. If there be
aught in the signs of the zodiac-they
had a misunderstanding Of some sort
or other during the summer that fol
lowed his graduation. When lie re-
turned East the following autumn he
was quieter than ever before. and, If
possible. more gentle and sympa thetic.
He and had rooms together. where. In
lieu Of other inexpensive pastimes. we
were wont to spend the evenings work
ing and reading. saw from the first
that something allied him; and. as he
no longer received the blue envelopes,
nor cOunseled me to lose my heart, l
guessed the reason and asked no ques
dOns. He did not become apathetic-
Jonathan didn't His old habit Of work
was stronger than ever. And now his
stories began to appear occasionally In
the magazines. and the dear. public to
recognize his name and to read what
went with It
Two years had passed away before
Jonathan had made even the slightest
reference to this love affair of his, and
that was when he came into my room
one cheerless. gray November after
noon. the picture of abJect melancholy.
In bis hand was a crumpled piece of
paper. This he placed before me Oh
the table, then he went and seated him
self before the fireplace, where I could
not see his face. The paper was a clip
ping from some inland journal describ-
ing In norid terms the wedding Of Miss
Winifred Conover to one Amos Schen-
eek. Only half the article had been
clipped, evidently, and this had been
pasted on a half-sheet Of note paper
read the tawdry efrusion through. then
l twisted 1t to pieces and dropped it
into the waste basket
Jonathan. my boy" l said, going
over and seating myself on the arm Of
his chair, who sent you this thing?"
II do not know And there was |
world of sadness in his voice. THE en- |,
velope was addressed In a strange hand !
and not a word accompanied it."
We were both silent for a moment. |
The logs were burning cheerily, outside !
the wind was blowing a gale. Jonathan /
sat with his face in his hands when |
came here to you just now," he said !
IL was chilled and lonely-the day is
SO somber, and l had been tramping
all over the country, and-well, l came /
to say good-by. l wanted to leave this !
life and wait for Winifred in the next !
for'-his voice went straight to my
heart-"ah, Billy, love her sov' l re-
garded him with compassion. You lie /,
down here on the lounge before the !
fire." 1 commanded him, "and stop this
brOoding." l pushed forward the
couch as spoke, and he dropped on it
like an obedient child. He gave me one |
grateful look, and then, under the in |
fuence of the genial warmth and the !
fatigue Of many vigils fell fast asleep. !
There are days in the lives Of us all, |
fancy, when a vague and subtle sense !
Of mystery invests the commOnest OBJ !,
jects; when our minds recognize new
qualities In common things; when the .
look in the eyes of a child, the CLINT of
sunlight in woman's hair, the sound
Of distant churchbell, stir feelings
deep within us we have never known
before. That afternoon there was
white carnation in the vase on my writ.
ing table, and as sat there pondering
Jonathan's sorrows its perfume stole
into my brain like a sweet and potent
anodyne. 1t conjured up visions as fair
IS the dreams Of DR.. Faustus. and yet
and yet, there was a sense of forebod-
ing. a premonition Of something about
TO occur.
Whether or not l dozed l cannot say,
but suddenly l was aware that some
other than Jonathan was in the room,
md that he was wide awake and look
ing at ME intently. l raised my eyes.
and there, to my infinite surprise and
saw standing opposite
ne, across the table a stylishly gowned
T0ung woman. |
l started to my feet with an apology
IN my lips, but as glanced at her face
ny tongue was tied and 1 remained
silent. She was dark and with a high
'orehead and shadowy eyes. The
mouth and chin were both well formed.