Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-05-17

am incapable of the art? You have
not changed SO much, then, after all. :"
"You are cruel if you contradict
me-" she replied.
'tAnd were you never cruel?" he
asked.
'Perhaps," ahe answered. ''But !
repented."
Repentance means sorrow" he
said. "Will you be sorry for me now :?
have the blues.''
At this moment Silas Beck came in,
followed by the woodman, and when
Mr. Scruggs turned to introduce his
friend to Miss Ferguson she was gone.
On the following day Mr.. Scruggs
put on his overcoat and left the house
as soon as breakfast was over. What
this meant to Miss Ferguson she
would not acknowledge even to her
self. 1t was a lonely day : the loneliest
that she ever passed. Mrs. Beck, to
be sure, never ceased to chatter, but
what woman's talk can fill the empti-
ness of woman's lonely heart:
When Miss Ferguson put on her arc
tics to walk down to the village post
Office Mrs. Beck spoke of Robert
Scruggs, and she sat down to listen.
Directly Mrs. Beck's gossip diverted
itself to neighbor who claimed tc
have cousin who married a niece oi
General Grant, and Miss Ferguson
rose to go.
"There goes Robert now," cried
Mrs. Beck. "with Ida Gates. If thai
girl don't talk him to death it won't
be her fault. She's a tur'ble gab."
Miss Ferguson looked out. The
road ran near the house, and she saw
that Mr.. Scruggs looked perfectly
happy. He was leaning back in the
sleigh, and Miss Gates was driving,
chewing gum and talking all at once.
Miss Ferguson did not speak. She
went to the fire, removed her arctics.
selected hook from the table ana
read. She read determindely. She
told herself that she was going to
read, and what Miss Ferguson willed
to do she usually did.
When she had been reading about
half an hour Mr.. Scruggs came
hurriedly in.
81 am sorry" he said to Mrs. Beck,
''but l have to return to the city.
have just now received a dispatch.
Good-by, Mrs. Beck-and Miss Fer
guson, I don't know when shall see
see you again. Good-by."
"Good-by, Mr.. Scroggs," she said
naturally, extending her hand.
He took it, pressed it mechanically,
ond in onotbar M o,oant ba 1yoo roma
Miss Ferguson sat down by the fire.
She admitted to herself that she was
disappointed. Mr.. Scruggs no longer
cared for her. He was happy with
Miss Gates, who chewed gum. But
then why should she care? She was
determined not to care. She made it
a practice to take things philosophic
ally, and there was little that ever dis
turbed her. She liked Mr.. Scruggs.
but he was nothing to her. She had
been foolish-stupid-and she would
try to forget it. Picking up her book
she resumed reading where she had
left off and spent the rest of the day
with the novel.
Notwithstanding, that night her
pillow was wet with tears. They were
foolish, she said, but they would not
last, and she could put it from her
easier after little feminine cry. After
that she was determined to have no
regrets, and what Miss Ferguson
willed to do she nearly always did.
The next day she seemed as fresh as
she had been for year.
Two days later she received letter
from the postotiice. 1t read:
''Dear Miss Ferguson:-I once
asked you to marry me. What said
then | now repeat with twofold vehe-
mence. Does the change in you ex-
tend to your heart or is your answer
the same?
"RoBERT ScRUGGs."
The answer she wrote read simply:
'Dear Robert:-I have changed
The answer is yes.
INDIA F."