Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1903-03-13

that he accepted the position under
the worthy magnate of Black Rock.
Then TO think that this sprie Of
girl had well-nirh upset his whole
career. Full well his memory pie
tured that morning four months be-
fore when he had driven the homely
family cart to the depot to meet this
daughter of his employer and how
she had treated him with striking
hauteur. She had even mistaken him
for her fathers coachman. and yet
her very prudishness seemed but to
lend q glamour of romance TO her.
which had caught him in veritable
webb How often she had entered
her fathers store, accompanied by
some of the youthful professionals
of the place, and seemed TO delight
in airing her superiority to this
common office mani True her pet
tishness and affectations sat well
upon her dainty figure, and a certain
indefnable odor of perfume seemed
to pervade the dinginess Of the Office
when she entered At times he
seemed to see beyond her outward
nature, and at these rare intervals
he caught a momentury glance of a
character which, If allowed TO as
sert itself, might have endeared her
TO the coarscst mortal He often
noted how old Josiah watched her
every move, and how the staid, old
fashioned home Of the Jamiesons be-
came the center of the fashionable
house parties and afternoon teas.
Then as a crowning tribute to the
witcheries, young Dr.. Ames, voted
by all the mothers of marriageable
daughters as the swellest match in
the district, had quite lost his heart
to this coquettish little heiress.
Since the day Of their first meeting
Tom had fought down his feelings
by applying himself TO his desk with
redoubled vigor, endeavoring to con
vince himself that his opinion Of her
was much the reverse Of favorable.
On this night in question he had
ceased to wrestle, and upon the eve
of resignation to the hand of fate
ne had summed the whole matter up
and voted himself one Of the great
/ est fools that ever lived. A square
| pink envelope lay unopened upon his
| dresser, and after arriving at this
fairly satisfactory conclusion he tore
off the head and scanned the con
tents, although be could have guessed
what it contained 1t was an invita-
/ tion which the youthful mistress OF
the Jameson household had sent
him, to spend the evening, no doubt
prompted by the advice of her father
The weather had developed into one
of those January billiards which pc
riodically sweep across the North
west prairie, almost overwhelming
the town which lay within its circle
and Tom was loath. to brave its fury
for such a cause, and yet uncon
seiously he began to dress, and il
time he had reached the home of hi,
employer. To his surprise he fount
that but one guest besides himself
had been hidden, none other than DR.
Ames, who of late had been almos
constant visitor.
Supper had been served. While Jeai
and the doctor conversed in low tone
at one end of the long drawing
Tom sat at the other with Mr.. ia
mieson and exchanged mutual conf
dences on the business aspect of tn,
coming season. Yet he was not Who'll
ly Indifferent to the scene before
him. The little lady looked peculiar
! ly bewitching and altogether dis
dainful, and to his eye she was play
ing her cards with the young medica
with tact and grace which appar
emily absorbed his entire attention
The hour was wearing slowly along
to Tom especially, and then a hur
ried summons at the door brough
Mrs. Jameson from the regions o
the dining-room in answer. A suddel
noise, as Of people scurrying past
followed, and Tom realized that tn
call of fire had been raised. Mrs
Jameson cried out in frightenel
voice that it was the mill, and the
Tom had passed her insthe hallway
and was out on the street.
Already the flames, caught by tn
storm that howled without, wer
lighting up the town like a new sur
The scene of indescribable cor
fusion which ensued could never b
forgotten by those more intimatel
concerned. The crude .fre-fghtin
apparatus frozen solid, refused t
work, and as the red streamers wrap
about the mill and swept across tn
roofs of the warehouse and store
adjoining. the people knew that Jc
siah Jamieson's worldly possession
were doomed.
Tom, looming out in the release
mettle of a college athlete, made heI
culean efforts TO stay the ruin. Fo
lowed by a number of men he thawe
the hose, directed the streams of wa
ter, helped TO throw out the good
from the store, cleared the Office q
its precious books and papers. i
, fact, storm or heat mattered littl
to him then, for covering femal,
wrapped in a mighty fur-ined cloal
/ had looked up into his grimy fac
[ through a mist Of tears and had sal
r something, lie never tarried to hea
4 what il was, but leapt again into IN
battle royal
In the early morning a smouldel
, ing heap Of ashes and half-burn
2 woodwork alone marked the spc
! where Jamieson's store and min ha
+ stoed, and around it in a jumbied-u
: mass was the merchandise which ha
r been saved. Only one small buildiu
I which had been used as an ofie
r had missed the fury OF the fame
] and that was only through the g
, I ...,,- a.. Z. .tr..rts 80 tl,. ,..,,, ..,a - 49,