Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-03-16

Some people might call ner pretty
In a sort of a way"
"And she's thirty-three if she's q
day, and old men like Uncle Jennifer'
the fair Isabelle, it must be remem
bered, was but eighteen, and viewed
other peoples ages accordingly-"art
always crazy after young girls"
Kate was little staggered in her
faith for the moment.
but | have thought of late that Un'
Gle Jennifer spent a good deal Of time
over at the cottage"
"Oh, that is only because the new
stone wall is being built on the division
line. and Uncle Jennifer always was
very particular about such things, you
know
"Well, it may be So" said Kate, du-
biously, "but l confess | have my
doubts. l only hope you are right"
Right. OF course l am said Isa'
belle, sitting down again to her prac-
tcing.
Sallie, the housekeeper, came In at
that moment in great glee.
Juliet Packenham is going to make
some of that delicious fruit cake for
me tomorrow" she said. $50 that we
can have it for tea, and then she will
give me the recipe. Isn't that nice"
Miss Packenham is very obliging,'
said Kate. dryly.
"ro be sure she is" said unconscious
Sallie. Cousin Harry Hartley was
coming to tea. and | hadn't anything
but ginger snaps, and ginger snaps are
SO common
"Of course you asked Juliet to come
over, too and help eat her cakc?'
"Why, yes admitted Sallie; 81
couldn't do any less than that, and |
thought we girls would all be glad to
see her"
I'VE girls-ycs," said Kate.
"And uncle says she is a quiet, harm.
less thing" added Sallie, apolegtically,
for some instinct taught her that Kate
was not quite satisfied with what she
had done, 'and as for Harry Hartley,
he never sees her any more than if she
wasn't in the room"
Girls. girlsw quoth Uncle Jennfer,
stalking into the room next day,
"whcre have those gold spectacleS of
mine gone to? They hadn't legs, and,
of course. they can't have run away.
| must have my speSaclcs.'
'But, uncle" said Sallie, piteOusly,
we've looked everywhere"
"They cant be in any place about the
house" said Kate.
NO, they can't" added Belle.
ITS very strangcw said Uncle Jen,
infer, but You girls are so carclcsS.'
1--WE didn't lose the spcctacles. un-
clc," said Sallie eXcitedly.
Il never can find anything" said Tn.
Gle Jcnnifer, in a resigned tone, "after
one of your grand cleaning-up days.
dare say my spectaclcs are in the dust
bin somewhere"
mo. they're not, uncle" said mat.
ter-of-f fact Isabelle, "for I've looked
there
ITS very strangc!" said Uncle Jen.
infer again, and he kept saying it un.
til his three niccps were driven well
nigh crazy. II wouldn't have taken
$50 for those double-conveX lenses;
they suited my eyes exactly.
81 dare say they'll turn up some
where. sir" said Mr.. Hartley, cncour-
agngly.
Il dare say they won't" said Uncle
Jennifer, sharply.
He was in no frame of mind TO re-
ccivc consolation from any one.
The hour for tea arrived, and with ii
Juliet Packenham in simple blue
muslin dress, made and trimmed by
herself. her brown hair brushed back
from her temples and coilcd after Il
Quakerish fashion at the back of her
head. And substantial token Of her
good works appeared in the centre of
the table in the shape of huge loaf of
fruit cake iced over with limitations of
fruits and flowers.
Il hope it will he good" said Juliet,
timidly. "Nobody has touched it but
myself, and | spent the whole forenoon
in mixing it up
"Oh. it's sure to be good" said cheer
full minded Sailip. Here, Harry is
the silver cake knife-you shall cut it,
is there gold wedding ring in it?'
demanded Harry Hartley, tlouriShinS
the silver cake knife presented to him
by his cousin.
"NonsenSe!' cried Belle, and Juliet
packenham blushed violently
Mr.. Hartley plunged the knife valor-
ously into the tempting looking cake.
Suddenly he checked his hand.
IF there isn't wedding ring here
there is something equally hard" he
said. obviously. "Hello! pair of gold
spectacles, baked in the cake, as
live
And from the crumbling recesSes Of
the cake he drew forth a pair of dou-
ble-conveX glasses set in gold.
"Why. Uncle JCnnfor they are
yours" cried Salle, jumping up and
clapping her hands. And how came
they in Juiet's cake?"
Juliet's face grew scarlet, but it was
as nothing 10 the flush that mounted to
the temples Of Squire Jcnnfer Sallie
stared. Kate tossed her head, and
glanced across the table at Belle And
then the squire took up his spectarieS,
and cleared his throat as if by an Of
ort.
"The glasses have told the story
palmer Than | could gir,S," he said.
II may as well own up at once that
Juliet and | are engaged. and we mean
to he married in the spring"
Thus it was that fate settled the
business of matrimony for Uncle Jen-
infer, to the dismay of the three nicc@s
who were so certain that "hc never
would marry. New York Weekly.
A ring made of the iron found in