Year: 1879




dimpled chin of the lovely girl at his side


Bertha, darling, look up Next Christ
mas day, remember 7


Remember what. Philip


That shy, swiftly averted glance, the con-
scous bushes that stained cheek and fore
head belied the innocent coquetry of these
words


Remember what Why,th that | am COM
| ing back then, to claim you as my own; new
er to part from you again. 1t is hard to
leave you, darling, never thought it would
be half so hard as it is. But it is for your
sake that go that l may make the happy
home that you and | are going to share,
worthy of you. You will be true to me
Berthap


Il will be true to you, Philip


And there under the whispering lndens,
beneath the cloudess moon of that beautiful
June evening, the lovers part the passion
ate fervor of the farewell kiss, the lingering
pressure of the last embrace, bringing al
most as much rapture as pain.
Now that he was really gone, and there
was nothing else to think of and to do
Bertha began to count the slow weeks that
must intervene before her lover would re-
turn to claim the fulfillment of the pledge
she had given to him.
! christmas is in December. wish it came
earlier


Philips place of destination was San
Francisco, whittier he had gone on
business that promised to be very remunera.
tive, but which has nothing to do with our
story


He had promised to write to Bertha i'm
mediately on his arrival, but she called sew
eral times at the post Office before the well
come missive arrived. Her cousin, Benja.
min Ripley, was post master, as well as pro-
prietor of the village store. She had nevel
had a letter from Philip before, but sbt
knew it was from him by the postmark, anC
her face flushed beneath the keen glance hi
gave her as he handed it to her.
Her cousin Jane, a sister of Benjamin's
was standing beside her, as slipping the let
ter into her pocket, Bertha turned toward
the door. a


Fastening after her, Jane linked her arm
into her cousins, saying, with a laugh tha
sounded rather forced and unnatural:
Are you engaged to Phil Irving Don
answer, now, if you don't want to-


Bertha had half suspicion that Jan
had more than friendly feeling for Phil
. and her tone was a little sharp, as sh
, said


. 4 am engaged to Philip Irving. And
1 don't know why should be reluctant to te
of it, either 7


( well, hadn't the least idea he was ser
Gus. knew he was pretty attentive befol
he went away, but | thought it was all
F. flirtation.'


Philip never hirts'


Don't he.?


Bertha was not little irritated by th
toss of head and tone of incredulity, bl
they had now reached the gate of her fat
er's house.


Eager to learn the contents of her lette
she snatched her arm from her companion
and ran in, going directly to her own ROOF


Bushing, and half ashamed of her il
patience, Bertha tore open the letter.


1t did not take her long to read it, beil
very brief, containing little more than I
announcement of his safe arrival The
were none of the protestations, the tend
assurance that she expected and so thirst
to hear, and she read it with a feeling of d
appointment that was akin to pain.


1T don't sound one bit like Philip S
said to herself after the third perusal.


T1en her heart began to reproach her


this momentsry doubt, and to mskg excu


for him. He was tired from his lone jol


ney, too busy TO tell her more than of
safe arrival his next letter would make


for all that this lacked.


In her reply, Bertha poured out all


tenderness of her young and loving hea


playfully alluding to the brevity and uns


isfactory character of his letter, and


which she expected him to make d


amends.


Two, three, four weeks passed, and
IN answer came and at last, unable to b
iic any longer the torturng suspense and or
me doubts that assaled her, Bertha wrote ag
or; stating how long it was since she had hei
!. from him, and that she was troubled, fe
y ing that some misfortune had befallen h
There was no response to this and ind
nation and wounded pride began to min


with the grief and disappointment, VIII


robbed her cheek of its bloom and her


of its brightness as the weary weeks pass


One day Bertha was sitting alone in


room when her Cousin Jane came in, as
,en was very apt to do of late, more often Il


was agreeable in fact. AZ she liked heat In