The Arbutus
Loftk' •> hy Innocent
111he# like ft alftrllml thing ,
Wh would think it knew the wkoU
Of the MCfftU of the | ring f
Keep# it# roftjr ear Uid low,
Marking.harking at tha ground,
Never nlMed a#)liable
Of the allgliteet atlr or sound.
Chuckled often In It* leaven,
Thinking how the world would wait,
j-'earrhtug vainly for a flower,
Wondering why the nprlng wan late.
Other eecreU, too,lt knows—
SecreU whlepsred o'er its head,
Vnderneath it* snowy veil
Oft then* eecret* turu It red.
Whl#pwr on, glad glrln and hoye!
Mealed the fragrant ray well*;
You and nprlng are nafe alike—
Never the arbutun telle.
iw m
ONLY AUNT MARGERY.
"Oirlsl 1 have some news for you!
(Jrand news it is, but papa told mo not
to mention it, bo if I tell you, you will
let it go no further?" and Connie Stead
man glanced round at her friends, feel
ing herself an important personage, a*
the youthful possessor of a secret usally
does.
•'Oh trutt us Connie, we won't say a
single word to any one; we will lie as
dumb as mutes on the subject,' ex
claimed Kate Derwent; and her sister
Mary, and their cousin Edith Salter,
who had come in like Constance for a
morning chat, made the required as
soverration, and the quartette drew
their chairs close, in delightful anticipa
tion.
"Well, then' papa told us yesterday
evening—but, Katie, there is some one
in the other room." and Connie glanced j
through the haaf open curtains in the j
large drawing-room, at the further end j
of which sat a lady engaged in some
quiet occupation.
"Only Aunt Margery," answered
Katie; "she is oopying -oine music for .
us, and won't h'-ar if you speak low. j
Sow do, dear, Connie, get on with your
story, for 1 am dying with impatience.
"Well' then, the house on the hill is j
et to a single gentleman, Mr, Maurice
hester, very nice looking, very rich, i
who intends to come and live in it him- (
self, and give no end of nice parties
and balls, 1 expo t for he asked papa it
there was society in the neighborhoc d
as he would not like to settle down in ,
a dull place. <>f course papa gave him
a good report of the land, in that and j
every other respect, and so b-- decided ,
to take the house. lie will oome here j
next month, to superintend the fitting |
up, etc."
"Ob, how glorious cr'cd M iry, dap
ping her hands; "now we shall have j
fun. Hut, Connie is he young, though?''
"Oh, yea, about thirty, dapa thought,'
answered Connie, rather doubtfully.
"Thirty? Why, he is quite old!" -aid
Mary, disgus'ed, fr<>m a seventeen
year-old point of view "Why, he will
do for Aunt Margery—wo always call I
in r an old maid, and he is an old bache
lor !"
"Nonsense Mary, what stuffyoa talk," |
-aid Kate, who being three and twenty, '
took a different view of matter.
"Thirty is not old for a man. You I
only care for boys, like George Bur |
den." Mary blushed. "But you would -
not expect him to buy a house and e !
tate, like this gentleman. The only :
thing is—if. engaged, Connie?"
"Ah. that I can't tell you, unfortu
nately, I a-ked papa, and he said very
ikely, he ha ln't asko 1 hint: but main- 1
ma thinks not. because he would certain
ly havo brought the lady to -e© her fu
turehomo, if h" had been." raid fonnie.
"Your raammi is right.'Connie; he
certainly would have .lone so," aid
Kate, deoidedly.
And then followed quite an hour's
discussion about the new com>-r, in the
height of which, Connie herself, ns well
m the other two, quite forgot the nc-d
of secrecy, and the lady so quietly occi
pied in the other room must have been
very deaf not to have heard all th< eon
versation. |
She took very little notice of it, how
ever; the girls mad just as much com
motion if they met new face at a din.
ner-party, or we' * introduced to a
' trvnge partner at • ball, for Maund-
Lury was such a quiet place, and so inis
erabloshort of masculine society, except
the old an>l married, that any chance
acquaintance even caused quite a flutter
among the raarriageble ladies. How.
then, could the news of a permanent
residedt fail to ntl'ect them?
It is said that at no age does a woman i
give up the hope of marriage, but I
must say at the risk ofbeing disbelieved,
that no thoughts of the matter ever
caused Margery Herwent's pulse an
extra flutter.
If her niece Kate had grown to the
• age of twenty three, !>eeutiful and at
tractive as ahe was with only lovers 1
who loved and rode nway," there, 1
eemed liltf'J chance for her, Aunt Mar i
gery, with the faded looka and quiet i
| manners that sorrow, and loss, and i
thirty years of life bail drowned her
n with, to be more fortunate, i
t Marg ry had had her lovodrrnm, but 1 i
jf it hid fad 1 with the loss #f her father '
and all her fortune, exce : t a small sum
whichjust found in her clothes, while
her brother insisted, upon her making
his house her home.
At first Mrs. Derwout objected but then
finding Margery very useful to call up
in the night in cose of sudden illness to
help take care of the children, and to
make herself generally useful, as poor
relations are expected to do, she ceased
to gruiuhle, and Margery found herself
settled at Herwent house, with a sort
of half recognition in society, the back
seat of the carriage, the coldest place at
tue fireside always hers, iu return for
being constantly at every one's beck
ami call.
She had nevi f been a beauty, I ut sbc
had been pretty an t lively, and mmh
•ouglu after In society when <-he was
tho only da* - ing of a rich man, and at
first the change had been very hitler to
her, butof late she had grown passively
reconciled to her lot. Ten years of the
same uavarying round bud quite driven
from her mind any hope of change. She
was "old Aunt Margery" to her nieces
and all their giddy circle of young oc
quaintauces, and hud quite resigned
herself to remain to to the end of the
chapter.
So she took little or no interest
in the Hatter of pi- <tion caused
among the girls by u.- . oinuig of the
eligible bachelor, though with h'*r custo
mary amiability, she was always ready
with her advice and as-istance in mat
tors of the toilet, which were to help
captivate him when he came.
The girls had persuaded Mr*, lierwent
to give a small evening party the week
after his arrival, and as that lady had
I seen and approved of him a a "capital
match for Kate," th-y had very little
difficulty in getting their r, way in
the matter and arranging it on a scale
of grandeur never before seen at Mauud
, bury, except at the stately partie- given
once a year at my l-ord Maundbury's
! own house, at which royalty wa-i some
-1 times j resent.
But 1 doubt if even royalty 's own gra
1 eious presence could have made that
■ party mure successful; it served for a
subject of conversation for a long time
aft rwar I. Ma nice Chester made him
selfsoagreeable, and pr >v<-d to besuch an
admirtbleband at arranging impromptu
charades, playing on hts violin, danc
ing, singing and talking, that he was
unanimously voted -uccesi of the even
: ;ng. and his coming into the neighbor
i ho-'d was considered an unqualified gain
| by both old anil young.
I Tho quiet little sleepy town of Maund
: bury went nearly mad over hint, and ,
numberless were the dinners, balls and
evening parties given in bis honor dur
j the next four months.
The nam n of Maurice Chester was in
every mouth ;he was voted * darling."
"a gem.'' by the ladies, and "a brick,"
and "a jolly good fellow." by their
: brothers. He was so dark and sun
burned thai he looked bis thirty five
years, but then he was tall and hand
some, with noble feature* and winning
; manners, ami all tb-- young ladies en
vied Kate H.-rwent, who being the most
j beautiful and accomplished lady in the
! circle, would naturally stand the be-t
, chance of winning such a prize.
Mrs. D rwent had a- ertained that he
was not engaged. He had Iw-rn, in
j Lis early youth, but the lady, a clergy
man's daughter, had died of fever
caught through vi- ting the j-.-r, on
tho eve of their marriage, sn I he had
| seen no one -inro that he wished to put
in her place. Thi interesting informs
lion being speedily circulated, made
'oim more popular tban ever -quite a
hero of romance, in fact.
And mamma saya that i- very likly
the reason he is so g> ntle and attentive
to ladies why, ho is quite a- nice to
her and other married ladies as t., I|a
young ones, and did you notice? -
the other evening he actually danced
j with Aunt Margery J"
Which last exploit of the hero was
I evidently considered an unnecessary
I '.vaste of his' good offices by Miss I>er
went. Still less did she approve of his
next proceeding, which was to send to
London for two songs which Aunt
Margery happened to mention bad been
her favorites long ago, but which she
had lost through lending them to an 1
acquain tance.
"It is all very well, you know, Con
nie," she said, in a confidential talk
with that unfailing sympathizer. "I
like him to be kind and attentive to
the poor old thing, but really that is
carrying thiogs a little too far—she
might expect the tame attention when
we are married, which I shall certainly
not permit."
"You think he really means enme
thing, then Katie! He has not pro
|(oed yet ?"
"No, but mamma says ha ie ahure to
do so soon. Why, he ie here neerly
every day, on eome pretext or other,
and what else can he come for ? fie
tide, don't you know that hobs* arran
ged a grand pinole to Cornforth ruins?
Mamma aaya she Is certain be will aek
rne then ; so if you see us walking off to
gether, you w|l| keep off all intruders,
wiU you net
"I will certainly remember tliat tn ,
are company, but three none." an*
wered Omnia, laughing.
She could afford to be good-natured,
Tor she wa* 'i■ to a handsome
young lieutenant, the onlv son of the
rector, and would be married on hi* re
turn from the next voyage.
The day of the picnic arrived. The
weather KM lUperb, and every fxjdy n >
in higli spirit*, except the originator of
the holiday. At atarting he looked pale, <
and hi* manner w* pre occupied and '
nervous, unlike hi* usual bright, gen- i
ial nt-lf. Mr*. Derwent and her daugh
ter exchanged glance*, Kate'* wu* trium.
pliant, and she uw herself, in imagina
tion, returning borne the promised bride
of the rich and popular Maurice Che*. (
ter, cf Chester drove, a* he had renarn<l
hi* splendid home.
By the time they arrived at their deal
nNtion, Maurice had quite recovered his ,
uual spirit*, and was *oon rowing Kate
and MUD*- other gay young frien<l on
the lake, while Aunt Margery walked
quietly along ita margin alone and
rather sad, for she could not but recall,
a* the sound of their merry laughter ,
came to l.er from the water, her own
bright you'.h, when she had been sur
rounded by love and friendship, BA Kate
was now. She felt a little hurt, too,
that Mr. Cliet-<r had not offered hr-r a
seat in the boat; it was not like hi*
usual kind tboughtfulnce* for all which
she had o constantly in him.
"Ah, well, 1 am only Aunt Margery
to him, I suppose. I dare say 1 look
forty, at least, beside Kate," she
thought.
But it wa not in her nature to spend
long in repining. She wa> so->n engag. i
{in a n>*'-rry hunt through the ma/**
with the younger member* of the party,
an I when the rowing | arty returned,
I shout* of "Auntie, where nr*- you ?"Tbi
way, Johnnie!" Take the path to the
' right ! ' "Keep round to the 1* ft !'' • i >h
I am lost!" resounded through the'
u<ually silent ruin*.
Presently M irgery found a ga; in the '
hedge, which sh** plunged llirmgh, call
ing on Reggie, h*-r \ *ung- r nephew, t ,
follow he;.
"I'm coming. Aunt M *rg* ry ; wait a
moment !" he cried.
But, willing to give him n good rh.se, ,
Margery sped on, and presently found i
herself in a small stone grotto, in which
the path unexpectedly terminated, ami ,
hut an on either *ide by ma—rw **f t„n
pl*-d brushes an*l underwood, Breath j
( loss, she sat down on a little worm-eaten
wooden fench, and wait*-*! f**r Reggie.
Footsteps soon were hur*l on the leaf
'strewn path ; and springing out, in'end j
ing to give Reggie a tart, Margery tlew
! right into the arms of Maurice Che* j
' ,or -
Kate herself could not have blushed
more vividly than did Margery at this
unlocked for visitor to her retreat, nor,
had it been Kate, would Maurice have
looked mors eml irre**s-d, or have h* I
a brighter look of pleasure on h. band
some face directly aft* r.
"Pray, excuse me, Mr. < best* r . 1
thought you w.-re Reggie," exclaim* *1
Margery, who, woman like, was the first
to re* over herself.
"Well, M;ss Derwcnt I realy think
\ >ii -.we me some apology f--r so nearly
knocking me <l-.wn ' What sort of ,
place i this!'' he continued, coolly
P> -king around hint, atel n**t off. nngto
relinqui h the hand he had caught
when M irgery d.n tI out u| **n him.
"It is , very nice place. I think wo
will go back. Reggie cannot fi„d in*,''
sa l Margery, blushing im-ri deeply,
an*l trying to withdt w her han*l.
I *lon t want Reggie or any one else
to find you just now, though I am nnh
100 g!ad 1 haye clone so.' answer- J
Maurice, and he gently drew her back to
toe grotto, i nias Hii-i sit d'-wr. just >*r
a f**w moment* : 1 have something t-- tell
you."
Margery •* face grew pale again, and
with a g* n'.le, pet dignified movement
•he withdrew her hanri.
"He is going to toll me that he love-*
j K its, and wishes to marry h* r," *he '
toought. And with another sigh for her |
own vanished youth, when love and joy
and a happy marriage had lain within j
the limit* of a sweet probability f,, r her !
future life, she seated herseelf to lis" j
ten.
It wa, strange how the commonplace
C vililie* she hoi received from the man
now before her had seemed to resw*
ken theb -P-M nnl thought* ofthnt time
which had for so long *eemed buried. But
he, too, began to speak of a buried past,
and she resolutely put aside her own
thoughts, and listened with an interest
in the speaker that fired in her a vague
alarm. What was Maurice Cheater to
her, she tremblingly asked herself, that
bis tone* should thrill her 7
"Ten years ago, Mis* Derwent, 1 wa*
*o married, and I can truly
say that no two peojdeoouM have loved
each other with a true/ d**votion, or ;
have seen before them the prospects of
more happiness than my poor Marion
and I. But she waa taken from me, and
the blew waa cruel indeed. For y**er* I
have mourned her, and 1 never hoped
to he gay and happy again, until e
| happy fate sent me to Mmindbury, where
I have seen one w)io* self forgetfulnes*
, iiiol gentle cart) for others awakened my
admiration, and ha* now won tins love
lof my later tUMitbood, Margery, dear
gentle Margery, will you accept the gift'/
I will try to make your life happy and
free from care, and 1 Hindi think myself
Moused at last if you will give me your
sweet self in return."
lie was standing before her now, and J
speaking with rapid, eager utterance, j
while Margery could only stammer
out:
"Mr. Chester—l l—you surpl ise lne.
I thought my niece Kate—"
"Kate is a very charming girl, and I
hope will Nome day meet wi'h a husband
worthy of her. But my answer, Mar
gery 7"
What could Margery nay"' Looking
up into the handsome face and loving
eyes bent over her, *he said words that
to both of them were a* binding a* the
marriage vows which a few inonthe later
to the chagrin of Mrs. Derwent and
Kale, sod the aslouisbmcnl of all
Maundberry, they uttered at the parish
church, on a lovely spring morning.
MauriceC'hester we* supremely hsppy
in bis choice, while bis wife was "only
Aunt Margery."
(Jnlrk Railway Time.
lirxkford, lit., Jan. I *♦#).
This ir to crrtlfy that i ce hair appointed
I" ink P. HUir, unit agent Jar the tale of our
lpii-k Train Itailroad Watches in the town
*l/ Hellefoute.
KORXRORD WATCII COUCSKT.
BY HusMKR I*. liri.l.AMr. Sec.
Having most thoroughly tested the
Rock ford (Juick Train Watches for the
last three \e*rs, I offer them with the
fullest confidence as the best made arid
most reliable time keeper for the money
that cau be obtained.
/ fully guarantee every H'.IT'A far tieo years.
Fit ASH P. HI. A lit,
So. 2 IlroekcrhnjT Row.
All other A men -.in Watches at reduce I
j prices,
Diuiirov Jan. 27, LHS2.
The Rockford Watch purchased Feb.
j l*7y, haa performed l-**tt*-r than any
W alch I ever fia-l. Have carrie*l it
( every day an*l at u*> time lias it been
irregular, or in the lest unreliable. I
cheerfully recommend the Rockford
Watch. ll< RA< K B. HoRTON,
at iiighton Furnace Co.
TAfsiTo*. Sept, IH, ISwJ.
The Rockford Watch runs very ac
i curately : f*etter than any wstch I ever
j owned, and I have had one that co*t
flVf. t'an recomrnond the Rockford
W.itrh to everybo*ly who wishes a fine
timekee|>er.
S. P. HUBBARD. M. D.
This ii to certify that the Rockford
' Watch bought Feb. 22. l fc 79. ha* run
very well the past year. Having set it
j oniy twice during that time, us only
variation being three minutes. It has
run very much • otter than I ever an
ticipated. It was no* adjusted and only
cost S2O. R P.BRYANT.
BUTTS & POWERS,
PR ACT! R At.
HARNESS MAKERS,
j UPSTAIRS ABOVK POST<>FFICK,
Allegheny St-eet. Hells' nfe. Pa.
Are prepared to do all kinds of Fancy
and Heavy Harness Making at
llcaHOnaldc Prirrs and
-IS TIIE-
Mosi Skillful MauiH'r.
2spiir;sr i:ze ■with fifiinats izi a.!:;*'.:!
We challenge com pet it ion in prices
and workmanship,
tiive us a trial *n*l be convinced.
All work guaranteed before leaving
tb<* shop. 1 ,lm.
HOMES FOR SALE!
Conic and liny.
21 ACRES ON FIFTH AYKNCE*
In whole <*r lfit.
A TWO STORY HRK'K
on Alleghany Street.
A TWG BTORY BRICK *
< 'n I!igh street.
A TWO-STORY HRK'K
f fit Thomas street.
I A TWO-STORY FRAME
On Willow Hank street, SIHOO
A TWO-STORY FRAME
On Willow Hank street, SI2(X)
I A TWO STORY FRAME
On Bishop street.
AH in the Borough of Bollefonte.
Ulf Terms Mode F*isy.
BOND VALENTINE*
6-5-3 m. Real Estate Agent.
Wilson, McKarl*n A Co., call atten
tion to the only reliable Ready Mixed
Paint in the market. The Pioneer Pre
pared Peirt I* not *nly tuperier to any
Ready Mixed Paint *oid but rival* pure
white lead In It* tmoothnn** in working
and du'abiHty. Tht* paint Is guaranteed
by the manufacturer* not to crack or peel
within thr*e year*. The guarantee I* not
onlv good for replacing the paint but II
will he put on If it should crack or peel
within the lime specified. It wilt be to
Tour Interest to call av-y tee Wilson, Me-
Far lane At Oo , before purchasing either
white lead or any other Ready Mitel |
Paint.
—-ICxclutivaly dry good*—Herman's.
Fan*—la a few days—Carman *.
Mvaaraiax for tba Cuvu Daaoci*.
C^LHL,
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