THE TIMES, NEW liLOOMFIELD, PA. NOVEMBER 10, 1880.
A BLESSED MISTAKE.
m
KATIE ran into the kitchen singing,
but the song died on her Hps when
she saw her slater Ilann nil's Bteru look,
and her mother's tear falling over an
open letter in her lap.
" What's the matter ?" cried Katie,
" Mother, has anything happened V"
"Nothing but what we expected,"
said Hannah before Mrs. Derwent could
open her Hps to reply. " The Bgent
writes that we must give up the farm
next Monday."
The tears started lo Kitty's blue eyes.
"And this Is Wednesday," she said;
l It Is too bad I I Just hate that Mr.
Ariel Why does he, with all his wealth
want to take away our little farm V Oh,
dear I Can't anythlug be doner""
Mrs. Derwent only sobbed In answer,
but Hannah looked keenly at her young
sister, as she said, meaningly :
"You are the one who can best
answer that question, Katie."
Katie's face turned crimson, and then
rale.
, "Oh, Hannah," she said, Imploringly,
"don't ask me to do that, for I cannot;
ho, I never can I"
. " You would rather see us turned out
of home than make a small sacrifice,
then 5"
"A small sacrifice, Hannah V To me
it seems very large."
" Heaven only knows what we are to
do!" wailed Mrs. Derwent. "We
haven't fifty dollars in the world."
, "Can't we borrow enough money
from Squire Davis to pay oft this mort
gage?" asked Katie, desperately.
" You must think Bqulre Davis has
no sense," said Hannah, sharply. "He
would kuow well enough there was no
chance of our ever paying him back.
We manage to make just enough oil' the
farm to live and that's all."
" To think that I should have to go to
the almshouse in my old age," moaned
Mrs. Derwent.
"Oh, motherl surely not quite so
bad m that ?" said Katie.
" Perhaps you will kindly suggest
some plan," said Hannah, sarcastically.
" I kuow of but one way In which we
ran keep our home, and that does not
appear to suit you."
" I'll think it over," said Katie, "and
while I am thinking, I will catch that
gray rooster you want for dinner, Han
nah." " Very well ; but Paul can't help you,
for I've sent him on an errand. And
I hope you'll think to some purpose,
Katie."
' Hannah began to wash up the break
fast dishes as she spoke, knowing that
her sister understood very well what she
meant by her last remarks, for Katie
fetched heavily as she put on her straw
hat and went out to the farm-yard in
search of the gray cock, which she
found scratching in some straw, utterly
unconscious of his impending doom.
But at the first flutter of her apron,
which she tried to throw over him, he
fled, closely pursued b y the young girl,
whose seventeen summers had not given
her dignity, or taken from her a childish
love for racing and climbing.
But running proved hard work in the
hot August suu, out of breath at last,
Katie stopped in a clover-field, the
frightened fowl still a safe distance off.
In Squire Davis' great meadow she
could see the busy laborers loading the
immense wagons with new-mown hay,
and just beyond the stone wall which
divided his farm from the Widow Der
went's lay one of the men under the
bhade of a spreading oak tree his hat
pulled over his eyes, and his rake lying
on the green grass beside him.
A sudden inspiration seized Katie,
w ho, putting her feet on the jutting
fctone of the wall, sprang lightly to the
top.
"Man!" she called loudly "oh;
man I win you neip me catch my
rooster I know Squire Davis won't
mind if you do,"
The man thus singularly addressed
sat up suddenly, and thereby revealing a
wealth of curly chestnut hair. His
olothes were rough and ill-fitting, it is
true, but his face, a refined and hand
botne one, and bis bearing far above
that of the average hired man.
"I will help you in any way I can
he said, after a quick glance at the
flushed, pretty face of the girl on the
stone wall. ' Did you say you wanted
me to help you catch a rooster V" hesl
tatingjust a little.
" Yes, my sister wants him for dinner
and I've run until I'm tired out. Do
you suppose the squire will scold if you
l-nd a little while helping me?"
"Why should- heV" in a tone of
surprise.
Well, he's very strict, and his hired
men have to work hard, I've heard.
guess he don't know of your resting
under this tree, and I'm afraid he will
hear of it from the other men, and pay
you your wages and turn you off." ,
"Ob, 1 see," said the young man
with a smile.
' It is true ; you don't know mm as
well as I do. I guess you haven't been
working for him long."
"Only this morning."
" You look smart enough to make
something better of yourself than a
hired' man in a hayfleld," pursued
Katie. " But of course that Is your own
afl'alr. Don't let us waste any more
time talking; that rooster is getting all
his strength back."
The young man sprang lightly over
the stone wall, and again the chase
began, the poor fowl succumbing to his
destiny after five minutes of hard run
ning. "And now you had better hurry back
to the hay field," Katie said, after
thanking the young man for his asslsU
ance, "or you will certainly lose your
place. It Isn't very pleasant to be
turned off. Oh, dear, I forget that we
are to be turned off ourselves next Mon
day."
' What do you mean V"
' Well, I suppose you've heard
everybody in the neighborhood knows
it that there's a mortgage on our farm.
It has been due six months, and now
the agent writes we must leave next
Monday. Oh, how I hate that Mr.
Arle I" setting her small white teeth
together vindictively.
The young man started violently. "Is
he the holder of the mortgage V" he
asked, biting at a wisp of hay he held
in his haud, hiB dark eyes bent on the
ground.
" Yes, and he is rich enough, if report
is true, to afford to make us a present of
the old farm. But I must go, or Han
nah will be scolding," and with repeat
ed thanks for the help he had given her,
she hurried away, thinking him far
superior to any laborer she had ever
previously met and hoping the squire
would not give him a scolding for shirk'
ing work.
The chicken dinner was much enjoy.
ed by little Paul, the only one of the
family who did not feel troubled at the
impending removal from the old home,
and he, poor child I was too young to
know What sorrow meant.
Hannah looked stern and forbidding.
Mrs. Derwent's eyes were red, and there
were traces of tears on Katie's cheeks,
for she had not escaped a scolding from
Hannah for unnecessary delay In the
catching of the fowl.
When dinner was over, and she had
helped her sister tidy the kitchen, Katie
took a tin pall from the pantry and her
hat from Its peg and started out.
" Where are you going 1"' asked Han
nah, sharply.
" To the stone wall in the pasture to
pick blackberries." answered Katie. "I
saw some nice ones up there this morn
ing, when I was chasing the rooster,
and I thought mother would like some
for supper."
"Very well," said Hannah ; "but
don't stay the whole afternoon, for
you've all these dish-towels to hem,
though there's dj telling if we'll use
em, since vvc'ii be in the poor house
after Monday.
The afternoon sun shone full on the
blackberry bushes, and Katie found
picking the ripe fruit no cool task ; but
she preferred it to sitting in the house
with llannan, listening to bitter re
proaches for her refusal to take the step
which could prevent the old home
from passing into the hands of Mr.
Arle.
" Why should I have nothing, and
Bqulre Davis all the good thingB V" she
said, aloud, " Even the cool shade is
on his side of the wall 1"
She was interrupted in her rebellious
reflections by the sudden appearance of
Hannah, almost out of breath from run
ning.
" Katie," she said, "come home at
once, Squire Davis is waiting to see
you."
" Oh, Hannah, I can't go ! I don't
want to see him!"
" Katie Derwent you ought to be
ashamed of yourself," cried Hannah,
loudly. "Squire Davis is rich, a mem
uer or cuurcti, ana a man any woman
might be glad to marry."
" But he is so old, Hannah, and I am
only seventeen."
" Pshaw ! what does that matter V
You will see us thrown on the charity
of our friends, robbed of home, and its
comforts, rather than make a trifling
sacrifice. You can't have much love
for your poor, sick mother or little
brother. Squire Davis would pay off
the mortgage at once if you would only
promise to marry him. Come, Katie,
don't be so stubborn."
"I'm not stubborn, Hannah. I would
do almost anything for mother and
Paul, but, oh I let me have a little more
time. I will think of it-I will indeed
Tell the squire to come to-morrow, and
I'll give him my answer."
"Do you suppose he will submit to
such treatment " demanded Hannah
" Tell to come and go at your fanoy
You promised last Sunday to give him
an answer to-day."
"But I can't, Hannah; no I can't
to-day. You can tell him anything you
like, but I won't see him to-day."
" Then I'll tell him I couldn't find
you," said the wily Hannah. "If I
should tell him you had refused to come
he would Buspect something."
Katie waited uutli her sister's gaunt
figure had disappeared over the rising
ground, and then, throwing herself
down by the blaokberry bushes, burst
into tears.
"I suppose I must do it," she moaned.
" No, you mustn't," said a very sym
pathetic voice, and looking up Katie
eBpled, to her astonishment, her ac
quaintance of the mornlng,slttlng above
her on the stone wall. He was hand
somely dressed now In a suit of gray
tweed, and looked undeniably a geu-
tleman.
" Were you listening V" she demand
ed, sitting up, the tears still lingering on
her long, curling eyelashes.
Yes, I was," was the frank reply.
" You see, I grew tired of work, so I left
the squire's employ put on my Sunday
clothes and strolled out. I was lying
down in the shade of the wall, dozing
and had Just become aware of your
presence on the other side when your
sister came. Of course I could not then
declare my proximity without embar
rassing you both, so I waited."
" You don't seem to think you are
embarrassing me now," Bald Katie,
wondering why his black eyes sparkled
so mlschlevlously.
"Am IV" very cooly. "Well, I am
very sorry, (still you don't look very
much overcome with confusion."
"Appearances are deceitful sometimes"
said Katie, rising to her feet.
" True; you will have cause to remem
ber that later. Now, take a little advice
iu return for that you gave me this
morning. Don't let your sister persuade
you to marry the squire. You are far
too young to take the position of step
mother to his five children."
" But if I don't marry him we can't
keep the farm. No one else will lend us
the money to pay off the mortgage.
Oh, how I hate that Mr. Arle 1"
The young man smiled.
" Something tells me that all will
come out right in the end," he said.
" Wait a little while and see if I am not
correct In my prophecy."
" You are very kind, I'm sure, to take
such an Interest in me," said Katie. " I
thank you very much ; and now good.
bye I feel too badly to stay out in this
hot sun any longer," and picking up
her pall of berries she walked away, the
young man watching her until she was
lost to sight over the rising ground of
the clover, field.
Katie's heart felt lighter, though she
could scarcely tell why, and she crept
up the back stairs to her own room
unnoticed by Hannah, and bathed her
red eyes. Then, feeling much refreshed,
sne threw nerseir on ner bed and was
soon asleep, completely worn out by the
excitement of the day.
She was awakened by the sound of
voices in the parlor below, and curious
to know who the visitor could be, she
smoothed her hair and went down
stairs.
The parlor door stood half open, and
she advanced as far as the threshold.
but no further, for to her infinite amaze
ment she saw, seated on the sofa in easy
conversation with her mother, the
young man whom she had left two
hours previously by the stone wall in
the clover field.
' Katie, this is Mr. Arle," said Mrs,
Derwent; "and he has been so kind
as to offer to let us keep the farm at a
small rent. Come and thank him."
But Katie did not stir in obedience to
her mother's command. She gazed at
Mr. Arle a moment as if petrified with
amazement, and then turning, fled
slamming the door behind her.
" Forgive her rudeness, Mr. Arle,"
murmured the proper Hannah. " She
is only a child, and does not know how
to behave."
George Arle smiled, but said nothing,
understanding better than Hannah
Katie's strange conduct.
Katie was standing under the apple
tree by the gate In the front garden
when George Arle came out of the house
and she waited for him.
"forgive me," sue said, as He came
close to her. " I did not know. I tho't
you were really"
"The squire's hired man," he inter
rupted. "You see that, as you said
appearances are deceitful sometimes I
borrowed that old suit from Bob Davis,
and I went to the hay field for a frolic
but I found It less fun to.toBs hay than I
had anticipated, so I went under that
old tree to lie down. I came yesterday
to the squire's to spend a few days with
Bob."
" What must you have thought of
meV" Katie faltered. "I gave you
advice and said"
" That you hated Mr. Arle. Oh, I
don't bear you any grudge. I am very
glad you did not know to whom you
were speaking, for, had you known, I
should not probably have learned what
my agent was about. I did not even
know that the mortgage was due ; or, if
be told me of it, I had forgotten it. But
it Is all right now, and there Is no reason
whatever that you should marry ihe
squire," with a merry laugh.
Then lie went away, and left Katie
with a radiant face and a very Unlit
heart, standing by the gate.
When the squire came the next day
for his answer he received it from Katie,
herself, and it was very decidedly In the
negative.
Disappointed and chagrined, the elder
ly lover went home to pour the story
of his sorrows into the ears ot his guest,
George Arle, who sincerely advised him
to transfer his affections from his child
ish Katie to the practical Hannah, who
was In every way fitted to rule his house
with judgment and economy.
The squire's thoughts were driven
Into a new channel, and he was not
slow to see the soundness of the advice
offered him.
The result was, that three months had
scarcely elapsed before Hannah was
installed mistress.of the Davis house
hold, she having no scruples on the
score of her admirer's advanced years
The three months had not proved
uneventful to Katie, who received calls
from George Arle whenever he could
spare a day from his business In the city.
Stundlng together one evening in late
October under the old apple tree by the
gate, the young man suddenly took in
his both the small brown hands of his
blushing companion.
" Katie," he said, trying to look into
the blue eyes which were persistently
averted, "tell me, dearest, do you still
hate that Mr. Ale V"
There was no answer, and George
raised with one hand the dimpled chin
until he could at last see into the sky
blue eyes. What answer to this question
he read there, he could best tell ; but it
must have been the one he wanted, for
soon after there was a quiet wedding In
the village church where Katie had
worshipped since her childhood, and the
blushing girl became the wife of him
she had once mistaken for the squire's
hired man.
Before they left the village George
Arle placed in his bride's hands a deed
of the old farm, with the remark :
"Give it to your mother, Katie. It
win ue a guc wniou cannot rail to re
mind her pleasantly of the little girl
who persuaded the squire's hired man
to help chaBe the rooster, and in so
doing sealed her fate forever. That old
gray rooster little knew how he would
help us to a life together by running
into that clover field bless him!"
She thought it a " blessed mistake"
now.-
- -
Joking the Lawyer.
GOOD-NATURED Grlswold street
. lawyer left his office unoccupied for
an hour about two o'clock one hot
afternoon, and some of the jokers in the
block went in and built up a rousing hot
fire in his coal stove.. He came back
with his hat in his hand and almost
dead with the heat, and was met on the
stairs by a lawyer who said :
" This is the hottest yet. The ther
mometer in my room marks 120 de-
grees."
uon't seem, possible, though it's a
scorcher," replied the other as be went
on to his room.
He threw down his bat, took off his
coat, and began fanning himself; but
the harder he fanned the hotter he grew.
Two or three lawyers came in and spoke
about how cool his room was compared
to theirs, and were greatly puzzled to
account for it. Several offers were made
him to change rooms, and pretty soon
he became ashamed of being so over
heated and sat down to his table. In
five minutes his shirt collar fell flat,
and in ten he hadn't any starch in his
shirt. The perspiration ran down in
every direction, and he seemed to be
boiling, when one of his friends looked
in and remarked :
"Ah, old boy, I envy you. You've
got the coolest room in the block."
" Say," said the lawyer, as he stag.
gered to the door, " I'm going home. I
never felt so queer in all my life. While
I know that the room is cool and, airy,
I'm so baked and boiled that I can't
lift my hand. One drink of brandy
wouldn't act that way on a man would
it V"
" That's just it," whispered the other.
" Branny always acts that way, especi
ally if you drink alone. You ought to
have known better."
"Boinaa soi naa. uon't say a
word to the boys I'll make it all rlitht.
I thought something must all me, and I
was a little afraid I was going to be sent
for. I'm glad it's nothing serious I'll
be back In about two hours."
Mrs. Partington says
don't take any of the quack rostrums.
as they are regimental to the human sis.
era ; but put your trust in iiop Hitters.
which will cure general dilapidation,
costive bauits ana an comio aiseases.-
They saved Isaao from a severe ex tact
of tripod fever. They are the neph
unutn or meuicines. Jtsottton utooe. 4a 2t
. O" Health, hope and happiness are
restored by the use of Lydia E. Pink
ham's Vegetable Compound. It is a
positive cure for all those diseases from
which women sutler so much. Bend to I
Mrs. Lydia E. Plnkharu, 233 Western
Avenue, for pamphlets.
jyUSSER & ALLEN
CENTRAL STORE
NEWroitT, PENN'A.
Now offer the puullo
HARK AND ELEGANT ASSORTMENT Of
DRESS GOODS
Consisting at all shades suitable for the season
BLACK ALPACCA8
AND
Mourning Goods
A SPECIALITY.
BLEACHED AND UNBLEACHED
MUSLINB,
AT VARIOUS PRICES.
AN ENUr.ES3 8EM!CTION OF PBINTS'
We sell and do keep a good quality ot
SUGARS, COFFEES & SYRUPS
And everything under the head ot
GROCERIES 1
Machine. Needles and oil for all makes ot
Machines.
To be oonvinoed that our goods are
CHEAP AS THE CHEAPEST,
IS TO CALL AND EXAMINE HTOCK.
W No trouble to show goods.
Don't forget the
CENTRAL STORE,
Newport, Perry County, Pa.
NOTICE !
rjMlE undersigned would
respectfully cull the
A. attention of
the citizens of Perrv nnnntv
that he has a large and well selected stock ot
HARDWARE,
UKOOKKfES,
DHUdH.
WINES & LIQUORS,
IRON.
NAILS,
HORSE and MULE SHOES,
STEEL.
IRON AXLES,
SPRINGS,
' SPOKES,
HUBS,
FELLOES.
SHAFTS.
POLES & BOWS,
BROOM HANDLES.
WIRE,
TWINES, &o. '
Also,
Paints, Oils, Olnss, Plaster,
and Cement
HOLE, CALF, KIP and UPPER LEAT1IEB,
FISH. SALT, 8UOAR8, SYRUPS. TEA8.8PICES,
lUBAiiUU, uiUAits, ana BMli.il CUAL.
John Lucas &Co's..
MIXED rAIXTS,
(ready for use.)
The best Is the CHEAPEST.
And a lareevarletvof rood not mentioned.
allot which were bought at the Lowest Cash
Prices, and he oners the same to his Patrons at
the Very Lowest Prices for Cash or approved
trade. Ills motto Low prices, and Fair dealing
to all. Go and see him.
.Respectfully,
8. M. 8HCLER.
Liverpool, Perry Co. Pa.
FOUTZ'S
HORSE AND CATTLE POWDERS
F0UT2
FOUTZ
Will euro or prevent DlmM,
Vo nouns will die of Couo, Bora or Lou Fa-.
tea, If ynutz't Powderaare needlntlme.
FoaU'ePowriari will cur end prevent Hoo Cffoun
Fonts'! Powders will preront Gafbs iw Fowls.
Fouti Powclcrt will Inrreiwe the qnnntllr of mil
and cream twenty per cent, sod make the tratter firm
end sweet.
Foatz'e Powders will rare or prevent eimoet kvcbt
Diiiasi to which llunioe end C'Mtlo ere nlijcct.
FooTz'e PnniiEu will airs Satisfaction.
Bold everywhere.
DAVID E. rOUTZ, Proprietor,
BAITIMO&JC, Kd.
-For Sale by 8. B. Smith, New Bloomfietrf.
Perry Con nty. Pa. ly
if voa ere a
of buslDe.weeA-I
etted by the atrela of
tentoiiixutcn
vnur dntlM avoid I
Bight work, to rec
tor bnUn nerve ukd
etimnlantsaBd use
Hop Bitter.
If von ere yoantr and
eMecretkiu or dtalpe.
lied or euie-te, old or
poor health or uuwulsh
Beee, rely on Hop
wU. OM Hop
rafferfo from may te
Hod i it yon are mar
yottikjr, muterlag from
in on a bed of ttufr
Bitter.
Whoever yon are.
whenever yoa feel
tee your evetout
Beede deeming, tor
lu or etUnuietliMr,
without intoarioattng.
Thousands ate an
froAlij from eome
form of JC ldnv
dlseaee that might
have been prevented
by a timely am of
ieee nop
Ittors.
nopmrciara
or urimarifoom
pLiint, iLlmwi
rxu o.
( an ahaolnta
land IrreaiMa
i bi e a r e for
Jmknneee,
)um of opium.
hvtror nnvmi
Tbi vlll ke
eared itjooumt
iopiooo, or
nrjottea
Sold by drmr
trtsta. Head tur
Circular.
op mm
HOP B.ttATS
Ifyoaaretlm
pry wsk awl
lovnilrtUMleiry
it I it may
av your
I Iff. It has
saved hurt
Srada A Tweeto, Ool
iilHHIHMffllflULi
November 9, Itww-K
A Large Farm for Sale.
A GOOD FARM OF ABOUT THREE Hl'N
UKhl) ACKEtl niortt or Ires, in Perry
County, Pa., hevlly t with Plna, White Oak.
aud Hook Oak Timber. te.etiir with choice
fruits. Mountain water conveyed Id pipes to the
door of the dwelling.
ts. For further particular call at this office.
Augut 10, matt
1
t NEVER
1 FAIL
Ui