For Woman's LoveSouthworth, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte
General
For Woman's Love
Southworth, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte
Fiction
The Rockharrt family--with the exception of old Aaron Rockharrt, who did
not choose to turn out that day, and Miss Rose Flowers, who stayed home
to keep him company and to wait on him--came early in their capacious
and comfortable family carriage. They had a large, square, handsomely
upholstered pew in the right-hand upper corner of the church.
When they were all quietly settled in their seats and the voluntary was
going on, the elders of the party bowed their heads to offer up their
preliminary prayers. But Cora, girl-like, looked about her, letting her
glances wander over the well-filled pews, and then up toward the
galleries. A moment later she suddenly gave a little start and
half-suppressed exclamation of delight.
Mrs. Rockharrt, who had finished her prayer, looked around in surprise
at the girl, who had committed this unusual indecorum.
"Oh, grandma, it is Rule! Rule, up there in the boys' gallery--look!"
Cora whispered, in eager delight.
The old lady raised her eyes and recognized Regulas Rothsay--but so
well grown, so well dressed, and well looking as to be hardly
recognizable, except from his strong, characteristic head and face. He
wore a neatly fitting suit of dark-blue cloth; neat woolen gloves
covered his large hands; his hair was trimmed and as nicely dressed as
such rough, tawny locks could be.
At length the beautiful service was finished, and the congregation filed
out of the church into the yard, where all immediately began shaking
hands with each other.
Presently Cora saw the youth come out of the church, look earnestly
about him until he descried her party, and then walk directly toward
her.
"Oh, Rule, I am so glad to see you! When did you get here? Why didn't
you come straight to Rockhold? Why didn't you write and tell me you were
coming?" Cora eagerly demanded, as she met him, and hurrying question
upon question before giving him time to answer the first one.
The youth raised his cap and bowed to the elder members of the party
before answering the girl. Then he said:
"I did not know that I could come until an hour before I started. I came
by the midnight express, and reached here just in time for church. I
have not seen, or I should say, I have not spoken to, any one here yet
except yourself.
"Last evening, being Friday evening, we were at work very late on our
Saturday's supplement, and a Christmas story in it. Very often we have
to work on Christmas night, if the next day is a week day; and every
Sunday night--that is, from twelve midnight, when the Sabbath ends--we
have to work to get out Monday morning's paper."
"Oh, yes; of course," said Fabian.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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