The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-05-13

smuggle in n word without reproof And in
all humility, think my little addition had as
much to do with bringing Miss Eustace as
your own admirable letter.
You are very impairment" said Agnes |
II dare say you are right, however. But why |
all this concealment and underhand work :
| Why not be engaged at once and say 80 ?'
True enough, Miss Agnes. should have |
highly approved that course, myself But Miss |
Eustace has a venerable grandfather--don |
look so deprecating, Mary; am not going to |
be disrespectful-who as decidedly disapproved |
IT. and not only that but the whole matter Of |
our being engaged at ALL
But | can't see the reason of that" said |
Agnes. al always considered you what is |
called in society "a strictly eligible match'r
81 am exceedingly fattered But in this
case the question did not turn at all upon my |
personal eligibility. The difficulty lay in the |
existence OF hopeful young nephew and pro |
tege OF MIR Eustace, who was in fair way to |
be ruined, unless somebody took him in hand |
10 Mary, accordingly, was to belong the in |
teresting task of tanning reforming, guiding |
and marrying him and then the old mans |
property was to descend to them, undivided A |
delightful plan, was it not?
The old tyrant! > cried Agnes Indignantly |
Mary Eustace, if you ever submitted to all
that give you up
. Not to all that continued Decker. "She |
told her grandfather that she could not con-
sent to marry his nephew, but that she would
so iar comply with his wishes as to remain free
tor the present Mr.. Eustace indulging some
iancliul hope that the young mans charms
might in time make an impression upon her
| was therefore discarded, and forbidden to
visit at the house, or to address any more let
ters to Miss Eustace. Nothing was said about
accidental meetings at Levison Lodge or slip
ping postscripts into other peoples letters
And now, what took you so suddenly to the
city," pursued Agnes
The news that Mary's amiable sutton instead
of pinng under her neglect had taken affairs
into his own hands, and was consoling himself
with the ready smiles of Miss sullivan
"And that Lawrence Morgan is your cousin,
Mary" cried Agnes, beginning to see day
light "Well, go on"
~ hurried off to the city, had an interview
with MIR. Eustace, and found him full of indig-
nation and disappointment at the step Law
renee had taken, but no longer ill-disposed
toward me. In short obtained his consent,
and now Mary's flial submission being out of
the way what remained was not difficult or,
rather, the rest of the battle I had fought some
months before. 1t was hard enough in the
time of it, he added looking laughingly back
at MISS Eustace.
what traitors you have been in the midst
of us, and 80 unsuspecting through the whole |!
You might well make that promise the first
night you came, you artful Mary Eustace
Did she tell you that, MIR. Decker That she
would not judge of you by that evenings ex-
perience alone "
Decker laughed and said he had heard of it.
Eyes, I'll warrant you had many u good
talk when none of us were suspecting, and
} perhaps wearying myself out with trying to
} make you decently civil to one another"
Not so many as you might think, Miss
, Agnes. Mary was very cruel, and held me
strictly to the rule Of friends, and only
friends But | acknowledge we sometimes
amused ourselves little at your misapprehen-
sions about u.s."
"That was downright treachery for you
were carefully fostering them all the time Do
you remember that morning ride, when you
provoked me by talking 80 shghtingly of Mary's
l. eyes?
= Il do recall some nonsense of that sortn re-
piled Decker, "but remember the ride home
1t more distinctly Poor Mary and delayed, to
& talk awhile in the park, and had a world OF
l. trouble afterwards, in accounting to you fol-
N the time we spent there. Oh, we were the
If true victims Miss Agnes"
"But after all, Mary, why could not you
d just have made a confdante of me 90
Because dear Agnes" said Mary, "your
Q enthusiastic, romantic interest in our troubles
would have been my worst assistant in the
t hard task of keeping quiet and submissive
heart. Perhaps was wrong in coming here
j. Mt oil, under the circumstances, but ! believed
o myself able to enjoy Mr.. Deckers society
I without reference to the past or future"
8 "By the way said Agnes, suddenly, does
Nd. I.,n, hail au nf hr St,tE
v van ~
8 81 have that pleasure" replied Mr.. Decker
at was a glimpse of his handsome figure
emerging from the wood, that first set me
! the right track for finding you. He was look
/ ing very tired and miserable, | saw, as came
up to him. and said he had been searching
/ above an hour for Miss Leyison, with no sue
cesso
"Poor fellow /" said Agnes at is really
too bad when he performed his task of adorn-
ing Miss Eustace 30 tasteiully"
81 encouraged him to believe that Miss
Levison had not come to any untmely end but
would appear in her own good time. ] recon-
mended him very strongly, however, to return
to the Lodge, and bring back the wagon, as she
would probably be much fatgued after her
wanderings had very little idea Of persua-
ding him to 20 but he il really good-natured
dog beg your pardon, Miss Agnes ] mean
to say, a benevolent member of society,"
"No one can say that of you, at all events"
said Agnes
Mr.. Heath had been sitting very quietly by
himself watching the play of Agness earnest
face, through all this exciting dialogue. He
now reminded the party that it was already
past sunset, and proposed that they should find
their way back to the road. He gave his arm
to Agnes and guiding her footsteps through
the darkening wood, listened TO the happy out
flow of her heart, in the unexpected fulfilment
of her wishes for the lovers, who were follow
ing close behind them.
On reaching the road, Sam and the wagon
were discovered in waiting but no Mr. Sulli-
van was with them. His afternoons expert
ence had not been agreeable enough 10 tempt
him back and as they drove past Mrs. Cor
nel's they saw him sitting in the porch with
the fair Anna Thorston. Agnes looked at
them, and hoped he would prove as consolable
as his new brother-in-law, Lawrence Morgan
"And Mary" said Agnes just before drop
ping asleep that night, at the end of long
talk, of which Rodney Decker was the theme
81 am very happy, too, and Mr.. Heath and
are good friends again but you must not ask
me any more about it, please because ought
not to tell you"
FLOWERS BLOOMING ARrIyIcIALLy.-Some
weeks ago, II curious experiment was made at
Paris, by Mr.. Herbert in the presence Of n
select audience, including several reporters Of
the press A canvass awning had been put
up near the Boulevard, and flower garden
prepared inside, and planted with Lilies
Chrysantbemums, Africans, Dahlias, Thyme
Laurels, Roses, Suniiowers, Daisies and Asters
All these plants were covered with buds which
would have required at least q fortnight to