The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-02-26


dog, and the animal darted down bye
street. l led Augusta into a shop, and
went to look for her favorite. l saw it
enter the open door of poor=lookinp
house. While il stood on the threshold
L caught it and, ,ias / glanced in I saw
you, dear girl, sitting by a poor six wo-
man, whose child MAS lii your attns. Willie
yotir maid was emptying a heavy basket
OF provisions for this poor family. That
sight was beatift} to me, Mary. had
always thought highly of you-from that
moment have loved you dcvotedlv. |
repeat this little incident to show Won that
1t is for your woSth-your goodness, dear
Mary, that | love you-not merely for
your matchless beauty. May Ihope, tlea-
rest girl, that you viii ever return my love9"
-, Marys eyes we,e bent on the ground
The deep astonishnent she felt overcame
every other feeling during the first few
minutes. At last she spoke and owned
she never considered him in the light of
= lover before.
"Thcn will not press You to answer
me now, dearest Mary" said the Young
man, rising; but Mary vcnturcd to dctain
hlm, geutly. Il have always had very
high opinion of you" said she; and then
words tiilcd her again.
Mary, my own Mary ! soc | am ac-
cepted," cried the lover, claspine her hand:
you love me, and | am the happicst of
menw
There was short pause, and he spoke
again.
"Some fancy, l find that entertained
regard for your sister. Iknow not why
such an idea exists. Augusta can tell
you, that have never given report any
reason to say so. You were the object of
my frequent visits, Mary though | find
you were unconscious of it. But YOU
Know me now, dcarcst, Tomorrow will
wait upon Your father : and HOW will
leave you" he added, observing that Ma
ry seemed agitated. The next minute he
took small case out of his pocket, from
which he drew n superb diamond ring.
and placed it upon Mary's wedding finger.
" Wear this, dear Mary. ".said he until
the happy day arrives o. %hich | NAV
change it for plain onels j GIe then took
leave. rs. X
One, two, three hours bhs,.'.l, and still
Mary sat on the sofa her booy had fallen
tr"m her hand, and her w9t sas untou-
chcd on tho table. !. Marys bright eyes
were fixed on her finger; and there spar
k,cd rs pretty rs any lady elcI wished to
have--c%cept wedding ring. Certainly
Mary hal suddcnJt .cbanged from an in
dustrious little lady to u very lazy one;
for there she st, almost without moving
until a loud rap ;nnounccd the return of
the play-gocrs. AGGusta sauntered in,
and flung herself langmily on the sofa,
" dreadtully tatigucd"
$50 to bed, Gussy; goto bol," said the
father; "and Mary, too, 90 to bed, my
child Why, my Polly, how your eyes
sparkle. The heads better, isn't it 2"
"Much better, thank you, father" said
Mary, quietly.
"That's right-that's right" said Mr..
Miles, strokihg her hair, "has any one
been, here dear"
No one, father, except Sir John Clare"
Mary owned much to the lamp here,
for, surely, if that lamp had not burnt
dim, father and brother would have won
dered why Mary's white neck and forehead
burned the colour of her cheeks.
"Dear me-" said Augusta, yawning,
" has Sir John been hers! | Thought he
knew we were all Mt the theatre. We'll, |
it is IA good thing he did not follow us, for
what with Henry Mercer, and Saunders,
and Fitzgerald, and that friend of yours,
Alfred, our box was full; besides, he is
such bore" With this edifying speech
our fiirt followed her sister upstairs.