Blue hen's chicken. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1848-1854, 1852-04-23
wILAG1NeroN DELAWARE. FRIDAY, APRIL as, 1882

of the low silver lonea--'Who is he =
"A college friend u mine, Mr.. ST. JOHN,
said Harry.
Does he talk as wdl as he dresses =
| did not hear the arfwer, hut moment afie
the manager capped lbs hands for cotillons, ant
Harry came to presendne.
cannot, Of course, kpeak otherwise than il
general terms of my Tiogress in my partners
lavor. bad the Advantage Of having read he
letters for four years, and kuew every tra
and tasie she possessef, both natural and ac
quired, and my knowledge of her character mus
have seemed like iniuiEon. | could quote al
her iavofite authors, AM remembered her owr
quotations. and did mol tail, Of course TO intro
duce them-and the similarity Of tasle seemed
wonderful. We went aut on the piazz after The
first dance, and paced if dim-ightsi length un
Ill the ball was over-lour glorious hours J.
And we parted at two syery good friends Ger
anly.
had my name entere upon The book as Mr.
81. John. | gave Philhe cue, (he was very
near betraying me twesey times day. and NJ
one else knew ne. Tie veritable Mr.. R.
(llarry made his regrets to his sister, was sup
posed to he sick in his room, overheaed with
travel. Gertrude said Pn my ear, she was moi
sorfy-for she had seen him, and, spite Of Har-
fy's eulogies, he was the pgliest man she ever
Isaw.' pulled up myisills and hemmed in.
s'inctively at The assertion.
.F*
Some six weeks after this was standing be-
hind sofa on which was seated the lady ol
whom have spoken Il was a fine October
Ilay, clear, and Of delicious GOODNESS, and she
had stopped at the end or sh ort canto 10 look
out through the low long windows upon the
beautiful lawn-indulginq, apparently some un
bidden thought. Stood, silently looking dowr
upon her pllisl ed forehead. and musing with {
Trembling pleasure on her excessive beauty and
her noble mind unwilling 10 break The charu
either Of her thoughts or my own. Harry en-
tered with letter, and without looking at the
superscipton, she thanked, him, and was qui
lely slipping il ulsdsr ses-Asa, sa.hs.-read ndlei
sure, when he laid his finger upon her hand ant
begged her with an equivocai smile to attend I,
i Immediately. had stepped back to the ex
RENE corner of the room as she broke the seal
land while she read it., stood pulling TO pieces 1
splendid exotic which had ust been brough
from the greenhouse, the most valued fowe.
she had.
How could he presune-' al.
But my dear Gertrude .l llt
1t was only by fragments that caught the
earnest conversation between taem. For ten oil
fifteen minutes stood in agony. At last they
seemed 70 agree, and Harry called to me.
'st. john you shall decide. Gertrude refers
1t to you. Here is my old friend MIR. R
man whom ! have known like a brother fol
Yeas, and whose character and good qualities
thoroughly know. He wrqe 10 Gertrude when
we were in college together, and she to him
like brother and sister, and though they have
never been iarly inlroducd, they areas well
acquainted with each others character as ste
and yourself. On the strength Of my interest
and this acquaintance, :, he romlniicaly enough
offers himself to her in this eller. He is rich,
OF leading family, and my best friend, and yet
she calls his generous oifet imperiinence, and
will not even answer the lftter unless you de.
eide against her. HI
An indignant tear stood IN the dark eye that