Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-12-23

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over paltry dance, and as worthless
man. Come, Clara, for our dear loves SAX
give it up, and will drive you and Mrs
Hebbert to Malvern tomorrow to spend ,
long day with my mother you will have al
adequate excuse then, my love, if you need
Il it, egasI s4t sstfrslrg - Et f
4 Don't give yourself the trouble of find
Ing an excuse, beg,, Mr.. Cravern,' sale
!. Clara, as she saw in his words symptoms oi
the strong affection on which she delighted
to play. q shall not require it. l promis.
ed to dance the Cellarius with Mr.. George
Grey, and mean to do it, aaa ssalg
i sNot if forbid it?' J11s7sa gat 20 gaG
i yes, even then.' n3se t er
'Clara, do not 60 too far, you will make
me think you care more than you ought for
that man. sia Ht 4n atsal1e
Perhaps you might be further wrong
'Do you want to drive me mad but YOU
say it to torment mel know you do.'
positive assertions are often wrong, said
she, coolly. ss11
rake care, Clara, you may try your pow.
er too far. l cannot bear this long
syou please Il am Indifferent,
you will be sorry for this, Clara--I warn
you.' ...5s s.... ....s.s ~
'We shall see,' and she hummed the An
nan Polka. ..Fs s-#H .s5sss
At this unlucky moment Mr.. Grev rode
up, aud dismounting from his horse, hung
his bride over bis arm, AMI walked beside
them. Clara's evil star was in the ascend.
ant, and she exclaimed, after the first greet.
ing HaA Il .hsH Na3 as5 Dfas#i
Emily Chambers tells me we are to have
Haywood's band to- morrow and tive new
polkas that she has got expressly from Lon
don; is it not delightful? p HE"a@d
you are going, then? l was half afraid
last night you would not
sOf course. My errand into town to day
was to order u bouquet, but to nv great
annoyance, | find all the flowers are be-
spoken , IA, 9a .a.s..g
'Wlll you leave it to me p asked GREY
eagerly. Il can get you some.
Clara looked through her ringlets at Mr..
Craven. who walked beside her and she sa
by the angry expression upon his face, how
much he was annoyed, and the power to do
SO called up the demon of coquetry in her
heart s3#A ~-. Ga 34aE : a5.# Eaa.
'Thank you, if you willitake the trouble
but remember, shall depend upon Them
'They shall be on your dressing table by
sixo clock to morrow evening. Will that
do % .eaA
They were now at the garden gate Ct
Clara's house, and opening it Mr.. Craven
said, in voice almost inaudable with emo
tion. 81
'Wi!l you allow me to speak to YOU for n
moment, Clara? Mr.. Grey will excuse you.'
ooh, certainly replied MIR. Grey, leading
his horse on the path to tie him up.
Clara passed into the shrubbery, and Mr..
Craven followed. 4
'Upon my word this is very strange
lecture, suppose She tried to appear un-
concerned, but her voice trembled.
'No, for once you are mis- taken. do not
take the liberty of lecturing you, but must
honestly tell you, that if you value my hap
piness and respect so little as to, go to this
ball to o.morroA, all must be over between
US forever. You cannot guess, Clara, what
it costs me to say this, but must be reso
lutte; if you prize dance and that man
more than me, take them. You cannot
have both; but, oh, dearest, for the memory
of the past happy days, have mercy on us
both and act wisely.'
He tried to take her hand, but she repul.
sed him, and in five minutes he had left the
garden, while Clara and George Grey walked
together to the house.
Her mot ler had friends that evening, and
it was remarked that never before had her
voice sounded so clearly, her laugh so CAV
nor her dancing so joyous, She seemed in
a fever of delight, but her mother, who
watched her carefully, saw that whenever
she was for moment quiet, large tears
were gathered in her eyes, and she knew
that the spirits of her child were forced
too well she was aware of the plaques spot
in Clara's character, and Mr.. Craven's alb
sence, her return, accompanied by his great
aversion, Mr.. Grey, told her all that had
happened. aa ,gaa
The room was deserted Mrs. Hebbert had
parted with the last of her guests, and re-
turned into the drawing -room to find Clara
lying upon the sofa, her face buried in its
cushions. She sat down beside her, and
making no allusion to her tears, said,
sSince you came in Clara, have heard
very distressing news She looked eagerly
up. mo, love, not that you fear, but still
very sad. The evenings post has brought
letter from Doctor Connolly he says,your
poor Aunt Honor is dying
Dying? Did you know she was i'll p
sNo, not more so than usual; but for the
last twenty years she has never been well,
poor creature! trust she will find mercy
and rest hereafter. II suffering could ex-
plate sin, she has surely claim for pardon
Now, mother. you have always promised
to tell me her history. wish you would
do so now, it will divert my mind, for am
not very happy tonight