The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-09-15
HHEBAfhF GAZETTE.
1 CSyVRlSiTI0X, 40 WAT cam OPIf.
~ cLtaA SIDNEY.

AceyvRlSAfl0N, 40 WHAT CANE efn.
~ cL,aA SIDNEY.
Why, in the name II al that's curious
May Benton, have you ncvcrgct married. !"
This question was asked BY gentleman
some thirty-ffve oe six years Il age, wiz
had been for nearly twenty minutes clcscly
watching the motions Of q lady who sat nea,
him 1t = work table.
The gentleman was Ono, noble-lookine
man, with frank, well formed features and
pleasant expecssion Hc was Handsomely
dressed, and. 60 judge by the looks Of hls
hair, you might have said that be had vile
had he looked in Other respects like married
man---which be did not.
The room in which the two were sitting
bctokened wealth and taste. Its occupants
were evidently in tho upper ranks Of life.
The lady addressed was person IL lair,
,ntcrrssing iace, and graceful form She
certainly did look remarkably well, as she
bent her head with its abundant and shin.
ing hair, and piled her white hands in the
task which employed her sight anu appar-
entity her whole thought
Probably conviction of her attractive
ness and worth had caused the question
which her compnion put in such hearty,
abrupt toae, that May started and dropped
the red worsted work upon which she had
been intent
What a question, she cried, with a
light laugh" just as If cared about being
married Il
why should you not care, May ? Sure
" 1t is the bit and happicst state for man
or woman
Granted wtL psov,.o, sa.j May !,
but, Mr. Roster, IL you think 70, why
have YOU never married r.
You are true Yankee, May, and an
swcr question BY asking another; but tell
me, now, why you are at thirty years Of age
still single ~
odd Upon my word, il you were not broth
er {" my sister-in.law Id not speak to YOU
! again for week
NAY pretended b. pou, and the Iout
was quite becoming Ia bet inil arched lips.
| Didn't You yourself tell me Your age,
AMI only Ga, day before yesterday iour
memcrv seems very short, MisS Benton.
We'll, didn't expect You was going To
throw IL up 10 me that was an Old maid
| to pay inc Tor my confidence in you
oh May--did | say that 9--aAd II |
did you can break my glass houscn by
| fiinging back my very taunt But come
now, do answer my question
| never could get any one Ia have me,
said May, shortly Are YOU satisfied ~
No. lon nccd not tell mc that a per
son 80 interesting and attractive as vnu are
has never vet had ardent lover / know
better, May-so tell me truly why you are
| not Mrs. Somebody, now ri
May suddenly sobercd down sad SAID,
ncrvously-s It's because M man whose
love could return ever loved me"
And she resumed her work.
How her face ha ! altered There haa
come over IL stern, hard expression. &C IL
che were saying, inwardiy--
at matters mott can wrestlc down
these yearnings for something worthy and
noble, and true and strong, against which
To lean; for something winning. and tender,
and loving. which t. lore. II there i no
heart on earth whose best lore u the love
want can do without it'll can walk To the
end Of life as have walked thus far"
Rossitcr regarded her in long silence
lie had known her for many years, and had
often wondered at her great indifference to
tine attentions 81 gentlemen He had even,
IN more than one occasion, taken her 20
task FOR her manner towards them.
"iou won't allow them 10 become &C.
quain,ed with you At all, he said When
you are introduced to A man, that's the last
u it, All the young inen admire, but they
are afraid Of you. You chill them to death
| heard ono man say that hc thought you
beautiful ard interesting creature; but thou
| he would as soon undertake to warm an ice.
berg A. yoursclf-cvcn il he had courage
enough to make the attempt
A skcptical smile had been the only an
swer to such questions.
How could May believe that she was ca.
pable Of inspiring affection In others when
those who knew her best were So lightly
touched by it.
Rooster had been for three or four years
absent, and had newly returned when the
conversation took place. lie was comiort-
able old hachslor, happy in disposition hap
py in possessing an independent fortune
and happy in his sisters home-not On say
happy in the companionship Of May, whom
he honestly believed To he about the best
| and most lovely girl in the world. lie had
once dearly loved and suddenly lost fair,
promised bride; and never since had he al.
lowed himself 10 think ofloving And, be-
sides, be- didn't know a. be- wished 10 marry.
lie WAS well satisfied with las " state and
condition lac was at homo TO be
sure he did feel uneasy and dissatisfied all
| the while he We abroad. Nobody's com
pany seemed to Eli the void in his heart.
lie did not miss has sister so--and May
| oh how glad no was 10 ace them when he
rcturned--and how strange be thought il
was that MAY didn't rush at him in the hall
and hug and kiss him just as h- sister did
but Le took full satisfaction Of the contrary
creature when she did come 10 welcome
him.
And so May lsn't married yet, he sad
L" well IL . rather too bad but am glad Of
it,
May came very near sigLing, but she
didn't-at least not andibly. How many
still-born sighs there arc in the world.
Il Is well Il is no crime 20 smother them
at their birth
Well, Roster sat studying that still,
stern face before him, and he thought new
thougLts--new as to their present rela-
tons.
May he said al length May, was
ever there man that yoa could have loved
had he asked j, r.
Like n crimson dye, up rose the hot
blood Of that bowed laec, and the hard look
| was burnt out on an instant--bat she only
aid, not lifting her head or eyes
lAai you have no right to AK
II have NO need to ask, dear May For
give me, if mistake, hut feel as Il had
been favored by revelation of-of--that
have been . blind and stupid fellow ~ ever
lived. May, IL a man whom you regarded
rs yoa do The plain old fellow be4cre you,
were In ssk for your love, what would you
say r
"Ae=,n SAID May, drorlahg her head till
her face was Ind among the worstcd
Will YOU have mc7'' cred Roz.,t-r
sprigning up, and overseeing his chair
Yea said . voice from the worstcd
depth.
| Rossstcr was on his knees, and most fer
vently embracing chair, wosstcd and woman.
Mary me Will you marry me 2" said