The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1858-06-17
None of your Business.
BY MARGARET VERNE.


/ was little girl of ten summers,
when heard the following story. Ii
struck me then as something quite out
of the usual routine of things, and
have treasured it in my memory fol
many years.
/ was my brothers pet, and one
evening, after his return from Europe,
when he was about to welcome to his
own home number of friends whom
he had not met for years, / begged him
to let me remain In the parlor, close
beside him. He did not refuse me and
so listened to, and enjoyed the con-
versation with him, with real childish
gusto.
"How was it, Charlie ?" asked my
brother, turning to fine-looking gentle
man, with large blue eyes, and a pleas
ing face, who sat at his right, stroking
his beard leisurely with his fingers.
"How did you win that most inexora-
BILE of all ladies, your guardians
daughter?;'
The gentleman smiled one of the
most bewitching smiles / ever beheld
and said, with some little hesitancy in
his voice and manner:
90, that was singular affair, which
though it may be very amusing to listen
to, was, nevertheless, hard to endure.
/ am not sure that it will benefit you to
hear it."
"How was it % asked my brother,
and "How was it, Mr.. Davies ?" cho-
russed in some half-dozen voices.
Since you are all my friends, and
having seen my Mabel, cannot blame
me that my love for her bordered on
frenzy, 1 will tell you how at last, every
thing was brought about to my mind.
Well, as stories have it, / was poor,
and Mabel was an heiress. / was in
love with her; but if she was with me,
she kept that love secret. She never
told me so. Consequently, my life
grew to be one prolonged misery,
though, all the while hoped against
hope.
All, but the day of all days, when
affairs came to crisis; when the dark
est hour of night gave way, making
room for the bright morning of my
love. Telling Mabel that / loved her,
had grown to be one of my daily GUS
toms, as much as that of attending
regularly, family prayers, every morn
ing, and, if remember rightly, usually
followed the mornings worship, while
we were left alone together in the sit
ting-room. So, upon that memorable
day of which l speak, 1 said, Mabel
if you will only love me / will do any.
thing in the world for you; make any
sacrifice that you may name; endangel
my life; jeopardize my health and
strength /; anything"
Mabel looked seriously at me for {
moment and then added:
/ Charles, do you realize what you
have been saying 2"
go, yes most certainly l do. Name
the way in which you wish to test my
love, and you shall find that 1 am true
I-as-as-thee eternal heavens ]"
'sWell, well, that will do. We art
to have party tomorrow night" she
commenced, seriously, will you promise
me to attend it?
| / bowed an assent.
Tomorrow forenoon" she contin
ued resting her white hand upon m,
arm, and coming up closely to my side
81 want you to make several calls fo
me. One at the r. House, one at n
Hotel, and one upon Miss Reeves a
her fathers house ON B. Street; ant
more, ! wish you to promenade for ;
considerable length of time up an(
down Broadway"
i "With all my heart, dear Mabel"
i responded, 81 see nothing disagreed
bic in that"
|. "But you have not heard me through
yet; when you have, you may protes
at once against my test as you art
pleased to term it."
"Never, never, Mabel!'
| "Well, / wish you to make this ans
wer to every person that addresses yo'
upon the street, at the hotel, or in an.
place you chance to be-"
"What," asked breathlessly.
"These words-None of your bust
nesst'
! could not speak for several mo
ments. was so astounded.
"Wil you do it % asked Mabel.