The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-02-12

their questions wrong. 4 rumor ran ina,
she was wearing the willow for Seth Tag
CART. She declined to dance, On the plea
that she must keep herself disengaged for
her duties as " bridesmaid, and, indeed, her
head ached SO she feared the motion. Ago
nized by her self consciousness, and with
too little spirit left to make head against the
reports that were going about, she could not
but perceive that Frank seemed not to re-
member her.
"Who is that lady in blue, Mr.. Handy Is
so taken up with z" she said to one OF the
party. Cynthia had always called him
''Frnnk" before, but consciousness made her
now reject the old familiarity.
"Oh that is somebody very wonderful.
Everybody else is afraid to speak to her,
She has written book. Frank seems to be
right down flirting with her, doesn't he?
declare, now he always wanted somebody out
of tho way. Nobody here was good enough
for Frank. Have you heard he has been Of.
fered professorship and is going away p
lie is going to live in the same place she
does. l shouldn't wonder at his counting
her-should you? ?"
81 don't care" said Cynthia in her heart,
"l don't care. Oh yes do. care that
he should have weighed me in the balances
so calmly this afternoon, and found me so
| unworthy that he takes back the love he Of
fered me. Has he judged me cruelty? or
am quite unworthy of bis attachment p
oh think that this morning had it in my
power to be happy all my life, when refus-
ed him Oh! how can any one compare
any other man with him! And he loved me
only to-day-aDd now, tonight, his reason
SAYS am not good enough to be his wife
and he is afraid of being unhappy with me.
Indeed, am not good enough-busI would
try to be-"
eff you would Snip it,"
1t was Frank Handy's voice. She caught
the word, and looked up eagerly. Frank
saw her, aud stopped embarrassed. He was
holding up torn fold in the dress Of his
partner in blue.
''lf | knew where to find needle and
thread,' said the authoress, with hulf look
ut the bridesmaid.
81 know. Let me sew it Up for you," said
Cynthia.
Her pride had left her. She felt humbled
t" the dust. 1t would be Il relief to do some
| thing Tor this woman-bettcr than herself
whom Frank preferred to her.
"Let me do it," she said earnestly.
''Mr. Handy, shall depend upon your
escort"
Frank Handy bowed, and the girls went
together into bedroom.
Escort ?-was it his escort to the CITY -
lie had told her he should go there. Cyn.
thia sewed up the hole in the blue dress, very
sadly and quietly.
Tho animation fo1od frou, ~ rouoo,
thoress's face, as she looked down on Cyn-
thia's quivering lip, and saw big tear fall
upon her sewing. She had heard some one
raised by Seth Taggart, and had in her heart
despised her for it; but now she felt as il
the sad, heart-broken love bestowed on him
endorsed him rs far better than he looked.
1t was a woe, however, to which she could
not openly allude. But, as Cynthia set the
last stitch in her dress, she stopped down
and kissed her. "Every sorrow has its les
son. she said, Gas every weed has drop
of honey in its cup. Blessed are they
that suck that drop, and store it for good
uses.''
She had gone, and Cynthia was let alone.
Yes, she had much to learn. This nights
experience had taught her that her career of
bellehood had run. She, who was not good
enough to keep good mans heart when
she had won it, would set herself to her new
task of self-improvement. She would have
her dear old fathers love, and live at home
and little children, too, should learn to love
her. And then, perhaps, some day, when
they both grew old. Frank Handy might,
perhaps, see that he had judged her hastily,
and not be glad AS he was now, that she had
rejected him. At least, every improvement
in her would be due to his influence, though
unseen: and SO, even in her lonely life, he
would not be altogether dissociated from
her. She sat in tho dark, with her hands
clasped tightly over her burning forehead.
She henrd voices in the passage. The par
tv was breaking up. People were beginning
to 60. Oh why had she staid alone 50 1
log! Pephaps during that hour Frank
might have changed bis mind. She had de-
prived herself of the opportunity.
She started up and hurried out umo ongst the
company. They were all getting their cloaks
and shawls on. Frank, in his great coat,
was standing impaticntly at the house door.
"Please to tell her that my buggy has come
up first" he said to solnc one, US Cynthia
presented herself in the passage.
81 am read y" said the lady in blue, pre-
senting herself.
Frank raised his hat to the company, and
took her on his arm.
"Shut up that door, said somebody.
Sand don't let the hight air into the house,
So the door closed with jar that went to
Cyntha's very heart. She turned aside and
tried to help some of the girls to find their
shawls and hoods. "Every lnssie had her
laddie," Cynthia only had no one to take her
home. She asked Tommy Chase to walk
home with her, and he said he would as soon
as he had had some more cake aud some
more supper.
Cynthia went back into the empty parlor,
and sat down by an open window looking on
the yard. She hid her face in her hands
All sorts of thoughts went singing through
her brain but the one that presented itself
oftenest was IN humble resolution that she
would try to be such II woman US Frank Han
dy wisely might have loved.
There was u stir among the vines that dra-
ped the window frame. She did not look
up. |, was the wind. She heard it sigh
She felt its warm breath nenr her check
warmer, surely, than the night wind. She
lifted her head quickly.
"Snip!" said Franks voice at her side.-
1t trembled; and he trembled as he stood
with great hope and a great fear conten-
ding in his breast. His self. possession
was all gone. The struggle had unnerved
HIM.
sob! Snapr' cried Cynthia suddenly
And then, dropping her head, crowned with
the hop bells, lower and lower-more and
more humbly, till it rested on the window
sill--she said, in broken voice, 81 know
am not worthy, Frank but you must teach
me-"
"HOLD on DAR."
The Piqua Register, which is edited by
S. G. Writer, Foreman of the Telescope
formerly, has the following in a recent is
sue which We suppose to be perfectly rcli-
able:
"Quite revival is now in progress nt the
African Church in this city. We were pres
ent few evenings since, and witnessed, with
much qualification, their earnest devotion in
the rnud cause. AL Seem cd To feel tha naal