Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-04-06
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A LITTLE HARMLEss FLIRrAr1oN.

looked at
BY the fire, in his easy chair, sat DR.. Bould-
ing; seated on a low stool at his feet, her
check resting on his knee, was Louisa. There
had been little gentle Gliding on the part of
the doctor, apparently for a tear stole from
each blue eye down the young girls rosy
cheek Louisa's cheeks were always rosy,
but they assumed deeper hue as glancing
shyly at the doctor, she said:
"Indeed, uncle, love William as well as
ever did, but l cannot help thinking, he did
me great injustice in falsely accusing me OF
flirting with Lionel Renfrew.
"Stop. Louisa" interrupted the doctor, edo
not say falsely. / watched the whole affair
that had offended your lover so much, and
do not think his jealousy is without cause"
Then changing his voice to one ofsthe deep.
est sadness, and laying his hand upon the fair
head before him, DIR. Boulding said "You,
Louisa, just now used the phrase, "a little harm.
less filtration" Listen, my child, while tell
you how harmless Irritation crushed my
hopes and embittered my life.
at must be twenty-five years ago, though to
me it seems but as yesterday, that !, a thin,
nervous young medical student, passed my
examination, and obtained my certificate as
surgeon. Before / established myself as a
practitioner, resolved to have q weeks Holt
day, and therefore went down to Washington
to visit a cousin l had residing there. 1t was
lovely country village, and to me, who had
been studying hard for months-scarcely in
dulging myself in walk to sniff the fresh air
beyond the boundary of the great city in which
l lived-presented charming picture of rural
beauty and an endless variety of rural plea
sures.
/ had been all my life so closely tied to
school, to college, to lecture, and to books,
khofy fnI% &c Il.
when, on the second evening of my visit, |
returned home with my cousin bearing a sin
gle partridge brought down by my gun.
owe were walking downa shady lane-I re-
member, it was Vineyard Lane-I smoothing
and admiring the soft plumage of my bird
when Fred my cousin, directed my attention
to a small cottage standing on the left-hand
side of the lane.
"There, Charles" said he Gives Mrs Col
Inns. She is a widow, and has two daughters,
Mary and Geraldine. If you like, we will
call; they are pretty girls, and you will be
pleased with them"
He opened the little gate and we walked to-
ward the cottage. | thought it the loveliest
place / had ever seen. Roses were every.
where covering the walls, peeping in at the
windows, and coquetting with the walls, peep
ing in ct the windows and coquetting with the
chimneyS. As we neared the cottage the door
opened, and Geraldine ran out. She was very
pretty-a lively, saucy style of beauty that
you could not be offended with, let her use
that sharp tongue Of hers with ever such pert
satire. But at the moment | first saw Geral-
dine, she looked far more dolorous than saucy,
as, running to my cousin, she said-"Oh,
Maynard, we have had such an accident Ma
ry was training the rose tree when her foot
slipped, and she fell off the ladder. Mamma
fbnlc cba boS 10 bor ebo 10 -,
such dreadful pain"
"Then," said Fred, eve have just called in
time for my cousin here-Mr. Boulding, Miss
Geraldine Collins-my cousin, who is a sur
geon will soon examine the injured member"
"That is fortunate. l am so glad you call
ed" said Geraldine, as he followed her into a
parlor, such tiny parlor, halfflled by the So
ia which stood opposite the door, had cause
to remember that sofa, upon which Mary lay.
The moment | saw her felt inclined to quar-
rel with Fred-I should like to have knocked
him down for calling her "a pretty girl Pret-
ty she was divine one of those marvellous
creatures whom to look at was to reverence
and love. After the first look | forgot every
thing around all / saw was the glorious face
now drawn with pain before me. | believe an
old lady in black silk came in and spoke to
me that she placed in my hand her daugh-
ter's injured foot l have some indistinct idea
that l ascertained it to be only sprained an
kle that | ordered bandages and lamentations
upon which the lovely patient protested her
self relieved. | also think | made some re-
marks about the weather, and ended by en-
treating Mary's acceptance Of the partridge
had shot.
CATER that, as long as l remained in the
country, called regularly every morning at
the cottage to inquire how the ankle was pro
crossing. My morning visits usually lasted
until dinner time, but | never found courage
to speak to Mary of the great love growing up
towards her in my heart Instead of making
love, was wondering what she thought Of my
long nose and ugly mouth, or thinking if she
disliked the spectacles | was always obliged tc
wear, and whether she quizzed me after wai
gone. l was also very uneasy at the presence
of a certain Walter Harbury at the cottage
much more frequently than / thought necessa
ry, and who was far more familiar with my
Mary than exactly pleased me.
However, the last morning visit made,
summoned all my courage, and declared my
love for Mary-not to herself, but to her moth
er.
"Mrs Collins was very willing. She could
not have chosen, she said, a more desirable
husband for Mary. She should be thankful
to see the dear child married with such good
prospects Mary was called. stammered
out something about the great affection l en-
tertained for her. She smiled, blushed, and
we were engaged.
81 went back to town and worked like a
slave. started in my profession, and wrote
every other day to Mary accounts of how
was getting on; she sent me in reply little
notes, on rose tinted paper-the most affection
ate and charming imaginable. took small
house, and furnished it from cellar to garnet.
Sometimes gave myself a treat, and spent
the Sunday with Mary-delicous days !
Shall ever forget the exquisite pleasure Of
sittingnear her watching the exquisite pleasure
of her beautiful features, or listening to the
lively chat that fell from her bewitching lips.
We had been engaged three months, when a
circumstance occurred tllst resulted in my be-
ing suddenly subpened to attend as witness in
a case that was to be tried in a town near to
which my Mary lived. 1t was only eight miles
from Wellington, and resolved, after the trial
was ended to walk over and give Mary de-
hghtfu surprise
thought that trial never would have ended.
The counsel was the most prosy the witnesses
were the most stupid and slow in giving evil
dence that ever was my lot to listen to.
The moment was out of court l started of
for Wellington. was not very rich, so re-
solved to walk. Walk, did / say! ram
flew. passed one moment at the gate now
beautiful the cottage looked in the calm even
ing light, and the centre of all my happiness
was there as calm and beautiful. No one wat
looking for me, SO walked quietly up to the
house, and opened the door of the little parlor
There, opposite me, upon the sofa, sat my
Mary, and, heaven and earth beside her, with
his arm round her waist sat Walter Harbury
This was the end of my agreeable surprise
this was what had flown on the wings Of Low,