The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1865-06-13

BY MRS. ]. SWAIN.

ing sentimental over fellow before he
begins to trouble himself about you,"
yet Maud Hunter the sweetest, pret-
test and best girl in Willetstown, had
actually done that very thing! Not
that any one knew it, even Maud her.
self had the slightest suspicion of the
case. But destiny and Diana's trouble
some little boy had settled it without
the aid Of witnesses.
This was why Maud had been so af-
flicted with the headache of late, and
why she had acted so very pleasant to-
ward Henry Scott and Nathan Millard,
and was wayward and disagreeable to-
ward Nelson Mount.
Meanwhile Nelson looked wonder
ingly on, admiring Maud exceedingly
while she chatted with others, and felt
strange feeling Of displeasure and
elfdissatsfaction whenever the little
lady directed her cold commonplaces
toward himself. Once, indeed, when
she, in moment of forgetfulness, had
allowed nature to sparkle in her eyes,
and kindness to glow in all her face as
she looked upon him, the thought had
crossed Nelson's mind that If ever he
should be in a marrying mood, he
would seek for a damsel not unlike
Maud-but the next instant, the haugh-
ty glance and cutting word had fallen
upon him, and he had silently implored
the fates to- spare him from all such
whimsical and cold hearted maidens.
Poor Maud wrctched in his pres
ence, more wretched in his absence,
and yet quite unconcious of any other
feeling towards him than that of deep
disgust and displeasure at the deep
nonchalant conceit of the handsome,
talented youth what wonder that she
found solace in the resolve shat, happen
what would, SHE would never marry
never be subject to any mans whims
and caprices Often she would inn
part this mighty resolution to intimate
friends in the Silly midnight hour, and
then fall asleep to dream of Nelson's
kneeling at her feet, passionately
awaiting her certain ''yes". Often sit
ting by her.pleasent wlrdow, on moon
light evenings, she would lean upon the
sill, and gazing out in the bright night
loose herself in pleasant dreaming
and then become suddenly concious
that Nelson had entered unbidden
among her fairy pictures, she would
jerk impatiently in, and close the sash
as though with an evident intention of
decapitating the aforesaid young gen
tleman in the act.
Still Maud, poor child, did not know
what allied her, and would probably
have remained ignorant until now, had
not very simple circumstance occur
red on the 14th Of February, of the
year 1868. A valentine, addressed to
Miss Maud Hunter, was received at
the door by grinning contraband,
lately admitted into the Hunter house
hold.
! say valentine, although this par
| ticular missive was but one among a
dozen, all more or less embossed, be-
Gilt, or be-ribboned. But this one, nh
how long the snowy envelope was held
in her trembling fingers before she ven
tured to open it.
"Im sure it's from Mr.. Mount" she
mu sed with deepening color. "Hump
what impertinece. No attempt what.
ever to disguise his handwriting-and
if that isn't his initial on the envelope
well, ] declare y and Maud with.
out waiting to state what she declared
hurriedly opened the audacious epistle
The soft blush changed in twink.
ling to an angry blush. The letter was
entirely blank Not line, not even 9
symbolic heart, pierced and bleeding
marred its white expanse.
$50, So" she muttered, ga gentle way
indeed, of describing his feelings to-
wards me-a blank are they? This in
suit is unbearable! As if / cared fol-
his good opinion" and Maud hid hel
face in her hands, and burst into tears
Alas not having anything to reac
in the valentine, she had in an instant
read her own heart. There she saw
written words that filed her with dis
may. "You love that man." they gaid
TO her.
81 know it, / know it," sobbed Maud
s'but he shall never suspect" There
upon the damsel with tears still undried
commenced plotting some terrible re
tort upon him.
"Silent contempt would be more dig
nifed than any reply" she mused, "bu
will not satisfy me-ah, L have it,
and seizing the blank sheet, she wrot,
a line across its entire length
"You have not expressed your feel
ings more truly than you have m.
own"
"There," she exclaimed, hastil
waving the missive so that the in
might dry before her Indignation cool
ed-''that will settle the matter"
Did Maud send that letter? O
course not! No sooner did she rea,
again what she had written, than, wit
an impatient exclamation she threw
into the fire. But letter that ha
passed through so much was not goin
to burn up so ANONYMOUSLY, so it flul
tered from the Goals into the grate-par
and lay there curled as though in
sort of pain.
Meanwhile, Maud with desperat
selfpossession, opened other valentine
one by one, and bent her attention up
on its respective contents.
"Miss Maud" said the contraban
opening the door just wide enough t
admit his wooley head, dere's gen
men stamina out dere wants to Sc
you"
"Ask him to walk in, Cesar-neve
, allow gentleman to stand in the hall,
answered Maud. hastily collecting he