, 1865-04-14
A Twilight Wooing.

1t is an awful thing to lose friend by mar
riagel To see him drop into your room occa-
sionally, always with paper parcel under his
arm, suggestive of lace and ribbons, instead of
having him all to yourself day in and day out.
To know that the blue-b -breathed evening cigar
will inevitably be Abbreviated by, ooh, my wife
will be anxious, if I'm not at home by eight
o'clock To tell him about the pretty girl with
the pink bonnet you met in the stage yesterday,
and be generally CONFIDENTIAL and then find
your tongue suddenly palsed by the conviction
that he will tell his wife every word you have
been saying. There's no use talking about the
thing-its actually indescrbable
Do you suppose didn't feel jealous when Jack
Marclyffe got married? Do you suppose that the
green-eyed monster didn inspire me with all
sorts of unamiable feelings toward the brown
eyed beauty who had cut me out so completely2
1t took me some time to reconcile myself to the
new state of things. But when | found out that
she did not object to my sitting on the balcony
with Jack-nav, that she actually lighted our
cigars for us, and brought her little foot-stool
and sat down beside us-that she laughed like
peal of merry bells at our bachelor chances
and mishaps-and that She liked to have me
come to dinner on Sundays, then thought Jacks
wife wasn't so bad an institution after all. And
one day, when she brought out her tiny wicker
work-basket and stood on her tip-toe to sew the
loose button upon my coat capitulated in good
earnest
"Jack +" said I, styour wife is--well not ex-
actly an angel, for don't believe in angels
about the house-but the sw eetest little woman
! ever laid my eyes upon. You won't be jealous
old fellow? ~
"Jealous-nor' said Jack stretching his neck
so as to look after the light, disappearing figure.
'But II tell you what, Arthur-you ought to
see Mary's sister,
Sure enough, about two weeks afterward as
-, +Ia -, Il. H.
paused to looA at the crimson Glove pinks Just
opening their fresh petals, the silver-tones ofan-
other voice sounded in the low-eayed piazza, and
almost before knew it, Jack Marclyffe's arm
was through mine, and he was introducing me
to duplicate edition of his wife-a scarlet-lip-
ped, arch-eyed girl in white muslin, with
coral bracelet on her
For that moment was gone-I didn't know
whether ! sat in Jacks easy chair or on the top
of the rail fence said "No thank you" when
Mrs. Jack asked how was-I stirred my cup of
chocolate with pen-knife, and tried to put the
table cloth into my pocket, instead of my hand
kerchief-and finally disgraced myself irrevoca-
bly, by putting the matchbox into the cradle,
and depositng the baby on the marble mantle
piece.
"Good gracious Mr. Ardent exclaimed Mar
clyffe, ''what is the matterp
q belieye-I think-Iye got a cold in my
head !" faltered ], looking at the time straight
at Agnes, who was playing with her coral brace
let and pretending not to laugh
"Jack, said l, that evening" as he went out
to the gate with me, ''theres no use trying to
mince matters-if can't win Miss Agnes shall
take arsenic"
Jack squeezed my hand; he had been through
the mill himself.
"Do you think she cares for me, Jackp I
asked, plantively, about month afterward.
declare honestly, I've the greatest mind in the
world to jump off the pier, or hang myselfpeace-
ably. Now what does she mean by flirting with
| that red-whiskered Carew? Oh, Jack, do be
merciful-tell me what you really think"
Poor Marclyfel 1t was about the thrtieth
time he had been asked the same question.
"Why, how can tell, Arthur You might as
well ask me to read the Hindoo alphabet to
decipher the mysteries of woman S heart. Why
don't you ask her yourself
"Me ask berP' and the cold chills ran through
me like veins Of loe 'Jack dare not for my
! lifel"
| Jack burst into a laugh.
"Well cant give any better advice, said he
'only remember, my boy, "a faint heart never
won fair lady ." faai
He turned away, and left me standing in the
amber flush of the twilight, among the crimson
cluster of cinnamon roses, and the tall coronals
! of cleaning lilies Up in the rosy sky the new
moon hung curved thread of silver, and one
bright star bore its lance of pearl against the
diant horizon. looked absently upon the fair
atmosphere-down at the blooming garden of
| flowers, thinking in the midst fmy perplexity
how like the blue heaven was to Agnes eyes
and marveling hat the pink roses were so near
akin to the dainty color that came and went up
on her silk soft cheek.
Beside the low French window that opened
upon the piazza door, saw the flow of muslin
drapery through the fragrant gloom--it was
where Mrs. Marclyffe was wont to sit with her
baby. Icaught the refrain of the low, delicious
cradle song she warbled in the tiny sleepers
ear A bright thought struck mel would take
woman wit into my counsel.
"Mary" said sitting down on the piazza step
and leaning my head against the rose-wreathcd
| pillar, just opposite the window ~ wish you d
tell me what to do-I'm m desperately in love with
| your sister Agnes, and-don't laugh now-I
| haVn't the courage to tell her So"
| paused an instant, and then went on, 81 love
her better thanlife. No thatis not saying enough