Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1866-01-11

she looked into his face, she would
have seen ID wet and pale as she spoke.
And your earnings, Belle ?"
She showered the bills and coins in
to his hands.
!, You can afford to rest awhile.y hc
said, quietly, as he counted them.
j :" know it, guardy, and have come
to visit you"
j A month passed on. They two
went on in the old way pretty much,
save that Belle did not tease him quite,
) as much as of old, and was never heard
| to complain of ennui
They stood together beside the man.
tel one evening, both looking into the
blazing grate-both thinking Of the
great and holy love they bore each 9TH
er.
Have yon looked yon al, new
situation yet, BELIEF" Mr. Sidney
spoke quietly, as any man would re-
mark of purely business matter.
1 Bellies lips quivered and her ewes
grew dim, but she was growing strong,
and soon answered gently, II wrote
an advertisement to-day, but | have
not sent it."
And what do you propose to do
| Keep house for some old prandfa.
ther, guardy"
Keep house 2" He spoke onizzi.
cally. "Can you tell me the ingredi-
ents Of loaf of bread d?v
Flour, salt, yeast and milk or VA.
ter, as you can afford, guardy. / have
been taking daily lessons of Mrs. Gray
tor four weeks, and she says she can
recommend me-"
Il wonder she didn't mention your
name to me this morning them
] Belle looked up inquiringly.
You see, she gave me notice she
was going to leave in month. She
has had legacy. and is going to set
| up housekeeping for herself She
named several who she said would snit
me. Strange she did not mention
yon."
"Would I suit you?s
;, Would you suit me ?" He lingcr.
ed on the syllables-he repeated them:
then looking into her face, he said
gently Yes, Belle, | think YOU
would suit me.o
What are your terms?" She spoke
gravely, though something like dim.
| pie wavered in her checks.
"F Four hundred year, with a su;t
OF rooms to yourself. Are they salts
factory?"
| g Perfectly
| You are then engaged, Belle, The
emphasized word brought a brighter
Hush to her check, and involuntarily
J it seemed, she murmured
! Yes, engaged"
i Mr.. Sidney looked at her earnestly
awhile then taking from the mantcl
one OF the hands she had rested there.
he held il moment in his own. Then
slipping jewellcd ring upon one Of
the slender fingers, he said, in voice
that frultlessly strove to be calm, "and
this seals our engagement, Bellc.'
An instant her eyes met his then
ne drew her to him and pressed a holi-
er seal upon her lips, whispering, "you
are too young, darling, to be nv house
keeper--just old enough to be my
\ wife"
81 will be both, sir. You know |
must have something to do.p
! There was dash of her old play
fuiness in the tones, yet Mr.. Sidney felt
she was in earnest.
; Little Emily Bird was very busy the
next month cutting and sewing. for the
whole bridal wardrobe was given up
to her, and quite a little fortune did
she earn in preparing the dainty gar
nents. Old Mrs. Gray, too, was very
busy. Tor every room in that spacious
mansion had to be torn upside down
and put to rights, and if she did not
earn, she certainly spent quite little
fortune in baking and icing wedding
cakes. Mr.. Sidney and Belle were
very busy, too, it seemed, telling and
| hearing the old, yet ever new and de-
licious story of human love. They
sat together in the twilight the night
before the bridal, not as in olden time.
he by the table, and she in the recess
of window, but side by side upon a
sofa drawn near the fire.
"Belle," asked he, after long ST.
|, lence, what did you ever do with that
, letter wrote you once, that one that
sent you wandering over the world {"
Il al have it yeti
j Bring it here"
She did so. Read it to me by the
freight, can't you, darling ?n She
obeyed. "Once more,n he continued.
A sudden light flashed over her
mind, and she said. looking him closely
in the face, You wrote that to try
me, Herbert. l am not poor-never
was. 1t was a precious little fib IN
4 "One that cost me many pang,
darling. But the temptation to try the
strength of your womanhood was too
strong to be resisted But | little
dreamed you would run away as you
did and Belle, when you came back
to me, thin and pale and careworn, I
almost cursed myself for yielding as |
did to the temptation of moment. A
lifetime Of devotion can only half atone
for the great wrong did you."
"Do not call it wrong, Herbert. It
was great good the greatest that
ever befell me. In my lonely watches
beside the sick bed of my mother
friend, l learned lessons that will go
with me through life, that will guide
me to heaven. was fast lapsing in
to selfish woman Of the world, but
that letter started up my latent ener-
gy, my hidden goodness. Then did
realize what a blessing it is to be rich.
and that the rich man or woman can
never truly say they have nothing to
do. There is ever something before
them that cries piercingly, help, help!'
am glad to,know that my money is
not lost, because l can answer those
, cries now, and shall always have some
: thing to do"
The poor ye have always with
. you," said her lover, sSlemnly. And
| then he folded her TO his heart and