Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-06-07


| made this free commentary upon his pro
posal. .....
"Well, WELL" he sid, recovering slow
ly, 81 can understand that you should no
care for me, but did not expect you woult
take it So"
"And how could l take it ?" | cried
'You gave me pity, Iscorn pity. All, Mr.
Thompson, if | were not the poor, forlorr
girl l am, would you feel or speak so? Dc
you think do not know how rich girls are
wooed and Won ? If you cared an atom fol
me, would you dare to come to me with
such language Z"
"What language 2"
What did you mean by taking care Of
me 7"
"What | said. Yes, Augusta, | wish to
take care of you, true, fond, loving care
nothing shall make me unsay it,"
He spoke warmly, and many glow rose
to his face: but would not give in, and l
said, angrily, that did not want to be Ia
ken care of
"Do let us drop these ualucky words, y
he entreated, "and do tell me whether you
will marry me, yes or no. Let it be, if you
like, that | want you to take care of me.
am much older than you are, you know"
| | don't know what possessed me. | said
"No." Oh how | would have liked to
recall the word but it was spoken, and he
rose with a clouded and disappointed face.
He fingered little, and asked to know
why it was No and not Yes said we
could not be happy together. He bowed
gravely and left me. l suppose he was
hurt, for he did not add a word No assur
ance of friendship, of good will, no hope
that / would relent or change my mind,
passed his lips The door closed upon him
| heard the garden gate fall to, and | felt
in sort of stupor. 1t was over What
madness had made me Danish him? Every
step took him away farther from me--nev
er--never again---should we meet. Per-
haps he would not have left me, then, if
could have spoken the truth. All if |
could have said to him, 81 cannot be hap
py with you because love, and you do
not because my love and my pride would
suffer all day long if | were your wife be-
cause it is easier to do without you than
to have you ON ese terms" If | could
have said all this, would our meeting have
ended thus? 1t was too late to think of
that now, but it was not too late to suffer
buried my face in the pillow of the couch
on which | was sitting, and cried and sob
bed as if my heart would break.
Poor Carlos cold nose, thrust in the hand
which hung down by my side in the fold OF
my dress, reused me. | looked up and saw
Mr. Thompson He was very red and seem
ed furried
81 have forgotten my umbrella" he said,
a little nervously.
4hn 4ha+
horrible umbrella of his F.! But, instead of
going to look for it, he suddenly came and
sat down on the couch by me. | do not
know how l looked, but felt ready to die
with shame He took my hand and kissed
it.
"My dear Miss Raymond" he said, per-
suasively, why should we not be happy
together? | cannot bear to give you up,
indeed | cannot"
| loohed at him in doubt
"Then do you really like me ?" | asked
ado ! really like you? Why, what else
have been saying all along ?"
"You said you wanted to take care of
me-"
40, if we are to 60 back to that" he
began resignedly. But we did not go back
to that we went back to nothing, for a
miserable girl suddenly became the happi-
est of woman. Still | was not quite salts
fed
"You would not have come back, if it
had not been for that horrible umbrella of
yours" | said, with little jealousy
Every true" he replied, with his pecul-
lar smile "but | did come back, and l
glanc d in through the window first, and
saw you hiding your face on that cushion
and Carlo looking at you as if he thought
it strange you should be so forlorn and so
| came in for my umbrella and, to tell
you the truth, had forgotten it on pur-
pose"
Perhaps he only said it to please me
but as looked in his face did not think
so then; and, though years have passed
over US both do not think so now
Too LATE Alas how many hearts
have ceased to beat with the wild pulsa-
tion Of hope when those cruel, crushing
words have fallen on the ear, leaving only
the utter Darkness of despair How often
have the struggles of long weary years re-
allied fortune too late! How often we
have all found what we coveted most
friends, power, love-but TOO LATE How
madly happy it would have made us once,
before our trust had been deceived, and our