South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1867-04-05
MAUDE'S ORDEAL.
ny AMY RkxpotrH.

but Charley May bad done it well aud bravo.
| ly, like n man. He was nothing but n
clerk at eight hundred dollars year, never
theless, he had bodily craved audience, Of
the portly old millionaire, and asked him
for his daughter, rs he might have asked
! for the milliner girl round the corner.
MIR. Bryant cody wiped his pen and laid
il in the carved bronzcd rack he moved
back his chair a pace or two, looking Charles
May full in the face as he did 50, with q
curious, mocking light in his cold blue eye.
so you want TO marry my daughter, ehI'
Il do, SIR said Charley.
/ Provokingly handsome he looked rs he
stood there, with the reddish brown hair
thrown back from his square, white foreh, al,
the hazel eyes, clear & confident, and the per.
fectly cut lips "a little apart. Somehow, in the
midst of his wrath and derision, old Richard
Bryant could not help thinking that were he
girl Of eighteen, he might possibly have
fallen in love with such young man as
Charley May.
Is there any other little trifle / could let
} you havey sneered the caustc old man. a
block of houses, or n Broadway lease or so,
or any other small favor.
You are laughing at me sir, said Char.
ley, coloring, yet speaking with certain
quiet dignity. Il have asked you u simple
question; surely have right to frank
answer
Then listen to me young man, said Rich
ard Bryant, with sudden abrupt sternncss
You are aspiring altogether too high--you
cannot have my daughter Maude. Now
you have your answer-go"
| Charles May stood for a moment like
one upon whom thunderbolt' had fallen
with sudden blightning power, then he turn.
ed and walked quietly out of the handsome
Gothic library where the blue and gold cir.
cles of light from the oriel windows culver
over the deep crimson Of the Wilton carpet,
and the pure marble faces Of Pallus and We.
nus de Milo watched him AS he went.
'Maude, my love, my darling what is the
natter
/ The red glow of the November sunset
could scarcely pierce the folds of ruby vel.
vet that hung over the plateglass windows,
yet In the odJrus twilight Mr.. Bryant saw
his daughter, with her face hidden in the sa-
tin sofa pillows, aud the heavy. bluish-black
curls dropping low over the carved rosewood
Tell me, little daughter. what troubles
YOU whispered the merchant, bending fond
ly over the girl. Maude had never known
u mother; aud there was "A tenderness in
the oil mans tones at that instant that was
almost maternal
! She looked up, with stain of fresh tears
on her crimson cheek.
'llc has gone, papa-hc has gone and left
me -
He? Who? ~
Charley May
And Maude Bryant, who had spoken nil
her life long TO her father as il he had been
a loving mother also, hid her face on the
kindly breast and cried afresh.
'Wbew.w-w! was the merchants softly
breathod comment.
Il have been trying TO convince her how
very absurd all this is, said Aunt Eloise, a
portly widow, in garnet silk and carbunclc
icwelry, who sat by, alternately quoting
| truism at her niece, aud shifting at a gold
coSsoiefte that hung at her waist.
'Maude, said Bryant, gravely, do YOU
mean to tell me that you actually care for
that young snip Of clerk
Maude sat up indignantly, with lightning
in her black eyes.
Care for him, papa. love him y
Very improper ! groancd Aunt Eloise.
Aunt, wish you'd hold your tongue g
sputtered Maude, growing prettier every
moment in her bright Indignation. Il do
love him, papa, with all my heart and soul
Aunt Eloise uttered hollow sigh, and
Mr.. Bryant looked at his daughter with
face that was half trouble, half amused.
MY little lily. flower, he said, gently, all
this sounds to INC like a girls romance. -
Maude Bryant is scarcely fitted 70 be the
wife Of young man like Cbsrley May.
but why not, papar pleaded Maude,
piteously. Il love him, and II think he
loves me
Very probably said Mr. Bryant, smill.
ING. but did il never occur to you how very
unsuitable a wife you would make TO a man
who has his own way 10 win in the world 2
mo, papa, said Maude, eagerly. Il can
dust furniture, and can make jelly-cake.
and once / baked cranberry tart.
Most important qualifications, vet not
quite all-sufhcient, said her father, with the
utmost gravity. But just consider, my
dear here, on the one band, is a salary Of
eight hundred dollars q year, or nine, well
say. It's just possible that out in Chicago.
where he has gone, they pay nine hundred
dollars year, and here, on the other. r.
Mrs Bryant, with BIER little, white, useless
hands, and her luxurious ideas, and herdia.
monds, and her silk dresses. Why mycbild.
/ don'tsuppose you know what calico means
Yes, indeed, papa, interrupted Mauds.
earnestly. Il bad pink French calico once
with pink coral buttons that we're three dol.
lars each-don't you rememberY 'You a