Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-11-06

!. I0Dl4 PERRYSI
manner in which you have treated me
during the last few days--now recognizing
me as a friend, and now passing me as an
entire stranger2 l confess that when
met you | did not know that you were en-
gagged to Mr.. Hughes" ig lt IAII
SSir" interrupted Miss Devonport
with look of absolute wonderment upon
her counteuance.
what? Is my information wrongs
Is 1t not as sayy"
81 am completely at loss to under
stand to what cause am indebted for the
honor of this interruption in my walk.
The fact of my engagement to MIR. Hughes
can be matter ofno moment to you.
When first saw you, you were stranger
and stranger You viii still remain"
And having said these words, Miss Dew
onport, her face flushed with indignation,
swept past him with the air Of tragedy
queen.
As for Henley, he stood rooted to the
spot. To him it was all dream; but he
did not dream long He laughed q low
and bitter laugh. A consummate &C.
tressl heartless flirt envy Hughes
And these" he said, "are the Rsttlebor-
ough young ladies / suppose the at
mosphere Of this delightful place superin-
duces the habit. And here am !, who
ought to be proof against such silly con-
tingencies, fooled eXquisitely by mere
country coquette. Bah let me treat her
as she deservesp And Henley strolled
back to his inn-angry, and, though he
would not have admitted 1t, wretched.
As he drove down TO the Marlborough
station he caught glimpse of form with
which he was familiar; he saw face he
knew well. 1t was Miss Deyonport Did
his eye deceive himp She bowed to him
as if nothing had passed between them.
But it was Henley's turn this time. And
he remained still and motionless as mar
BILE.
Two years had passed away Henley
had reached his father just soon enough
to be at his death bed and catch his dying
words. His two sisters had both mar
ried, and he had returned to England the
owner of his fathers estate, Wickham
Manor. As for the Miss Devonport affair,
he had striven hard to forget it all but in
spite of all his efforts, he could not Danish
every remembrance of 1t. He was not the
kind of man to carry about with him the
traces of an overwhelming sorrow. He
was still young, had wealth, his digestion
was unimpaired, and he enjoyed life keen
ly. But whenever his thoughts required,
as they did pretty often, to his hunting
days at Marlborough, Miss Devonports
image was never far off. He could not
forget it, brave and resolute though he
was. Great as was his self control, there
were times when he showed that he carried
about with him traces of a life's sorrow.
There are some men who can only love
once. Oliver Henley was one of these.
He had loved Miss Devonport, and he did
not feel disposed to love any other woman.
That was all
About two years and half after the
marlborough affair, Henley was staying
with some friends in town. There was to
be dance in the evening, and the party
assembled at breakfast were full of the
coming event. Hg eN
"By the by, Mr. Henley" inquired his
hostess, "have not heard you say that
you were at Oxford with Mr.. Hughes, the
gentleman whose mining property is 80
immense
Yes, of course, Henley had been; and,
what was more, he told the lady, though
not without pang of regret, he knew
Mrs. Hughes--a little. Perhaps he should
"Then, Mr.. Henley, you will see the two
old friends of yours to night" ~
Oliver said nothing beyond that he
should be very glad Nor did he think
much about the Mr.. Hughes, whose min
ing property is so immense" but he won
dered how he should meet the Mrs.
Hughes who had done him such griev-
GUS wrong. a-n-
The evening came, and when Henley
entered the ballroom, the greater num-
Der of the guests had already arrived.
The first person whom he caught sight of
as he entered was Mrs. Hughes. He
recognized the Miss Devonport Of other
days at glance. The face had changed
little perhaps, but a very little; and
somehow or other, as he looked, the hair
did not seem to him the same Jet black
color that it had been. While he was
standi looking at her, Mrs. Hughes came
up to,
-"Mr, 'enley," she said, al cannot say
how glas., how relieved / am to see you.
For more than two years have longed to
do So Can you forgive me for what
passed between us when last we mel? No
l am sure you cannot. But when you
know everything, think you will. There
was misapprehension between us, but
you shall hear everything by-and by" (
But Mr.. Henley could only make some
lame remark to the effect that bygone'
were bygones Would Mrs. Hughes give
him the pleasure of dance by-and-by?
Gladly and Oliver duly indorsed hi
name ON the programme of the wife of tn,
wealthy Mr.. Hughes.
The dance came; it was a waltz, tn,
same tune as that to which he had danced
with her when then she was Miss Devon
port, more than tive years ago, in the ball
room of the Egerton Arms, at Rattle
borough. When it was over, they strolleC
into conservatory adjoining. Henley
longed to say something about the olC
days, but she had promised the explana
ton and it was for her to begin.
"Mr, Henley" she at last commenced
"dO you remember the Rattleborougl
Hunt Ball? Doyou remember what hap
pened afterward-that interview betweel
us 2" Hr. ~
Henley made no answer. ..
"Would you like to hear how the Who'll
matter originatedI Would you be glad
all could be righted now?"
"What do you mean J" asked Henley.
"Sihply what say"
At that moment there was rustic of
dress heard among the leaves Of the cor
crossed with the remarks Of Mrs. Hughe
: to notice it. taHHer fa
"Here, Mr. Henley here is my explana
/. ton. Let me introduce you to my sister
Miss Devonport."
"Mrs. Hughes, Miss Devonporti Wha
, does al this meanf"
But Mrs. Hughes had risen and left tn
5 seat. Only Miss Devonport was standin
: before him-the same Miss DeVonport Q
2 the Marlborough Hunt Ball, with tn
I same Jet black hair, the same lustrou
4 beauty, the same sweet, sweet smile as {
s old
3 Henley was too Overpewered to speat
I He tried to do SO, but there was SONS
9 thing in his throat which seemed TO chok
i his utterance But each understood tn
# other, and Oliver at last said one or tw
t words, and Edith DeVonport knew thei
s meaning well.
e "Mr. Henley" she said, al have longe