The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-08-19

capitals, complete success her pecu-
liar charm was the ease with which she
allowed herself TO be amused 1t was
all one TO her, London or Staffordshire
She would frame her little aristocratic
face in the window of carriage, in tho
drive of Hyde Park. calmly reiurnin 9
the gaze of the multitude she would
ride in the Row" her delicate profile
set off by her fashionable hat or here;
in the country, she would gather up
the skirts Of her pretty morning dresses,
aud race about the lanes like a child
So strangely adaptable?
To my father she talks pictures, and
to Bernard-but Bernard does not
praise her now. to poor, jealous, little
me.
So things go on, and do not like
her in the least, and / say hasiy rude
tina and repent, and am sorry, and,
in &act, am Maggie all over. Florence
being sweet-tempered herself, does not
know I am not sweet tempered, and
joins III our walks with q quiet per-
sistence and an absence of tact that
renders poiiteness on my part an i'm
practicable theory. Every time she
tacks herself on us. mount swiftly up
to a white heat of impatience.
All of no use. seem to hear Ber.
pard saying; "We can not leave her
alone, Maggie, you would not 'eave the
poor little girl alone 2" And I feel he
IS right, and I clench nv teeth hard.
and walk along silent, until the tones
of my voice are pitched to my liking.
At length, however, things take one
turn too many. "There are limits to
every thing" I inform myself. as Il
stand at one of the pretty French win
dovs that open on our lawn, brilliantly
green after the rain. That lawn Ras
picture-red with geraniums in white
stone baskets, and overfnwing with
beauty. In the center, 6Be old oak
threw daik shadows on the ground;
and there, in the shade, hidden away
from the SUNS hot glare, sat Florance
Bernard aud my Bernard
Flo was looking up, and laughing.
Her hatilay beside her and through the
thick boughs sunbeam was sprinklins
her brown hair with gold dust, and
sparkling on her pretty teeth. Blue
butterflies were settling on Ter white
dress, and BerDard's blue eyes were
looking straight into hers!
I don't stop to reason. I don't stop
to remind myself that when 1 am busy
about the h,use, as l always am on
Monday morning neither Bernard nor
Florence can be tied to my side; that,
this granted, and they being the only
two young people in the house, they
must Of necessity amuse each other
which they can Dct do more innocently
than by sitting on the lawn in my
sight neither do reason that I do
not literally expect Bernard's eyes tt
be lowered, save and except when they
are turned toward me.
1 founce about angrily all the morn
ing, and will not go near them. can
see B rrard looking up at the house
aud | know very well he is looking for
me; but the whistle that generally
brings me to his side dies away on the
air, and l don't go to him. Then they
come in to lunch. Flo with her deli.
cate cheeks like roseleaves, effect of sit
ting in the open air. q catch glimpse
Of myself in the glass over my head
and my features are all twisted up to
look sarcastic, and do not by any meaus
add to my beauty.
l am very angry with Miss Bernard,
and experience childish desire to re-
faliate by giving her the drumstick of a
fowl. Manners prevail, and 1 give her
4 wing.
Bernard sees that so m ething is wrong
but is, of course, too gran to try to set |
it right. He streches his long legs,
and stares at US bo:h-rather lazily
This is our first tiff, and I feel there
is soue thing exciting in it, though ]
am conscious of vague suspicion that
smooth sailing was much better. Ah
me how the small waves rise and
swell! Shall never again see the calm
water?
had only meant to be dign fled
and stately, and I soon grew tired ol
that. and would very gladly have come
round, but-to my horror-there was
1 barrier, and could not break il
lown. 1 found, whsn 1 would have
again addressed Bernard in the old
familiar manner, shade on the face
hat had so long been my own. / do
not think he was aware of it. He was
yayer than usual, and nobody else seem
ID 10 notice bis coDstraint /; but wher,
Bernard is concerned my senses ar.
quick kened, and to me it was too clear +
his change in Bernard, arising from
be change in me, was reflected in my
1oice, and so we went on, affecting eacb
,ther, uutil at length we wtr. rapidly
drifting apart. And all outwardly was
he same. Only now, instead of the
I'D sweet whisper; Come into th
woods, Maggie !" there would be Ber-
'ard, bard and metallic, simply await
ng our pleasure to start. And Flor
.nce would fit on creamtinted gloves
And 1, foolish and jealous, could mol
tapd it, and would let them go our
nto tie quiet beauty of the woods
Without me.
OF course, it was I who suffered
most. Bernard had his sense of il |
usage, and an Englishman's pleasure
n sulking, but was beyond such help.
n the depths of my misery, threw
myself at full length on the floor, and
vas instantly half stunned by pro
Z ctlug nail. Physical pain did me
ood ; crawled up again. and, then,
,lad of the excuse to be extracted from
ny headache, 1 went off TO bed.
In bed, instead OF sleep, find wis
om. On one point 1 am quite deter
mined. will not expose myself to