The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-12-16

w ny, Mr. St. John didn'
4 She stopped short, coloring as p:nl
as her bonnet. ''l
- We did not know that you occu
pied this station in life," said Cecilt
| haughtily finishing her cousins incom
plete sentence. Thank you, 1 don't
care about the cotton 7"
And Miss Horner swept out of the
low -ceiled little store, dragging Mary
with her. 90 ? II :
"The ideal" the scornfully exclaim.
ed, when they were once more in the
Estreet. "How dare Mrs. Emmons
deceive us so? To allow me to dance
with common clerk P -
HE is very gentlemanly, Cecile,'
"Gentlemaniyi An-an indfvidu-
al who sells pins and needles; a
clerk !"
"But, Ceeile. why can't clerk be
gentleman 7"
''Mary,' exclaimed Cecile, indig-
nantly, ''you haven't the spirit of fly!
I believed him the scion of an old
Virginia family !"
"Why shouldn't ~ meekly asked
Mary. 81 think clerk who sells pins
and needles quite as good as Virgin
ian."
"WeH" said Cecile, throwing vol
umes of scorn into one brief monosyl-
liable. 81 for one shall not recognize
him in the future. You can do Us
you like"
And Mary, walking by her stately
Cousins side, marveled at the arbitrary
thing called Society" and rejoiced
that she was not bound to swe; ale
glance to its dictates.
"1 dairy say my tastes are very
common thought meek Mary, "but,
L can't help it,
"Cecile," whispered Mary, that
same evening in her Cousins ear, "sur-
ely that is Mr.. ST john"
Cecile looked in the direction Of her
cousins eyes, out beyond the maze of
waltzing couples to the tall figure ad.
vancing towards them.
''The assurance of the man." she
exclaimed, contemptuously. "He
never will dare to speak to me"
But he did dare holding out frank
hand as he spoke the stereotvped
phrases of greeting.
Cecile Horncr looked him full in the
eyes with glance that might have
frozen him, and turned away without
replying by word or syllable. Talbot
ST John arched his eyebrows little
and smiled, Mary spoke up in the i'm
pulse of the momen'.
Mr.. St. John, please, please don't
think I feel as Cerile does. Please
shake hands with me9"
He held the soft little hand in his
one moment, with singular thrill in
his breast.
"Are you unconventional enough to
recognize the clerk Miss Horner? ?"
81 like you, Mr.. St. john" said
Mary, innocently. 81 don't care
whether you are clerk or not
His eyes frightened.
"You Ike me, Mary. Is there no
other word for my tears, Mary; dar-
ing, 1 don't dare to ask if you lore
ne?"
Through the din of harp and violin
nd sounding horn, the music of his
words reached her ear, through the
silver throb of waltz music her answer
came to him.
"Oh, Talbot 1 thought I had bid
len it; my own heart"
And their eyes met; and they knew
that hereafter they should be all the
7orld to each other,
"To think that our Mary should
engage herself to a common clerk"
said Cecile, ready to cry with indigna-
lion, day or so subs sequently.
"Ny dear, 1 have no idea what you
mean," said honest Mrs. Emmons
Isn't she engaged to Talbot st.
John ?"
eyes, but he is"
"He is the oldest son of the St.
Johns of c., Virginia. Have
you heard of the great coal mines on
the St. John estate an income of ten
thousand year at the least"
"Mrs. Emmons, you gre mistak-
en-"
mo, I'm not, my dear. His moth
Il was ii'NS
known Talbot from a child. Your
cousin is in rare luck, for Talbot is one
in thousand.
Then Cecile Horner, in a maze of
doubt and perplexity, told of the ad-
venture in the "Cheap Trimming
Store" Mrs. Emmons burst out
Il can tell you all about that" she
said, merrily. "I'm in Talbots con-
fidence.'
And she told the story CT how poor
Grant Wyman had had an invigora-
ting drive in Central Park on the JAN
uary day, and how heir of the st.
Johns had officiated in his stead.
The moment she had gone, Cecile |
went straight up stairs and gave Mary
n kiss.
YOU'RE dear little sensible thing"
she said, "and I'm glad you have
chosen such husband !"
Nevertheless there was secret, |
underlined bitterness in Cecile heart |
to think that the rich prize had fallen
to her little cousins lot! And Cecile !
Knew it had been her own fault!
"Do you seek consolation TO- your |
sorrows in drink ?" asked a Iicps old |
ady of an Incorporate fellow, who /