The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-04-30

H'A'o' AS"ApsSSOA "oS ooOsuVA VSVVsV1
exclaimed Charlie, starting to bis fec,
in uncomfortable excitement, and loom:
ing up six feet Of a very evident ob-
stacle.
"Don't trouble yourself Mr.. Went.
WORTH" said Flora, turning upon him
half bclligercnt look at his somewhat
hasty interference. ''Mr. Authony,
my engagement with you was for siz
o'clock, you failed to keep it, aud while
[ am quite wiling to accept your apol.
ogy, must again decline to drive With
you now that have made other arrange
n,ents for the evening""
"Some other day then, I shall hope
to bo more Fortunate" said Anthony ;
and after lingering second and receiv-
ing no more encouragement from Flora
than polite bow, he drove reluctantly
away.
"Confound the tellow! cried Char
lie, in voice which he did not attempt
to lower, Kit will be best for him to keep
out Of my way if he wants to prolong
his life."
He finished the sentence with a half
laugh, for he was ashamed of bis own
vehemence before he reached the close,
the flash of anger that had sprung up
at Anthony's unwelcome intrusion had
died out as quickly az did all such pass
ing wrath in his generous heart, and
neither he nor any Of the half dozen
persons who heard him thought of the
deep significance those idle words might
ono day have. 'j'.:. ~ r:
As for Anthony he drove noodily
away venting his i'll temper As wss his
wont on his groom -: .-s
"It was ali your fault, Thomas, hang
you!'' he growled, "you are such stu:
pid ass sometimes !"
Th"mas made no reply only darker
frown gathered on his ugly brow. -:
Three years of this sort Of thing had
accustomed him to such treatment, and
taught him how best to receive 1t. =,
A he and his master disappeared in
the crowd, Charlie turned to Flora to
apologize for bis hasty anger.
"Forgive me, won't you, Mis-. Tenn
pleton, for my impetuosity just now,
but really I have disiiked that man 50
long, that everything he says irritates
me, and it was provoking to have him
keep at urging you to 60 off with him,
without so much az noticing me."j': "
''It was very rude," said Flora, "and
l quite forgive your ready champion
shi p"
"Always, Mrs. Templeton, remember
I am always at your service, and only
too happy to be your knight"
Flora smiled her thanks, while Char
lie blushed at his own enthusiasm. She
liked this quick devotion In this hand
some young man, and she sighed as
she thought that some day he would
court some fair young girl, and she
would lose friendship that had been
very pleasant to her for the last year.
As for herself she believed that love
and all Its possibilities we're over for.
ever, and she sighed again more deeply
than before as she reached that coa
clusion. Then Charlie ,who heard that
last sigh, excrted himself tn the utmost
to be agreeable, and succeeded SO we'll
that Flora fingered there till the last
light of sunset had faded away, and the
young moon had begun to sink in the
west, like a timid bride, following with
white feet to see her royal bridegroom
below the dark waters of the gloomy
ocean.
At length, however, she started up;
it was niuc o'clock, aud she must go
home, although there was still a gay
party of friends on the platform, aud
she was entreated to stay. But Flora
who was very strict in her ideas of pro-
pricty always, was perpetually haunted
by the face of Mrs. Grundy, and a
dread that she should be called "a fast
widow" Moreover, at this time she
was staying with an uncle and aunt,
Judge and Mrs. Dalton, only stately
of the old school, and she
thought it best on all accounts to leave
the tranquil beauty Of the summer even-
ing for the close atmosphere of their
solemn drawing room, and So resolutely
refused to listen to Charles persua-
sions for Zone more turn on the beach"
and bade him good bye at her door be.
fore half past nine. -. ...>.: !,
As far as she herself was concerned,
Flora would have thought she might
trust herself safely anywhere and with
any man for any possible danger there
might be to her peace. She had mar
rie1 at twenty young man who was
the choice Of her heart, and his death
after little more than q year of we'd
dcd happiness had seemed to her blow
from which she could never recover.
hut as the months passed, and formed
themselves into years, the memory of:
her. loss grew less intolerable; then
the prattling of her little girl reused
her into new interest in life, aud now,
after nearly three years of widowhood,
she found herself looking back on tho
memory Of her brief married life as on.
ly tender, episode Of, the past, and
able to realize that the world was a
very tolerable place even to a widow,
when she is young, rich and handsome.
or course, she had not been without
suitors even from her first appearance
in society, but not yet had she admitted
to herself that second love might be
possible: She had met Charles Went
worth a year ago, and he had almost
from their first acquaintance made her
the object Of his attentions, but thus
far neither of them had acknowledged
that it could be anything more than
friendship that drew them so constant
ly together. It was the attraction of
her presence that had brought him to
Southport now, and when about week
after his arrival he heard that Flora
was going with party Of friends on a
trip to Canada, he Immediately decided
t:::at his business would oblige him to
return at once to tho city.
1t was the evening before Flora's in.
tended journey; during the last week
she had seen Charlie every day, and
his enjoyment of her society would have