The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1869-06-26
j. A. s1aEAIao, Editor and
VOLUME. J. NV. X:

Is more, could make every one else feel 30
too, If not little too much so at times,
for he was somewhat eccentric. AS for
Laura krfedg gOld, there could not be two
opinions about her: she had the blacklist
eyes, the prettiest face, and the best for.
tune OF any girl IN Stepminster more,
che was knowD 70 be good-tempered, un-
assuming, and, ina word, nice. "a .,.
Now, although the Tredgolds had been
settled for four years in our town, and
Notwithstanding one after another of the
best and most wellto-do of our young
gentlemen, young professional men, and
young tradesnen, had laid continual siege
TO her heart during that time, Miss Tred-
gold was still disengaged. She referred all
suitors 10 her father, who proFessed to be
h&ttered by their attentions, but told each
4 Of them, with never failing afTability he
had other intentions respecting hisdsughr
ter's future. This was his continual reply
to all applications -'he had other intefi-
tons Respecting his daughters future;'
and he neyefvafied q word; but Delivered
1t with equal good and courtesy in
every case, VagagA a,
"Stepminster was puzzled as to what
those intentions could be- 1t was demon.
strable that Miss Tredeold WAS hot ems
gagged elsewhere. They never received
| Visitors from a distance; and more, than
one disappointed suitor ,ascertSined,
Through his servants, rom the Tredgolds'
servants Ahat Miss Tredgold was actually
free sttllysr3 ssgf . 1o j,gE sSi a. y
| 20 I became acquainted, with the family
through my connection with a. private
musical society for the practice Of vocal
and instrumental chamber music. The 80.
Ciety had been founded very recently by
| Mr., Tredgold, himself no, mem amateur
on the double bass, We met at members
houses alternately, and managed to spend
some Of the pleasantest evenings can call
to mind in this,Way.l My own part In the
performances was chiefly confined to
singing tenor. Laura Tredgold played the
piano OF organ with real nervous feeling,
besides which she had a very respectable
soprapoYOice. My great interest In the
study and practice of music led Mr..
TTedgod TO invite me to his house rather
frequently, to try oyer some Of Mendels-
sohn's trios with Laura and himself, un-
til'I became a constant visitor, always
welcOmetO their home and table. ya
at went on like this for good bit, and
the trios frequently came down to duets
between Miss Tredgold and me, whilst her
father would add a double.bas OHigato
to her piano accompaniment At last
grew very miserable. I began to feel that
IloVed Laura Tredgold, and that my po-
sition as miserable one-eyed inspector
of nuissnces was an insuperable barrier
to telling her so, and much less her affable
old father, rasping away at his double. bass
in happy unConsciousness Of my feelings.
l tried TO stife, these feelings, and I'd look
upon our acquaintance simply in the light
sof0musical one. Tam AFRAID the very ef.
fort l made tonhide them. must have in
some way betrayed them to Laura, for
became impressed with growing convic-
tion that she knew what l felt, and that
her own inelinationB were at least not tin-
! favorable towards me- / noticed, or
thought l did, that when | entered the
room faint blush would overspread her
cheek-that she would look round and
single out mine from among the other faces
at the meetings Of the musical society
and that, having found it. her eyes
would stay restfully and sat
her deep, lustrous, dark eyes-before turn
ing with greater unooncern upon the rest.
And when she parted from nae of an even.
ing, 4 FSne1iber how she BoHld raise
tl,ose eyes to mine with gentle express
siOll that made me dizzy 20 think about
as [ would run out Of the honss and re.
feet on my ono-eyed ness. Laura had
speaking eyes, as folks say. They were
not baa hful eyes but mild stid eentie I and
when i looked into their depths they
seemed to flash back already favorable
answer to what longed to, yet dared not
ask. That the longer reflected on the
social inequality between my position
aad hers, the more resolved / became at
least to try my fate, and hear at worst my
rejection, will be read lily understood by
the lad who has read HE first love-story. II
was not so much this%7it was my.eye,
dared not tell her, lest, II she rejected me
it should get bruited about Stepminstei
that the Board had q one-eyed inspector
That would be ruin 1t was clear to me
must keep this secret locked up in my
own -eyelid. But suppose i Ehonld be
married with my glass eye, and never tel
my wlfe9 should be found ouE? There
would be an end to sll confidence, for
should be wfetcHed deceivee; and would
it not be ObtaiRing a wife and fortune
under false prete nses?
"HoweYer, caadidly, I only expected
rejection Of my sElit, after the elexp periencC
of SO many more eligible young men thar
myself And should ], for this, put my
eye in, any ones power, and lose my placl
as Inspector ? No. ] would risk keeping
the secret, and know my fate first.
could easily tell her afterwards. Excus,
i my not dwelling on, the terms in which ;
| laid bare tho state Of my feelings 70 Lauri
Tredgold. 1t is Meth er here nor Their
to the story. n Dsd
al have loved you, 1ir. Crossley,' shl
said with emotion, aud only YOU.
haveneyor loved another. Yet FEAR Z
can never be yours. You do not know
i not know abe continued. sobbing on mi
shoulder, what brought US to Stepminstel
No, you don't know. Yet If you win as
my father, fret ior bis consent tp YOU
SUI, and next 70 tell you what brought d
10 Stepminster, u his answer tol the frs
Is favorableto TO your desire, and If his an
swer to the second IS ,,atigfaotory To- iyu9
I mind, ] viii be your Wdfe.'
"This seemed queer 70 naesE What di
/ care what btought them TO Stepminster
Absolutely nothing .s-sa s7..,d d,as
"Whilst we had been talking Laur
and 1.-the old gentleman had been Y
stairs, to rummage out some new trios 70
our next practice. iAse, &
"SLoFely thingsP said Mr.. Fredgolt
!, patting them affectionately.
"Could / have little conversation wit
you, Mr.. Tredgold, in priVatep
40, ponsensel Not now. I}iknO'
what you've got TO say--or guess. That
all my eye, SIR he said severely we aI
! going ID practice now. Q, they are low
, lythingsf ana he TOOK an enthusiastl
! rasp at his double-baas We will talk,
! you like, after supper, when Laura goC
4 TO bed Now, then lone, two, three
FAnd Of We went into chamber must
! It was very constrained affair, after viii
< / knew, and what Laura knew, and whit
! we both Judged, feel sure, thsthese seeips
! to know Nas ieomine y For thfee blesbt
hours we kept this up then supper cam
which I thought never would end z
! last, Laura kissed her father, and Wis
4 Ing me good CHS, resting her tnll, dal
eyes O1 mipe with q new and happil
Z - ,,.,t,.., X, 4i,a-.l rnffrnF ~ Y