The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-11-25

Come, come, OWynnet make naSte,
at last sounded from below.
). I ran down to obey the doctors call
: and soon after proceeded up the town t
Mrs Gordon's. After I had converse'
with that lady for few minutes-that
to say she talked and ,istened-she ush
cred me into morningroom to see M.
patient.
I'VE are quite anxious about dea
Hetty," she said; ''she's had bat
cough for some time past, and ou
home remedies seem to be of no avail.
Two girls rose as [ entered and return
ed my very nervous bow. l saw that on
was tall and graceful, with mass O
black hair loosely drawn from off her face
large, soft black eyes, a clear -complec
ton and regular features, grand beau
ty, | thought The other was different
evidently two or three years younger, will
sunny, chestnut hair, that tossed in loos'
waves down her back, blue eyes, littl'
pouting mouth, a most bewitching ne
retrousse, and a short, slight figure. 4
more complete contrast could hardly ex
ist than between the two sisters. The
dark one looked about twenty, the little
one about eighteen. As I said, bowed
nervously and coughed two or three
times, because [ did not know quite what
to say.
This is our dear invalid,' said Mrs
Gordon, patting the youngest on the
shoulder.
"Oh, we'll soon cure her, Mrs Cor.
don," [ said, with alarming cheerfulness,
and coughed again.
physician, cure thyself," Iheard the
invalid remark, in a mischievous under.
| tone.
ooh, I've no cough, thanks, only lit
tie tickling I said, stupidity, as though
the whisper had been for me.
However, I plucked up courage and
proceeded to make my professional in
quiries, which were diyersely answered ;
the mother making out the case to be
very bad, ~ quite serious, and sug-
gesting the south of France the daugh-
ter quizzing everything and turning it all
into joke. [ wound up my visit by
abain remarking as [ shook hands,
You've got nasty cough, Miss Gordon,
but we soon cure you.
After this | paid many more profes-
sional visits at the Gordons' :, and soon
found myself on very pleasant, familiar
footing at their house. So, from profes-
sional, | began to make friendly visits,
and often joined the girls, in leisure half
hours. and at game of croquct or arch
cry, or would take them for quiet row
on the river on warm summer days. Had
[ been a cheeky fellow, vely likely |
might have become far more intimate
than [ was-might have called. them Alice
and Hetty, as everybody else in the house
did. But [ was far too nervous and too
shy, and so to me they were always the
misses Gordon. e-..-.--
When the autumn tints were beginning
to eppear in the woods of Dun6eld, |
discovered that | loved Alice, the dark
one, and that if she would like to live on
three hundred year, in snug little
house of her own, [ should like it too !;
but dared not tell her. l could laugh
and joke with Hetty, but with Alice |
was always shy and nervous,
| Time went or. perceived that with Mr..
and Mrs. Gordon L was a favorite. |
could see that Hetty, too, liked me, and
| | hoped Alice did but she was so quiet
and matronly | could not judge SO well.
When Christmas approached there was
a good deal of sickness about, and could
not 90 home, as [ had intended /; SO Mrs.
Gordon kindly begged me to come and
| dine with them.
eco, go, my dear fellow said friend
| ly Dr. Thompson, when [ demurred at
leaving them. ''Go and enjoy yourself,
and look cut for the mlstletoe. So L
gladly accepted the invitation.
| On Christmas eve [ met the girls out
walking, and they kindly said they were
glad | was coming.
cousin Willie is coming, too, cried
Hetty, and she glanced slyly at Alice.
"Who. is cousin Willie?' | asked,
wishing [ might mix a pill for him.
! ooh he's our only cousin and papa s
ward, was the reply. 'He always comes
at Christmas. r
''i'll come early | said, making a
mighty effort, as want to speak to Mr..
Gordon
ooh do-come as early as you can, !"
said Hetty.
"Old Thompson wants me to look out
for the mistletoe," | said, foolishly, by
way of saying something.
''Oh we've got plenty of that ready
eh, Alice?' said Hetty.
/ 'sHow tiresome you are, Hetty !" said
Alice, warmly, and blushing painful
crimson. ~ -r
We'll, it was silly of Hetty; and before
me, too But was so glad to see the blush
that | did not notice the little show OF
tenn per- Between you and me, reader,
she had once or twice before shown that
she had a temper.
] went home, pondering on the way
what | should do. | could not dine there
with my heart bursting with my secret
and feeling it might explode at any mo
: ment. Then there was Cousin Willie.
too. If he should pay my beautiful Al
ice any attention, l might not be able to
control my feelings So | determined to
write to her, ask my fate, and go up be
fore dinner for my answer. Ii were
!. accepted, have merry Christmas; If re-
iected, go home, and-and-well, nearly
die oe broken heart.
| was delighted with the idea, and al
most ran home to put it into execution.
, But now easy to get out pen, Ink ane
paperI-how difficult to write L tore
up letter after letter again and Again
tried, butthe hopelessncss of expressing
, my feelings was great. Should l leave
it and 60 and say my say in person? NO
no, | could not do that. My tongue
would cleave to my mouth the very
! thought seemed to deprive me ofalf pow
/ er of articulation Here goes, I sald a
| last. | will write it off at once, and
S won't read it over.
e My dear" Here | was at full stol
h already. How was | to begin? If
t were doing it personally, [ mig ht try th'
. effect of Alice" spoken in low. deel
$ tone, but itlooks SO cool on paper. There
!, fore I began again: My dear Miss Cor
;. don''-I can t remember my words, bu
a / know my letter was very tender, and,
$ hoped, very earnest and impressive.
r [ was once mere puzzled how to -ent
f my epistle, but at last decided on
f sBelieve me, dear, dear Miss Gordon
. tram HING hora and tear your