The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-12-08
zee RANpAIcWoop nAnKEr.
M ANY RANDOLPH.

SAthAsopaLAAoo LuoItnu luLU plNckI
and . ireahl youthful complexion,
pink and white, like 0 mountain daisy
that was MetallR Hayes, sitting I'M
DER the old hazel UopBs GhadoWs, where
trails OF aIlver-bloaBomed clematla
threw their graceful tendflIs from tree
20 tree, and the scarlet lobella blazed
like q torch Of are ID the green gloom
OF the woodland paths. And Ralph
Medway,. leaning with folded arms
against the old mosB. enAmsled tree
trunk, looked al her, secretly thinking
that he had never seen 80 fair n little
cfeatureI ~ ~ ~ - =
'What are you muslng about 40 In
tentlyr asked Metella, suddenly
glanclng mp, and deslstlng from her
dreamy occupation OF tracing the ahape
OF . fallen leaf on the NOSE at her feet
with her paraaol end, Midway color
ed and smiled.
i cannottell you Just now, MettleJ
And why nol2' "i'7IT'N'
t0h-because-' F'r7
Because Ia . woman's reason
And n.mRn's too, sometimes. Oh
Mettle, take caHel ~.
For quick motion Of her restless
hand catching In the vine stems beside
her, broke nom the slender wrist a III
tie bracelet Of carved sandal wood
The pertumed, bits Of wood rolled an
about, and close 70 Melw ways feet camt
the pendant, alpair of tiny baskets
carved with Oriental cunning j W !
Never mind said Mettle; carelessly
% he stopped 20 gather the fragments
1t Will never be good for anything
again, and I was tired of the old thlnp
long ago. Please don't trouble your.
aelf, Mr.. Midway g,' 80. 80 - -
twill not, then. But, MeGtle, these
fairy baskets, they are Too pretty 10 bi
thrown away. Come let us be senti.
mental for once, and separate them
from their tiny ring. You shall veal
one and I the other--a bond uniting
onr two hearts; and II am ever slct
or In trouble, will send the gage 4
you, q silent token thereof iii I
And II ever send mine 10 you Z
laughed Mettella, attaching the toy 4
the watch chain at her throat. -r'. I
i will come, obedlent to Its sum
mons, II seas wider than the Pacific
mountains loftier than the Sierra Ne.
vada, separate uB.' g I
Both spoke jestiugly, yet an under.
current OF serious earnesIness thrilled
In their voices.
rs It a compact, Metella?'
Yes, It Ia q compact
And, now, said Ralph Midway
bending over her with lnexpresalblI
tenderness In his mein, Il will tell yot
what I was thinking about, Mettie, FOL
-
Dear mel hope havn't interrupt.
ed tGte a tetc.' g... ,..-aa 80
It was Mrs. Pyle'a voice, soft, sllken
and hollow, and Mrs. Pyle stood belorI
them In her pretty WldoW'B cap, with
Its flutterinR streamefs OF white grape,
scarce purer than her own Waxen com
plexion.
Shall I 90 away she hazarded 10
charming indecIslon. .0.T I
go awayi Certainly not said Met.
tie, vexed ct the blushes whose billoWy
scarlet she could feel creeping over hel
face, and starting to her feet. why, II
Ia almost ak and must get back tc
the hotel, or mamma will think am
lost .-
She sprang lightly to her feet, and
hurried away through the long lIneS oil
red sunset light that made q ROSY lad.
der, streaming through the tree trunkh
while Mrs. Pyle looked deprecating ur
Into Medway's face.
Il have driven her away-and you
will never forgive me-
Pray do not feel so conscience
stricken, Mrs. Pyle he laughed,
But she Is 80 lovely, and 1t Ia 30 de-
lightfully romantic out here. And
don't blame you for, admirlnH her.
should admire her, u were o man. 4
don't wonder she iS engaged already
young 40 she is.'
'EngagedH
Yes: didn't you know III To hel
cousin, 0 rich old bachelor In New
York. Mettie Hayes 10 just the cir
who would prefer being 'an old mans
darling to q young mans slave, par
tioularly II tho matrimonial chains
were pretty we'll studded with Jewels.
4 had not heard OF IT,
Nor Well, Iauppoue MeItle dIdn'l
want the rnmor to spoil the pleasure
Of summer here. Dear little MettIe
she Is q bit Of afltrt; and, after all, who
can wonderf' pf l.
Honeyed words, undermining th.
happiness OF two yonng 'lIves-barbetl
cruel commonplaceB, carrying theil
sting straight home. II Mrs. Pyle haG
been q man, Ralph Midway would haVl
knocked her down then and there; bu
ahe was bewitohing little widow, ant
he felt vaguely ~ II he ought TO b,
grateful for the unpalatable dose tina
she held to his lips. ~
tY0nlII Siya ma Dn1nr m r,,1 HAL. - al,
hotel though I'm not Mettie HayeB,
walk. and Pm 30 tired
Mr., Medway promptly aoceded. Mrs
Pyle was very pretty, and very anxIonI
70 don her weeds Ia favor OF new or
range blossoms, and consequently shI
improved the occasion to the best O
her abilities. But It was OF no use
Mr.. Wedway,s heart might have beer
labeled, like o. seat at the opera, TIA
ken.' She had blighted Metella's fu
ture, but she had not Ia any way I'm
proved her own prospects. -.
Ralph Midway sat up'late that night
the red tip OF his cigar glowing through
the dusk OF the sumner night, as hl
gaHed ont athWaTt the atGr.sprInkleC
gloom. So MetIle had been decelvlnI
and triillug With him, making merI
plaything OF hla heart. II twas we'll b.
had found Il out thus early 10 the game
When Metella came down 10 break
fast the next morning, looking NOR
like . mountain daisy than ever, II
her pink and white morning wrapper
there was aivacant chair opposite her
Mr.. Midway had returned to New
York. Y
Mettle Hayes had q deal OF pride Il
her Fragile organization, and no ON
ever knew the sinking 1t her heart
the rain OF tears shed on her midnlgh
pillow. She suffered, and made NJ
AiRnt ButBhe atlll Worethe fraIl baske
ofsoanted sandal wood upon her watch
chain. :. /. -
% OF: course It don't mean anythInl
now. she said 10 herself, but / dom
like 70 throw II away. He would no
keep his, but then men and women Or
con6tltnted differently T.
Ralph Medway.Went back 10 New
York determined to forget tho brown
haired blonde whose dewy eyes hal
lighted up the ahRdows Of the m!dsum
mer woods 90 lenchAntluRly; but tn
allow winged years orept by, and b
could not forget - ~. ~
Mira. Paplina Pyle did not permit he
efforts 70 become MEs. Paullna some
body elRe, and har chief object OF pre-,
was Mr.. Midway. go
| 'Uponmy word,' unused Ralph, on