Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-12-11

reader, she had once or twice shown that
SHE had temper. ---.
" / went home, pOndering on the way
what ] should do. ! could rot dinethere
with my heart bursting with my secret
and feeling it might explode at any mo-
ments Then there was Cousin Willie.
too. If he should pay my beautiful
Alice any attention, might not be able
to control my feelings. So determined
to write to her, ask my fate, and go up
before dinner for my answer. II | were
accepted, have a merry Christmas if res
iected; 90 home, nd-and--wel, nearly
die Of broken heart.
| was delighted with the idea, aud al.
most ran home to put it into execution.
But how easy to get ont pen, ink and pa.
per! how difficult TO write! / tore up
letter after letter; again and again /
tried, but the hopclcssness Of expressing
my feelings was great. Should lcai e
it and go and say my say in person :?
No, no, | could no, do that. Ny tongue
would cleave to my mouth the very
thought seemed to deprive nte of all
power of articulation. Here goes, | said
at last. will write it off at once, and
won't read it over.
"My dcar"-here was at full stop
already. How was ! to begin If /
were doing it personally, might try the
effect OF "Alicp," spoken in a low. deep
tone, but it looks so cool on papnr.
Therefore | began again: "My dear
Miss Gordon"-I can't remember my
words, though 10 doubt my wife does,
but / know my letter was very tender,
aud, hoped, very earnest and imbrcs.
sive.
was once more puzzled how to end
my epistle, but at lsst decided OIL
"Belleve me. dear, dear Miss Gordon.
waiting in trembling hope, aud fear,
yours III Lille and death, yours only and
forever, "PnILIP GwYNNE."
This despatched to Miss Gordon, en-
closing note for the young lady's papa,
to be delivered at her discretion. You
may believe scarcely closed my eyenall
that night.
Next day, Christmas day, WIS too
busy to attend church but got clear
about four o'clUck, aud hastily dressing
myself started for Mr. Gorlum's. lie
met me warmly.
"Come i'll here, my dear fellow" said
he; 81 can't tell you how pleased she is,
my wife, | mean. And am quite salts
fled as to worldly affairs Quite. Old
ThompSon's is a good practice. We
must have settlement YOU know but
thal'll be all right. Rather YOU have
her than the earl God bless you!
am proud to call you son. Pve spoken
to her. She loves you, my boy, loves
you dearly, she says, and has done SO
long. Aud now that you are one OF the
family, may as well tell you secret.
My youngest daughter is engaged, too.
Yes, Alice and my nephew William are
going to make a match of it. Don't
look so astonished. She'll make him a
good wife; for though she is "a year youn-
ger than dear lIetty, she looks older,
you know, and is more steady and sedatc.
But IIetty'sa Il dear girl, and will, Pm
sure, make you happy. Don't speak,
don't speak There, I'll send her in !
And off the lawyer bolted in his usual
jerky way before | could speak word.
Was mad? Was l dreaming? AL
ice the younger Alice engaged !-Het-
" loving me dearly what on earth was
it all about? How could have been
such fool? a thousand little hitherto
unnc iced facts crowded on my brain
confirming the statement. How could |
have trusted appearances so utterly, and
taken her for the eldest without being
certain? She engaged and wild, merry,
sweet lIetty loving me! 1t still would
not enter my brain. What should / do ?
Get up, bolt, and explain attcrward?
| sprang up TO obey my impulse. As
| did so, the door opened, and with down
cast eyes and rosy bushes IIetty came
in. l rushed eagerly toward her and
grasped her hands. | would confess all,
| thought. ''IIctty"-I began. She
mistook my action, my words, for afftc-
ton. She came nearer to me, responded
to my warm clasp, and then, overcome
by shyness, hid her pretty curly head on
my shoulder. My embarrassment mo-
mentarily increased. "Oh, Hetty, let-
ty-" began once more.
'Dear Philip" she whispered in reply
to what she deemed affection, IL am So
happy, Philip"
What could do? Tell her it was all
mistake, and thus blight the bright
young life and heart forever? In that
one second made a great decision. My
chances of happiness had fled. / would
sacrifice myself and marry her, and she
should never know the truth.
/ bent down and whispered, "GOd
bless you, lletty; l will try and make
you happy ;" and kissed the wild, teas
ing girl, now so gentle, so winning, SO
sweet. l could not rudely break her
heart.
She looked up and then hid her face
again Oh my shoulder, and clung to me
to hide her emotion. Was it possible to
love her? Ought not to be thankful !
Had | married Alice--nO, mean pro
posed TO her-I should only have been
rejected, and gone away miserable; now
| had real true heart 10 love me. Sure
ly, surely, in time l might return her
affection.
"Can you be happy with me, lletty !"
| asked.
"Oh, Philip, indeed l cam" she re-
piled.
81 always feared you laughed at me"
| said.