The weekly standard., 1869-10-13

Y .saessaG slla-E ss.5 al .sssak.
mournfully; abut it seems year-it seems
lifetime. Frederick came in as ne always
does to and from Dorset. he hadn't been
home before for more than month, and l
i hadn't seen him in all that time. 1t seemed
/ like great while; but, Milly, 1t was not
\ like always. Now I'm going to see him
i never again I" sobbed poor zay, breaking
down for moment.
Then swallowing very hard she went on
aHe seemed natural cnough-just as he
always did; til, finally, he lay down on the
sofa and put his head on my lap, and then
said he didn't know how had looked at
our acquaintance, and he thought we ought
| to have an understanding. And SO said
| | had never thought of anything but'friend-
ship for him. We had been schoolmates,
and I should always prize him as a friend
almost like q. brother You know, Milly,
could have him think I was dying for him;
and if he had not looked upon US as lovers I
would not have him suppose had You
know / am very proud, y said Eliza, with q
CLEAN of consolation. = ."h 70, - 49,
"You are very much Of a fool, that's what
you are p retorted Milly, picking up her ap.
pie and biting it ferociously. Il never heard
of young man putting his head on girls
lap for the purpose of telling her he didn't
love her." she continued, looking as expe,
rienced as Queen Elizabeth. =
ZaY continued: .H
9He said he didn't know how had under
| stood our acquaintance, and of cou,te
would not have him think understood
more than he meant. talked long time
| and don't think ever talked better in my
| life. quoted from Emerson and from Tup-
| per. and talked easy as possible, and could
think of everything to say just as wanted
| to say it, but I felt as though my heart was
breaking. Afterward i brought that new
chene dress of mine to show him, just as l
always showed him my things, so he need
MT notice anything different; and he looked
at it and then looked up at me so repoach-
fully and with so much meaning, and said,
"Changea5ler r and nothing more. o, Milly,
1 felt like death; and you have Go idea how
handsome he looked as he went down the
road to Dorset, and how loved him, his
hair, his hands and everything! And shall
never, never see him again never! never"
At this miserable thought Eliza sank on
basket of apples all in bunch and began
to cry, while her friend looked on and pitied
her.. Presently Milley said: I.s
Don't feel so, Zay. Ihavea presentiment
that you will see Fred again, and am per-
fectly sure that it is true presentiment.
He loves you, 1 know, for l have seen you
two together too much to doubt it; and if
he loves you of course he is not going to let,
this be the last You know, Zay, / have
seen deal of such things at one time and
another. There was Sarah Liscom aud Maud
| Vershire-I know all about their love af-
fairs; and my married sisters made con-
tidante of me. And l know men do not
| give up girl so easy if they really love
her," she continued, shaking her girlish
head. "But do not think you did right.
You know what We have said so many
| times:
sBe to thine own self. true
And it doth follow as the night the day
| Thou canst not then be false to any man"
And, Zay, you were not true to yourself, and
| of course you were false to Frederick"
'sYour friend Zay is very proud" repeated
Eliza, hopelessly. "And, Milly, was not
going to admit had thought farther than
he had"
''Elizay! EIizay. 1t is time to hang on
the pot and put in the pork !" called down
Mrs. Orange from the stairway "If you
will start the dinner needn't come down
till get my skein off, '-
"Yes' ma'ma," called back Eliza. "Din-
ner-pot, pies, and Buckingham That is all
have to look forward to in life," she ad-
ded, drearily.
And so it seemed to prove Days and
weeks and even months went on, and Milly's
cheerful prophecies were not fulfilled. Even
worse.
One day Milly Bergen's half-aunt Betsey,
from Dorset, who was talking old woman
and took snuff, came over to pay visit to
her hall. brothers family. While she was
there Eliza Orange came in, and presently
Milly said, of sudden:
"Do you know Frederick Chestnut, Aunt
Betsey? els book keeper in the cutlery
at Dorset, and boards at Miss Halsey's, or
use tor
Eliza stopped over to stroke a seven -toed
kitten lying asleep upon the hearth, stop
ping her breath to listen for the reply But
Aunt Betsey was never in haste to begin
talking, or to leave off after she had begun
She shook up her chair cushion, counted The
stitches on her seam needle, took pinch Of
snuff, and then said, deliberately:
Frederick Cheshuntl Yes, know him.
Why see-Miss Halsey lives very next house
+ but one to me, and we are great knit-ups
and are out and in together like own folks
her and me. So always know who she
has for boarders. Chestnut is one of hel
Oldest boaIders, quite standby; and
know him as well as 1 do this young lady
here. don't know anything against hin
neither, nor nobody else. He is just as nice
young man as there is in the town of Dor
set now that is so. And he is paying atten
ton now to girl over there to Dorset. A
Dudgeon girl, and Miss Halsey and l are no,
over-pleased with the match, for she isn't
more than half good enough for him! Good
enough! Why, she is likely girl belong,
to respectable family, and all that But
consider her lazy piece of tuniture, and SC
does Miss Halsey."
Eliza had lifted her face from the kitten
and was listening, white and eager, greedy
to lose nothing; not even the pain every
word brought her
But you think they will marry ~ asked
Milly, moving her chair to bring it befor,
Eliza's excited face.
Il well, it looks that way now: l under
stand he has taken her home to see his folks
and see how they like"
Has! thought saw him pass her
with lady one day last week. Probably
.. was then," interrupted Milly indifferently
"Oh, did you know we were expectin,
Augusta and the baby in few days2"
1t made no difference to aunt Betsey wha
|, the subject-she was at home on any ant
taking pinch of snuff she chatted ava,
just as readily on the next theme put il
her way with such adroit carelessness.
, When Eliza went home soon after, Mill
, went to the gate, and finally along the roa'
as far as the third maple tree
II thought you were my friend, Milly
she said, bitterly. But you knew how
longed to hear whatever else your aun
r Betsey could tell"
$50 am your friend, your true friend
, but you looked as though there was dag
ger sticking in your heart, and l was no
going to let her 90 back to Dorset wit
, any story about you to tell Miss Halsey
Besides, she had told all she knew, an,
!. some she had guessed, already Don't CRY
Zay. l have a presentiment it will a
come out right yet"
Right" meant to these young girls tn
way most desirable in their finite eyes, tina
saw such a little way into life and the grea
Beyond. aa TlTt ~ -
So Milly went back to the gossiping aunt
and Eliza went forward to take up tn
burden of life from which the sun wa