Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-04-23
DELAWARE, OHIO, FRIDAY, APRIL %, 1869.

q slight rustling noise near the door o
a the apartment arrested my attention
. Then imagined could hear the sub
9 dued accents Of a low, sweet voice
1 and in another moment the door omen
? ed slowly and my cousin Agnes stoo(
before me. fairer and loVelier than ev
: er, her handsome features now sadden
[ ed with an expression of deepest sym
pathy, her whole manner so cha1ref
2 that looked upon her as some sweet
} ministering angel. I madean attempi
} to speak, but she raised her hand, and
motioned me to keep silent.
t4You have beenil1, cousin, very i'll .
she said in a tone not louder than 9
| whisper 'sand now you must keeI
perfectly quiet. To-morrow, perhaps
you viii be much better, and then you
can speak to me, but not now. have
been anxiously waiting until You
awakened, that you might take some
refreshment which I have prepared
for you; but must beg your promise
/ feel quite well again.
metiOned obedience, and with a
faint but grateful smile she Withdrew
as noiselessly as she came.
Many long day and weary night
elapsed before I recovered from the
dreadful shock my system had reeeiv-
/ ed. Many times I listened eagerly,
/ during that long illness, for my kind
| and lovely nurse and every time she
! and energy to bear the bodily pain I
was compelled to suffer-
At length found myself sufficiently
strong enough TO read and walk with
| in doors, and the recollection of the
happy days passed as a willing inva-
lid at Marston Hall, repays me now a
hundred fold for my previous suffer
ings.
Well, I regained my wonted health
at last, but felt no desire to return to
London. In short there was something
that would keep flashing through my
mind, making my heart beat quicker
than usual, especially Whenever I
CHANGED to be alone with my cousin, I
became dull, pensiYe, and absent, a
change which my cousin Agnes was
not long in observing, and calling me
to task for but instead of giving ra-
tional explanation of the cause of nv
moodiness, I told her that if she would
join me in my ramble through the
park on tie following day I would
then and there make very important
confession.
don't want to be made acquainted with
your wicked doings but if it is any
thing that annOys you, and can help
you to get rid of it-''
my confession is not one of wick
edness,'' I said, eagerly interruptinp
her and you can, if you will, help me
out of my trouble"
provided you do not ask me to do
anything repugnant to my conscience,
l promise you my help. But, cousin .
she added, speaking very deliberately,
'twhy delay your statement until to-
morrow There's no time like the
present, especially for penitent people;
so if you VIII gfaeioUlsIy reveal what
is I
viii listen to you with the most exem~
plary patience"
looked at her for a moment in 81
lence, and then replied, ''No, cous-
in, not now. 1t is not trifing matter
that wish to speak of, but one that
involves the happiness of two lives"
Indeed ~ she exclaimed, in a slight
ly altered tone.
'sCoUraee,' - whispered to myself. |
'tNow is the time for me to ascertain |
my fate.o Then seizing her hand with |
passionate tend eFness. said, ssCousin /
Agnes-dearest Agnes-yoU viii not |
deny me the pleasure of calling you |
by that sweet name Nay, turn not |
from me- continued, as she made a |
desperate effort to release her hand, |
until have told you how deeply |
have loved you; how, day amer day, / |
have seen and felt your goodness and |
worth. Oh, do not then plunge me in |
to utter despair by rejecting the offer I
now make of my love, my devotion-t
of the most preciOss gift man can give !
to woman, and which you even have /
already taken from-n1y heart"
paused, but my companion did not /
speak, gazed intently ints her inno-
cent eyes, and there I read her verdict.
I was made happy for the remainder
of my existence.
''But," said my beloved Agnes,
speaking very sOlemnly, and looking
quite distressed, thought-'Fyou had
better reconsider your words, for I am
-
''Afraid-of what, dearest' I asked,
her.
''lEhat YOU have"
FGond heavens ! tell me, " IexcIaim-
ed, 'what have done ~
''NIade a fool of yourself y she repli-
ed with merry twinkle in her eye.
I saw through the mystery myself in
a moment. Fred's wife had informed
nv cousin of the conversation which
took place between Fred and myself
on the evening previous to my coming
to Marston Hall. So I laughed, and
Agnes laughed, and then we both
laughed together, until the joke had
been heartily appreciated on both sides.
And now it only remains for me to
add that did not leave England that
shortly after had put the question to
my cousin Agnes, brother Fred and
his family were summoned to Marston
Hall, where very happy wedding
took place and when my brother re-
me of what had done in the
way of making a fool of myself,
told him I did not care, so long as /
felt convinced that had shown moth
ing but sound sense in WoOing, win
ming, and wedding my odd, but good
looking cousin, Agnes.