The Republican journal., 1870-12-15

perched on two fingers, and the frilled white
sack spread out tendcrly upon his knees.
In an upper apartment Of handsome man
sion in ST. Louis. on the evening of the day
our heroine first made the readers acquain t.
ance, beautiful Belle Alden, the petted and
only daughter of the house, sat contemplate
ing the various articles her confidential maid
was disposing upon the table-artcles taken
travelling bag.
The cards and cigar case lay side by side
and a highly scented party they were
"What's in the little silver flask, Rosa ?''
said the fair mistress.
brandy, ma'am, replied the maid
'He can't be very dissipated. to travel with
such q little bottle That's in case of sick
ness, | suppose" returned Belle.
lit is my belief" said Rosa, who was a
shrewd gill, ''that the gentleman was Il
mighty nice one, else you'd not so readily
excuse the cards and the bottle
For shame, Rosa All gentlemen play
euchre travelling, and even clergymen take
Il little brandy in case of Sickness answer
ed Belle ''And this man was gentleman,
and 4 liberal one, too for he gave the poor
emigrant woman $40. What's that, Rosa ?"
For, at that moment Rosa held between
her fingers a letter.
Whether it was wrong to read strang-
ers letter vexed Belle for q moment, us her
eyes glanced at the superscription and hand
writing.
why, of all thngst' exclaimed the de-
lighted girl seizing the letter. ''Why, Rosa,
this is Jenny Marcy's writing, and addressed
to Richard Marcy-her only darling brother
who was in Europe when we two graduated
at Madam Ritter's, in Brooklyn"
Belle read rapidly till she had reached the
middle OF the letter, when she burst into a
merry laugh
Hear this Rosa" she said, and she read
from the letter:
"Abovc all things, Dick, dear, don't fail,
while in ST. Louis, to see my best friend and
schoolmate, Belle Alden | know you will
fall in love with her, for, besides being the
best girl in the world, she's q beauty and an
heiress, and fathers choice above all others,
for his sons wife. He used to talk it over at
home, and hope Belle would not marry be-
fore you came home from Europe She is
full rs anxious to know you. and wears your
hair and mine in a locket father gave her
last year. Give her lots OF love and beg of
her to overlook your many imperfections
for the sake Of her old school-fellow, Jen
N.Y.
Then this gentleman is OF course, Miss
Jenny's brother" said Rosa, land what will
she say when she hears Of your having met
in this romantic way ?"
Il don't intend to tell her OF it till | 90 to
New York this fall said Belle. perhaps
her brother will call.n
But in this supposition Belle was wrong.
The month passed, and she saw no more OF
the golden-headed Richard
And she carefully separated the yellow
lock in the little keepsake from the dark tress
Of Jenny's and put it back into its place
alone, while another locket held the bit OF
Jennys. And, somehow. Belle looked very,
very often at the wee golden curl, and She
never did so but the rest of the handsome
mead sprang up beside the lock, and she
would sit and contemplate the picture her
fancy wrought for her, little dreaming the in
terest she was allowing to grow III her
bosom for Jennv's brother.
In the fall, Belle and her father went to
New York, and the first day after her arriv
al found her sitting with her old friend, who,
after the first elusive meeting was past, sat
down to empty her soul
''Im so glad you are here this month";
Jenny said ''bccause I'm to he married in
October, and | have always been crazy to
have YOU for a bridesmaid, and Dick is to be
Harrys best man"
Belle blushcd.
''But Dick has fallen hopclcssly madly in
love ~
Belle turned pale.
"Yes, | was 50 dreadfully provoked when
he passed through st. Louis and never Went
near you. But he went wild over some lady
he met upon that fatal trip.
He will talk to me by hours of his Angel
lea. And when / have spoken of you he has
been positively rude, and asked me to have
done bothering him about my trecklcd school
friends-you know your picture shows
treckles; but bless me, you haven't any now
Aud your picture don't look any more like
you than it does like me, not q bit"
''But tell me" said Belle, SIS your brother
engaged to this lady?"
Engaged! Why, dear heart, he don't
know her name. He Just found some Of her
old clothes somewhere. He's got her old Slip
pers under u glass case; he's got her gloves
stuffed under another; he's got her night
gown done up in lavender; he's got her gold
thimblc hung on his watch chain; and be-
lcve he's got a hair brush and some hair
pins next his heart. Oh, it's folly to inter
ferc Hes beyond all hope! did think the
excitement Of my wedding would wean him
from it. but not Il bit He looks at my new
things as calmly as an oyster, and only said
its not kind OF me to repeat it, though"
broke off Jenny
''What was it he said ?" inquired Belle
laughing now, heartily. Don't fear for my
feelings"
"'Why,' he said, III stand up W th your
friend Belle, and see you safely married;
and then I'm off, to winter in Paris. Pm
done with love on my own account, Jenny
It's positively awful
And 50 Belle thought, as she looked ut her
old slipper and glove lying beneath globe
on either side the faithful Richards mantel
''And," said Belle, ''since he desires only
to meet me the morning of the wedding, so
it shall be- | will be introduced only as we
are leaving the house, and he can do as he
pleases about continuing the acquaintance
aterward" -"
Belle was radiant with happiness when
she returned to her father, and delighted his
fond heart by the change, for Belle had been
very quiet of late
Jenny and Belle shopped and talked and
visited together for the next few days, and
then the eventtul morning arrived, and amid
a bevy Of beautiful girls, Belle shone like a
queen The bride was ccipsed, and delight
fully acknowledged it.
80, Belle ~ she said; II long to have old
stoical Dick see you-. Hark there's his
step Come into the next room now, and be
introduced Don't wait till the carriages
come it's an hour yet"