Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1870-01-15

| as possible in these travels of min
| You know you are to share everything
in my lie ; you know you are my littl
| wife, though you are growing almoi
too large for that pretty adjective nov
and | only wish we were old enough tob
married and take this tour togethe
Perhaps we will 60 abroad togethe
some day when you are really my wife
How happy should be to show m
Maggie everything | had seen years bt
fore, that is beautiful and grand in th
Old World"
"But do you think you shall like t
have me TOR your wifef" ! could no
help asking, Tor q bitter sense of m,
dark ugliness had been dwelling withil
me, as ] looked at him so handsome aps
fair. + Lam plain and awkward, Mad
anne CoIonna thinks my figure may i'm
prove, but shall always have to fel,
upon my mental gifts for the means .
pleasing" fe9 81 8Nfsfl rg
The tears would come to my eyes-rl
wanted to cry, both because I was So
ugly and because Stephen was going
y-but / repressed them BY strong
effort. .iise fao1l .pfs. rS ltsiseixS
Stephen looked In my troubled face,
and met my glance witha snile,.Ik
(" You are the very handsomest girl
in the world to me. Maggie, /" he replied
sand Ihave seen some tine young la
dies since l have been ID college. And
you are TO be my wife. Remember that,
and don't fascinate any poor fellow with
those splendid eyes Of yours, nor think
OF loving any one else. You are mine,
darling, are you not ~ 'HyH 9sla w
Yes, Stephen" answered, al am
yours il you will have me-" s.I
Hetook me ip his arms, kissed me
twice, thrice, on brow, and cheek and
lips, and thus we parted. s 4 Nips 'N
Four years had passed. and to night
we had met once more in very different
scenes. and in very different manner,
Two or three letters only had Stephen
sent. t.me during the first year Of his alb
sence. For three years he had been 81
lent. | thought he had forgotten me,
Or had thought it better to allow our
intimacy to subside, but IL had never
been able TO FORGET him.
could have torn my hair, or gnssh-
ID my teeth for anger At the conviction.
hat l loved this cold hearted, splendid
nan who had met me tonight almost
IS stranger, but with some banterinx
words about our childish acquaintance.
II will never think Of him again as a
riend,y said, Is / at last prepared to
~ myself upon my couch e. l will show
lin that, plain as i am, ! have a power
possessed BY few smohg women to com
,sl the admiration OF his false and fckle
ex. | have attractions more enduring
han those Of beauty, and be shallknow
md feel them" ..matl.a
] was motherless girl, and had no
prudent woman-friend to counsel me, or
o receive my confidence. Perhaps such
u one might have saved me then much
uffering.
OF course ] met Stephen constantly.
lis sisters were my most intimate
riends, his family and ours had always |
moved insthe same circle. in a few
ays be was established at our firesile |
s familiar guest, coming in and going |
ut at all hours, with his sisters or
lone, and setting all ceremony and re |
traint at such uttsrnde6ance that we
Uuld but yield.
But he never called me his little
Iife again, nor alluded to the olden
ines wien bore that title, as If he re-
1embered 1t. Nor did he show me
ither moro or less attention than he
aid to Lucy, who had been . mere ba-
y when he left home for school, and
id not remember him at all
| should have been piqued at this
ad he been a mere stranger. for had
cen wont to attract men to my shrine
y my conversational powers, which
ad cultivated to an extent rare Tor
oman. But to see Stephen Parkhurst,
he scholar and traveller. turn from me
my pretty, childish sister, and listen
18th the sans dattering air Of Difference
her lisping nothings, was almost more
IAN could bear.
Was il for this that / had kept my.
aH jealously apart from human pas
ons, turning q deaf ear 10 all tones
lat vibrated with the music OF the
eartf Was it for this that | had long
!, and prayed, and waitedl Icould
most have found 1t in my heart to be
alous Of little Lucy, but that I loved
sr so dearly.
0utwardly l had never been so gay,
!, brilliant. as during this time Of har-
lssing doubt and uncertainty. That |
we'd Stephen Parkhurst nv sufferines
nuld not let NE doubt. But that the
'cret Of this absorbing, unreuuited pas
on should be shut closely into my own