Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-03-02

Sucn time. Sne struggled VIII
herself and she had conquered
when a white hand took her own
and voice said:
at is you, Miss Grace:'
The others had all passed on
only the young minister remained
He had caught a glimpse of he
dress amongst the stones, and pre-
sumed to follow her. he said
though I only hoped it was you
and was not sure until l stood fac
to face with you. You know hoy
short sighted / am. and, at dis
tance, you and Miss Augusta ar
alike"
Did he really hope it was she
Grace asked herself, or was this bu
mere courtesy? Grace was not vail
nor did she see conquest in ever!
smile, or hear one in every polit,
word, but Harvey Atwood's hop
was spoken with a meaning.
| People said that Harvey Atwood
looked like an English nobleman
They meant that he looked as al
English nobleman should look-tall
stalwart, fair, blonde of hair an(
beard, scarlet of lip,well developed
yet with little piqaante touch o.
the exquisite about him, more in
dress than in manner; on the whole
that being not yet at all known o.
understood by his own people-s
polished American. The brigh
brunette face of Grace Brentwood
was pretty contrast as her light
young figure was to his. They made
in country parlance, "a very nice
couple Not couple yet, however
mot engaged. A little dawning o
tender understanding between them
no moro as yet. Only Grace knew
that if Harvey did not ''like' her
oh. that woman's word, how much
it means to us, that it would be very
probable that she would never care
much to have any one like her agair
in that way. ...
] 1t was the country custom in Elm
thorpe to offer the arm to lady
during escort duty even by day
Harvey offered his. Grace took il
very lightly, very softly. Then he
with his large, white fingers, drew
the little glove farther through uE
his sleeve. 'Lest l should lose such
a feather weight" he said, smiling:
but he did not hasten to drop the
hand. Grace was very happy, quietly
happy, as she walked home. She
said very little. He talked more
He asked her many questions. Were
they pleasant people whose children
she would teach? Must she really
go? Would she come home often
Would she promise him to leave al
once if it were disagreeable? Would
she write often to her sister and
send him messages? She would
promise that. That air of proprie-
torship in her that says so much
was in everything he did, in every
word he uttered. Grace felt it.
So at her cottage door she paused
reluctantly, and gave him her hand.
"Good-bye," she said. "Good-bye,'
he answered. 1t was a secluded
spot. No one was within sight
They were quite alone. The beau
tiful head bent low. The splendid
eyes softened as they looked into
hers. He lifted the little gloved
fingers to his lips. He kissed them
"Good-bye, Grace, my darling" he
said, and was gone. And Grace
trembling and pale, but exquisitely
happy, ran to her own room and hid
herself there with her new found
joy. ..
The next morning she went to hel
governess place, but she took hel
happiness with her.
No governess was ever content
but Grace had as pleasant life as
might be. She wrote often to Gussie
and heard of Aunt AIMS arrival
with, as Gussie expressed it, a par
eel of boarders. "And our clergy
man called and l let him see YOU
letter" said postscript. ''Was that
discreet? Did you say anything
naughty in it? l had forgotten .
Then Grace blushed at the memory
of those parting words, and the
touch Of those soft lips upon hel
fingers. .
Still it was Ion ely away from
home. Lonely in the great city
houses. Lonelier still when the
Browns betook themselves to the
country hotel, where they fancied
themselves in the enjoyment of rus
tic felicity. Whether the hot school
room, where she taught the young
Browns their daily lessons; or the
hot walk on the beach, or the dull
lonely evenings in her own apart
ment were the worst, she could not
tell. 1t was dreary, and she was
"aweary," but the woeful bonds o.
so much a week woefully needed
bound her to her post as it binds
many weary one in this hard
worked world. And now Gussie's
letters come so rarely, so very rare
ly; and in them she would speak ir
her careless way, Grace thought, O.
events at which Grace could only
guess, as though they were well un.
derstood by both, just like wild
Gussie, and Grace was too proud tt
ask for more than was willingly
given. 1t was plain that Gussie was
having a gay time of it, and if she
forgot her, "Well, let me be forgot
ten," sighed Grace, ''words cannot
mend it."
So the summer passed. If one
word from Harvey Atwood coult
have come, it would have been sc
much shorter. But in October
Grace would go home and they
should meet again. On this hop'
she lived. Lonely hours had no
been unfruitful. In them the feelings
which lay within her breast hat
taken shape and form. A future
very sweet and very beautiful.
future wherein she should live anC
move as Harvey Atwood's wife, wa
waiting for her coming. Perhaps
she would have shrunk from utter
ing the words, but at heart sh'
knew the young clergyman to be he
lover. When he should ask her t.
be his, in the bright October holiday
perhaps she would surely answe