Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-03-09

! me almost to suicide the nexty You're q
lunatic. you arc, and hope Clarics viii
gire ron .he mitten."
"Pm afraid she wiIl."
".Faint heart never won fair lsdy.' "
quoted Tom Ridgely. indignantly q be
arose to take bis leave: "Seriopslyr hA-A
ever. Charley. I advise yau 70 .,ens
heart on paper. and ia iec
By the post
Charley thought about j. after he was
gone. The more be thought the better
pleased with it he was.
ITS terrible bat suppose I must p
he groaned, seating himself at his writing
desk, and clutching wildly at paper. pens
and ink.
An hour of torture. Charley began q
dozen billet-doux and tore them up.
ITS utterly useless" he moaned, at
last; and then the great BOBBY laid his
head upon the desk and fairly sobbed.
"ill write and ask her to 90 TO the
opera with me tomorrow night. anyway.
and then. perhaps" he dared to think
no further
my dear--no. that ncver'll do-was
ever mortal SO pcrplcxcd as ann I
wish the girls were all at the bottom of
the ocean. and Eve had never been
created. Well, I'll begin again"
This time he was successful. His note
was short enough. and some young Indies
might take unibrage at such an invitation.
but Claricc knew his bashfulness. tt
read as follows. and was not dated a, all ::
"Will you be kind enough to honor me
BY the acceptance Of my escort to the
opera tomorrow eve:"
And that was all beside the signature.
well, there" said Charley. as he got
il done. "Ipromised sister Minnie would
write to her this week, so will do it now
while my hand is ir." And tossing the
note one side. he soon began his letter.
SISTER MIyE:" Gt ready Yours of
the 18th came TO hand. aud have meant
ta answer it before The fact is. am
deep in love with a young laiy-Clarice
Wilmer. Of whom you have heard me
spea;;. and am afraid she don't return il.
Iou know that | am so con:oundcd BASH
ful ,!aren't speak word to her about it.
and neither can | write. Sometimes I
think "" got the necessary courage. but
when | meet her it vanishes like dew be-
fore the sun. and Tn bigger fool than
ever. / know she thinks that TIN fol
but can't hcl lp it'd rather face bat
terry Of mitrall"uses. or any other engine
Of destruction than pretty woman. any
time. and Clarice is the fairest. sweetest
and most beautiful young lady ever saw" "
Here followed three whole pages of lov-
crs rhapsody. intcrspersed with wailinrs
of despair. and then the letter would up
thus:
I've asked her to the opera tomorrow
night. and it she goes. It's possible that
may learn my fate"
Three o'clock i. be possible ?"
cried Charley. glancing at the clock. and
stufhng his letters into two cnvclops.
which he backed in awful haste. ..Tbe
mail goes out in half an hour-I shall be
late rs sure rs fate"
And paying no heed to the rhyme. and
little - the letters. he grasped his hat and
started for the post Office.
Clariee smiled her brightest when Char
ley called for her next night. but he fancied
there was mischief in her eyes which per-
haps was not quite all a fancy. At the
opera she talked and laughed between the
scenes in such n way that he was quite
bcwildered. He did not Learn his fate.
and after he got home felt worse than
ever.
Next day he got letter from his sister
81 am very sorry." wrote she. ..bu.
could no, well come on two hundred miles.
simply to attend an opera. suppose,
however, the invitation was intended for
another person. and if"
90 Jove. | am undone p said Charlev.
dropping the missivc to the floor. and
breaking out in cold perSpiration. Il
s'nt the letters wrong. and now I've done
s brown. What will Clarice think of
me?'
Driven 20 desperation at last. he pluck
I'd MP courage and hurried to Clarice's
residence.
''ls Miss Wilmer in ~ he asked the ser
want who answered the bell.
Yes" and he speedily found himself
in the parlor, aud face to face with his
inamorata.
'I-I-did you receives note from
me the other day. Miss Clarice o. he stam-
mer4l. wishing the fcor would give wav
sad precipitste him into the cellar.
Il received a letter. MIR. Winter said
Clariee, with laugh like the tinkiinc of
silver bells.
"Ah! ycs-I ask your pardon. Miss
Wilmer, for the dvertcncy-I meant
-'Oh. you need not apologize. Mr.. Win
ter. rather liked it. I assure you. You
did no. try your fate at the opera. though.
Why didn't yoa:"
How mischievous her eves were sr,rk.
ling, A fain. crisason dyed her cheek,
and, altogether. Charley. looking at her
siyly. thought he never saw her look so
pretty.
but the annoyance-"
1T wasn't an aanoyaoce. Twas pleas
ed"
Charley's heart thrilled suddenly with
hope. He took one step forward.
''You say that it was no annoyance.-
Dare believe you care for me s.
The faint glow deepensd suddeuly.-
..Yoa may" she said.
IfCharley's friend. Tom Rideely. had
dropped in 1--WE minutes later. he vould
have thought Charley,s hasafalos. vas
su . shsa. Il ssv9 sssshlsd hin as.in.