The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-06-24
Slle Albatg gegistes<'
A laurel Blossom.

aA charming face, indeed ! SO bright
and 50 happy Who is she Mrs Ruther>
..Mary DI6rrison--oue of our village
bellies"
s.Aud ike most bellies. somewhat of
coduettc,u said the gentleman somewhat
interrogatively.
ssIndeed never thought so until late
w. answered the lady, rather graveIy. I
tsIt is pity.
"Yes,s said young lady standing by. |
"Tt is shame. I'm sure we have all |
considered her engaged, or as good as
engaged, to Hugh Shirley-and now,
only look at her! A gentleman, too, whom
she has not known but few days r'
nBut rich, and SO handsome" said
another young lady. ga city beau, too
Quite q distinction in our rustic com.
munity," she added laughing.
s'Not worth Hugh Shirley, by half.
A mere fashionable coxcomb, dare say.
am surprised that a girl so good and
sensible as Mary Morrison would act
SO"
"Poor Mr.. Shirley! One may see how
cut he is by it."
Hugh Shirley seated little apart from
this group of pic-nickers, and concealed
by the intervening shrubs, had heard
every word of this conversation. He now
rose and moved slowly away, but FIRST
looked back to where Mary Morrison was
seated on messy hill, smiling and chat
ting with her new admirer-a Mr.. Wes-
ton, s'frou the city"
How pretty and graceful she was, as
with o flush on her face, and an unwont-
ed light in her eyes, she glanced up arch.
iy from beneath the brim of the jauuty
little gipsy hat which she wore But
fhe flush seemed feverish, and the bright
eyes restless and uneasy. Was she as
happy aud satisfied as she appeared
Had she really turned away from him to
whom she had almost plighted her love
and bestowed it upon this comparative
stranger; this acquaintance of a few
days2
Hugh Shirley turned away with a
sharp bitter pang in his heart. And
then he compressed his lips and walked
on with a firm, determined step.
t'I will know at once" he muttered to
himself, resolutely.
When out of sight of the rest of the
party, he seated himself on fallen tree
tore slip from leaf of his pocket book
and wrote in a style perfectly characters
&ie of himself:
"MARY-You know how love you. ]
must now know, once for all, whether
you love me, or prefer another. Wheth-
er you will. in word, promise to be mine
my aoife HUGH.
How to get this scrap of paper to her?
There was no one by whom, he could
send it; and now, whenever he approach.
ed her, she was not only shy and restrain
ed towards him. but their every louk and
motion became so conspicuously the mark
for dozen pairs of eyes, that it would be
impossible to convey the paper. hewsoev.
er small, into her hand, without it being
perceived by others And yet he could
not wait /; he must have her answer this
very evening, for he had plan in view
depending upon it. His friend Wortham
would leave tomorrow for New York, /,
and thence to California. He had en-
deavored to persuade Shirley to accompa-
ny him, and it had been alone his love
for Mary which had held him.
Hugh, holding in his hand the slip of
paper upon which so much depended
was startled by the sound of approaching
gay voices, and his heart thrilled as the
next moment Mary Morrison stood before
him, accompanied by Mr.. Weston and a
young lady.
"oh, Mr. Shirley,' exclaimed the
latter, "hope we don't intrude or inter
rupt any poetic frenzy We are hunting
for flowers to wear in our hair at the
dance tonight. OF course you d be tLerei
really think they must have appropriat
ed all the wood flowers to decorate the
festive hail. for we can scarcely find ont
WON'T you help us ?'
Miss Morrison had coIored at the sigh
OF Hugh, and had then turned abruptly
toward her escort
"Oh r. Hugh heard her exclaim sud
denly, "there is laurel-the FIRST ] have
seen, and my favorite flower See
high up on the summit of that tree. II
/ could only get itl''
"It is quite out of reach, unfortunate.
ly," observed Mr. Weston, glancing up
wistfully, Hand the ground below SO wet
and marsAy. And yet would give any.
thing to obtain it, since you wish it.
aOh, never mind; ] dare say it ID
out OF reach. Yet it seems 30 pure and
lovely, and would be so pretty to wear II
ones hair. Don't you think go ?''
eIn hair such as yours" he replied il
q low voice, and with an admiring glane'
at tho rich clusters of wavy brown hair
which she wore swept carelessly from
her forehead .But any flower woult
appear well there; and most Fortunately
here are some wild roses--quite as pretty
as the laurel. VIII these do?"
aI suppose so, for want of something
better" she answered, laughing coquet
tishly. "Come We will not intrude lon.
ger upon Mr.. Shirley. since he apuears