The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-10
{. p,ansv.ma ,,.rep,;sd the maid.

- It's my belief," said Rosa, VINO wac
shrewd girl. "thats the gentleman was s,,, a
mighty nice one, else you'd not so reau''s
excuse the cards and the ,botAe.% 49,. v,,ov
euchrc travelling, and even clergymen take
a little brandy in case of sickness" answer
cd Belle, And this man was geniienau,
and liberal one, too, for he gave Inc poo,
cmigrant woman $40. What's that hosa "
For at that moment Rosa held between
her fingers a letter. -
Whether It was wrong to road q stran-
GERS letter veXed Belle for moment, as
her eyes glanced Mt the superscription and
",Why. of all things % exclaimed the de-
lighted Girl, Selling 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 Madame Ritter's, in
Brooklyn" ~as-.-..t,, 49,. ~ :.
Belle read rapidly till she had reached
the middle of the letter, when she burst
into merry laugh. ,. -. q. ~ ~s. ...-...
'Hear this Rosa" she said, and she
read from the letter: ..s..1 .~..9 r
"hbov6Nl 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 a 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 before you came home from
Europe. She Is full as anxious to know
YOU, and wears your hair and mine in
| Iocket 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
sehool-felIow, Jenny" ......
| "Then this gentleman is. of course, Miss
Jenny's brother" said Rosa, ''and what
| will She say when she hears Of your having
met in this romantic wayr
81 don't intend to tell her Of it till 60
to New York this fall" said Belle. "Per-
haps her brother will call" "
| 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 Jenny's. And, somehow, Belle look
| ed very, very often ut the wee golden curl,
and she never did so but tho rest OF the
handsome head sprang up beside the lock
and she would sit and contemplate the pic
ture her fancy wrought for her, little dream
| ing the interest she was allowing to grow
| in her bosom for Jcnny's brother.
| In the fall Belle and her father went to
New York, and the first day after her arrival
| found her sitting with her old friend, who,
| after the first e'ilSiyc meeting was past, sat
down to empty her soul.
"Pm so glad you are here this month";
Jenny said, -" because Pm to be married in
October, and / have always been crazy to
be Harry's best man." Belle blushed.
''But Dick has fallen hopelessly, madly
in Lowell" Belle turned pale.
Yes, Twas so dreadfully provoked when
he passed through st. Louis and never went
near you. But he went wild over some lady
he met on that fatal trip. He will talk to
me by hours OF his Angelica. And when
have spoken of you he has been positively
rude, and asked Inc to have done bothering
him about my freckled school friends-you
know your picture shows freckles but,
bless me, YOU haven't any now! Andyour
picture don't look any more like you than
= does like me, not a Bit"
"un,,, tell me-" said Belle, sis your
"has A.. mn, 70 this LADY,"
orot Euce emsIfW hy. oc:,. heart, he don't
rrow E" Sag name y" ia inst fo1ln. some of
her old clothes somewhere. les got her
old slippers under glass case he's got her
gloves stuffed under another; he's got her
night gown done up in lavender he's got
her cold thimble hung on his watch chain
and | do believe he's got hair. brush and
some hair-pins next to his heart. On, It's
folly to interfere! He's beyond all hope
| did think the excitement Of my wedding
would wcan him from it; but not a bit.
He looks at my new things rs calmly as an /
oyster, and only said.its not KIND OF me
"W hat was it be said:" inquired Belle, |
laughing now heartily. Don't fear tor my |
feelings"
why, he said 'I'll stand up with your
friend, Belle, and see you safely married;
and then Pm off to winter III Paris: I'm
done with love on my own ACCOUNT IFs
positively awful"
And SO Belle thought, as she looked at
her old slipper and glove lying beneath
globe Oh either side the faithful klchards
mantle.
Aud" said Belle, "since he desires
only to meet me on the morning of The we'd |
ding, 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 aftcrward.'
Belle was radiant with happiness when
she returned to her father, and delighted
his fond heart by the change, for Belle mad
been very quiet Of late. |
Jenny and Belle shopped, and talked, and
visited together, for the next few days. ana
when the morning arrived, and amid a |
bevv of beautiful girls, Belle shone like a
queen, the bride was eclipsed, and de-
llahttully acknowledged it.
so, Belle !" she said, 81 long to have
| old stoical Dick see YOU llark 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"
| And Belle, with beating heart, swept
through the door and stood even as Dick
first saw her, only, in place Of the gray
travelling dress, magnificent white satin
| fell in rich folds about her, and upon her
lovely white throat lay the turquois locket
| that held Dicks golden curl. Upon the
beautiful head, crowned by its chestnut
hair, coronal Of pearls added to the grace
and beauty Of an image that, shrlned III
| Dicks heart, was already an angel.
| Belle did not look up, but she felt the
presence, as Richard Marcy came up and
was introduced to little Jenny's old school
mate. Then, as he held out his hand, she
raised her eyes, and laid her tiny palm in
his, and said:
II think we had better rectify that mis-
take about the travelling-bags, MIR. Marcy"
Good Heaven, Jenny" said Dick
Marcy, "why didn't you tell me that your
friend Belle was my angel Of Mere" p"
because l didn't know till last night,
/ and then Belle made me promise not to tell.
And besides, you didn't want to meet the
freckled school girl till it was positively ne
cessary," returned Jenny, mischieyously.
| 1t would be hard to say which Of the four
that made Jenny's bridal party was the hap
piest that day. a. . IL,
Dick did not 60 to Paris that winter. He
found that st. Louis contained more attrac-
| tons than any foreign city.
| But the next fall will see Dick and Belle