The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-02-23
For at that moment Rosa held between her

Whether it was wrong to read strangers
letter vexed Belle for moment as her eyes
glanced at the superscription and handwriting.
'Why, of all things!" exclaimed the delight
ed girl, seizing the letter. why, Rosa, this is
Jenny Marcy's writing, and addressed to Rich
ard Marcy-her only darling brother-who was
in Europe when wetwo graduated at Madame
Ritter's, in Brooklyn"
Belle read rapidly till she had reached the
middle of the letter, when she burst lnto
merry laugh.
"Hear this Rosa" she said, and she read from
"Aboye all things, Dick, dear. don't fail while
in St. Louis to see my best friend and school
mate, Belle Alden. know you will fall in
love with her, for besides being the best girl in
the world, she's beauty and an heiress, and
fathers choice above all others for his sons
wife. lie used to think it over home, and
hope, 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 locket father gave her last year.
Give her lots of love, and beg of her to over
look your many imperfections, for the sake of
her old school-fellow, 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 way?"
s'I don't intend to tell her of it till 60 to
New York this fall, said Belle. perhaps 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 looked very often at the
wee golden curl, and she never did so but the
rest of tile handsome head sprang up beside
the lock; and she would sit and contemplate
the picture her fancy wrought for her, little
dreaming the interest she was allowing to grow
in her Bosom for Jenny'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 effusive meeting was past, sat down to
empty her SOUL
''I am so glad you are here this month"
Jenny said, "because Pm to be married in Oc-
tober, and have always been crazy to have
you for bridesmaid, and Dick is to be Harrys
best man." Belle hlushed.
"But Dick has fallen hopelessly, madly in
lover Belle turned pale.
eyes, I was 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 trip He will talk to me by the hours
of his Angelica. And when have spoken of
you he has been positively rude, and asked me
to have done bothering him about my freckled
freckles but, bless me, you haven't any now!
And your picture don't look any more like you
than it does like me, not bit"
"But tell me-" said Belle, sis your brother
engaged to this lady ?"
Engaged Why, dear heart, he don't
know her name. lie just found some of her
old clothes somewhere. He's got her old slip
per under glass case; he's got her night gown
done up in lavender; he's got her gold thimble
hung on his watch chain; and do believe he's
got hair-brush and some hair-pins next to his
heart. Oh, it's folly tointerfere! He's beyond
all hope! did think the excitement of my
wedding would wean him from it; but not
bit. He looks at my new things as calmly as
an oyster, and only said-it's not kind of me
to repeat it, though" broke off Jenny.
'What was it he said ?" inquired Belle,
laughing now heartily. Don't fear for my
feelings"
"Why, he said, Ill stand up with your friend,
Belle and see you safely married; and then
Pm off to winter in Paris. I'm done with love
on my own account It's positively awful"
And SO Belle thought, as she looked at her
Old slipper and glove lying beneath globe OF
either side the faithful Richards mantle.
"And," said Belle, "since he desires only to
meet me on the morning of the wedding, so it
leaving the house, and he can do as he pleases
about continuing the acquaintance afterward."
Belle was radiant with happiness when she
returned to her father, and delighted his fond
heart by the change, for Belle had been very
quiet of late
Jenny and Belle shopped, and talked and
visited together, for the next few days, aud
when the morning arrived, and amid bevy of
beautiful girls, Belle shone like queen, the
bride was eclipsed, and delightfully."- acknowl-
edged it.
20, Belle n she said, 81 long to have old sto-
ical Dick see you. Hark there's his. step.
ONE into the next room now, and be intro
duced. Don't wait till the carriages COMETS
an hour vet"
And Belle, with a beating heart, swept
through the door and stood even as Dick first
saw her, only in pl,ce of the gray travelling
dress, a magnificent white satin fell in rich
folds about her, and about her lovely white
throat lay the turquois locket that held Dicks
golden curl Upon the beautiful head, crowned
oy IFS che'nus halr, coronal Oh pearls auueo
to the grace and beauty of an image that,
shrined in Dicks heart was already an angel.
Belle did not look up, but she felt the pres
ence, as Richard Marcycame up and was in
troduced to little Jenny's old schoomatc.
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 mistake
about the traveling-bag, Mr.. Marcyw
"Good Heaven, Jenny" said Dick Marcy,
"why didn't YOU tell me that your friend Belle
was my angel of Mercy'|
Because didn't know tin last night, and
then Belle made me promise not to tell. And
BESIDES you didn't want to meet the frcckled
school girl till it was positively necessary" re-
turned Jenny, mischievously
1t would be hard to say which of the four
that made Jenny's bridal party was the happi-
cst that day