The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1871-08-10

thimblc-contemplate that glove" =.
"It is evident you've the lady's satchel.
And what was there in yours p" -
"Don't bring up that dreadful idea" said
Dick. "Cigars and hair brush,I a pack Of
cards and comb, pocket-fask and tooth.
brush everything disreputable. If I am
judged by that bag I am lost man." F.
| "And this | took for clean shirt" and
Dick held up frilled and futed sack, such
as do duty for extensive night dresses with
ladies when travelling. "I'd like to see An
gelica when she opens my satchel"
Dick fell to musing, with the slipper
pcarched on two fingers and the frilled white
sack spread out tenderly upon his knees.
| In an upper apartment of a handsome
mansion in St. Louis, on the evening of the
day our heroine first made the readers ac-
quaintance beautiful Belle Alden, the petted
and only daughter Of the house, sat contem-
plating the various articles her confidential
maid was disposing upon the table-articles
taken from no less receptacle than Dicks
travelling bag.
The cigar case and cards lay side by side,
and hig ghly scented party they were.
whats in the silver flask, Rosa 2" said
her fair mistress. e:
"Brandy, ma am" replied the maid.
'IIe can't be very dissipated, to travel
with such a little bottle. That's in case Of
sickness, I suppose. returned Belle.
1T is my belief" said Rosa; who was
a shrcwd girl, "that the gentleman was a
mighty nice once, else you'd not so readily
excuse the cards and the bottle"
"For shame, Rosa All gentlemen play
euchre travelling, and every clergyman takes
a little brandy in case Of sickness" an
swered Belle, "and this man was gentle
man, and alberal one, too, for he gave the
poor emigrant woman ten dollars. What's
that, Rosa?" -
For at that moment Rosa held between
her fingers letter. :,
Whether it was wrong to read strangers
letter vexed Belle Tor moment, as her eyes
glanced at the superscription and han1-
writing.
"Wby, Of all things!" exclaimed the de-
lighted girl, seizing the letter. Why,
Rosa, this is Jennie Marcy's writing, and ad-
dressed to Richard Marcy-hcr only darling
brother-who was in Europe when we two
graduated at Madame Ritters in Brooklyn" !"
Belle read rapidly till she had reached the
middle of the letter, when she burst into
merry laugh.
"Hear this, Rosa," she said, and she read
from the letter.
J gAbovc all things's 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 girlin the world, she is beauty and an
heiress, and fathers choice above all others
for his sons wife. He 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 a locket father
gave her last year. Give her lots OF love
and beg her to overlook your many lmper'.
fections for the sake of her old school-tellow.
Jennie"
"Then this gentleman is, of course, Miss
Jennie's brother" said Rosa. "and what will
she say when she hears Of your having met
in this romantic wayI"
81 don't intend to tell her Of it till / 80 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-haired 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 BeAe looked
very often at the wee golden curl, and she
never did so but what the rest Of the hand
some 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 Jennys 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. -,
81 am so glad you arc here this month"
Jenny said, "because I'm to be married in
October, and have always been crazy to
have YOU for bridesmaid, and Dick is to be
Harrys best man." Belle blushed.
"But Dick has fallen hopeless, madly in
love-" Belle turned pale.
eyes, I was 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 hour of his Angelica. And when L
have spoken of you he has been positively
rude, and asked me to have done with both
cring him about my freckled school friends.
You know your picture shows 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, "is your brother
engaged to this lady?"- i
Engaged! Why, dear heart, be don't
know her name. He just found some of her
old clothes somewhere. He's got her old
slipper 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