The Sweetwater enterprise. (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1869-187?, 1871-03-16

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am willing to try and please himP
"Dear Miss Grace p
Grace had just glanced at those threu
words, when the door opened, and sh,
turned to note the intruder.
"Oh, auntie, it is you! COme-help mi
out of my trouble"
And Grace's tiny, seed-pearl teetl
CLEANED from her coral lips, as she nodded
imperiously to Mrs. Gore.
81. must be a very strange sort of trOu
be, if you can't get out of it alone, Ora
eie, my dear"
Grace laughed, and blusbed.
"Well, Aunt Marcia, suppose 'statt
the case as one of my lOvers-that grave
stern Lawyer Tracy would say. Here arr
two effers of marriage, auntie-One from
Bert Hastings-one from Ernest Tracy
She parsed, and looked at Mrs. Gore
"Well, my dear, you know which one
you love best, and that ought to settle the
question: ~
ssBut | don't, aunt Marcia; and that il
just@hat you must decide for me-"
Mrs. Cores face grew serious and grave
"Grace, my own dear neice, then let me
tell you-rehect sOberly. Do not mis-.
Judge either party. Do not be influenced
by anything unfair. Let your wOman's
heart, your Womanly judgment-that un.
erring guide-be your director. Do not
first and foremost-dream of bestowing
your hand where you have not first given
your heart"
Her kind, mOtherly tones brought the
tears to Grace's beautiful eyes.
"My dearest aunt, l will accept and
follow your advice but, as yet, | know
not which of these two gentlemen | like
best. One is just the antipodes of the
other-one all merriment, sunshine, gal.
lantry and sOciableness-One all quiet
ness, gravity, courtesy, of course-fOr
Tracy is thorough gentleman-but then
he is so-sO-"
$50 whatl" asked Mrs. Gore, seeing
Grace hesitate.
81 really can hardly describe what
mean. He seems so self.contained, so
grand-if | may use such an expression
so infinitely above all the little affairs Of
life, that it seems he could not stOOp to
love, or talk afTectionately to me-"
Grace blushed vividly as she spoke.
"Then he could not be accused of being
a fOrtune-h e-huDter--could he 7"
"Why, auntie, what do you meant Why
that emphasis on he, as though you con-
trasted him with my other suitOr, who
might be a money-seeker :"
81 certainly do mean just that. Now
Oracle, my dear, suppose you let me sug-
gest a little romance for US to enact,
thereby testing your two lovers, and prov
ing that my favOrite is the best :"
$50 you've favorite. Of course, it is
Mr.. Tracy, judging from your remarks.
So you dear, good auntie, just to be per-
verse, I'll set myself to the task of liking
Mr.. Hastings"
With bewitcbing smile, she refolded
the letters, handing them to Mrs. Gore.
"Read them, aunt. And now for the
little romance that is to get me husband"
And her mellow laugh rang muSically
from her sweet lips.
Bert Hastings sat alone in his luxuri-
antly appointed breakfast room, daintily
slipping the streaming, fragrant Mocha,
into which he dreamily dropped crystal
after crystal of snow-white sugar.
'She is strange girl, and I'll confess
l don't altogether comprehend her. She's
a fine girl, though sweet, noble one
ever so much too good for fellow like
me. But, then, when love her as much
as it's possible for me to love, and she
hasn't actually refused me, why, 1 suppose
I might as we'll hope on"
He took, from tiny cream-hued en-
velope beside the china saucer, note,
which he reread for, perhaps, the half
dozenth time.
"Miss We're de We're begs to ucknowl-
edge Mr.. Hastings compliment of the
twentieth, and in return wishes him to
grant her her own time for consideration ;
aud, as a token of kindness and esteem,
will he accept the accompanying at the
hands of the bearer of this 2"
"Deuced if it isn't the queerest letter
I ever received not to mention the ele-
giant. accompanying in the shape of a
golden half-heart, with pure diamond set
in the spot where it has been broken. 1t
is a strange token, by Jove! but dare
say the little lady is wearing the other
half, and we'll match them some O. these
fine days. By the by, it'll be good joke
on Tracy, who heard my boast, but who
never dreamed I'd actually offer myself
to the regal Grace. I'll run down to his
Office tonight, and run him little"
The darkening shades of night were
closing in, and in Ernest Tracy's CHEEKY
Office, the bright lights we're glowing, and
the fire snapped merrily.
At his desk he sat, silent, stern as ever,
his eyes burning with an intensity that
denoted his inward feelings.
"Gracie, Oracle, my darling, my darl.
ing, if l may but win you at the last
You do not reject me; you explain the
cause of the long, long silence, when ]
feared you were hating me you tell me
will know your answer in few days
Yet there is no word of affection, no word
Of kindness; just bare politeness."
He pushed back the hair from his brow
"a noble, handsome, intellectual brow
and leaned against the bookcase, in pain
ed, anxious reverie.
/ "Halloo, Ern; in brown studyl Wake
up, there, and welcome fellow p
Bert Hastings merry voice rang harsh
ly in his ears, yet, by mighty effort, too
Ernest descended from his perch, and
shook Hastings hand.
"You look as solemn as an owl, Tracy
Been dreaming of pursuing creditors, as
do, every time | chance to snatch nspP
81 am not troubled with them, thank
fortune. You look as if you'd never had
trouble"
Hastings laughed,