The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-05-13

"Why, of all thiRgsl'' exclaimed the de.
lighted girl, selzing the lester. "Why, Rosa,
this is Jenny Marcy's writing, and addressed
to Richard Marcy, her only dear brother
who was in Europe when we two graduated
at Madame Ritter's in Brooklyn"
Grace read rapidly until she had almost
reached the middle of the letter. when she
burst into q merry, musical laugh.
"desr this, Rosa" she said, and she read
from the letter
Above all things, Dick, dear, don't fail,
while in St. Louis, to see my best friend and
schoolmate, Grace Edgerly. l know you
will fell 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,
"Then this gentleman is, of course, MISS
Jenny's Brother" said Rosa, sand what VIII
she say when she hears OF you having met
in this romantic manner
al don't intend TO tell her of it till 60 to
New York this fall perhaps her brother
will call"
But in this superstition Grace was mis-
taken. The month passed, land she saw no
more of the golden haired Richard.
In the fall, Grace and her father vent to
New York, and the first day after her arr,
val found her sitting with the old school
mate, who, after the first elusive meeting
sat down TO empty her s6ul
81 am so glad you are here this month,
Jenny said, "because I'm to be married in
October, and have always been crazed &c
have you for bridesmaid, and Dick is to be
HArry's best man."
"But Dick is madly in love-" Grace turned
pale.
ayes, was dresdfully provoked when hi
passed through st. Louis and never wen
near you. But he went wild over some lady,
he went mad over some angel he met on
that trip"
"Is your brother engaged to this lady =
Engaged Why, dear heart, he don't
know her name. He Just found some OF her
old cloth es somewhere. He's got her old
slippers under n glass case he's got her
gloves stuffed under another; 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 some hair pins and
hair brush.next to his heart Oh, its folly
to interfere He's beyond all hope l 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,
ana only said-il's not kind of me to repeat
it though"
"WhAt WAS it he said ?" inquired Grace,
laughing now heartily. 'Don's fear of my
feelings"
"Why, he said, IN stand up with your
friend Grace to see you safely married and
then I'm of to winter in Paris. I'm done
with love on my own account. It's positive
ly awful.
And so Grace thought, as she looked at
her old slipper and glove lying beneath a
globe on either side of the faithful Richard s
msntel.
JENNIE and Grace shopped and talked and
visited together for the next few days, and
amid bevy of beautiful girls, Grace skone
like queen, the bride was eclipsed and de
lighsfully acknowledged it.
Grace did not look up, but she felt the
presence, as Richard Marcy came up and
was introduced to Jenny's old schoolmsts
( Then as he held out his hand, she raised ae1
| eyes and said:
81 think We had better rectify that mis-
take about the travelling bags, Mr.. Marcy. ,
Good Heaven, Jenny" said Dick Marcy
why didn't you tell me that your friend
Grace was my Angel of Mercy?"
because didn't know till last night, sud
then Grace made me promise not to tell
And besides, you didn't want to meet the
freckled schoolgirl till it was positively nee
essary,' returned Jenny mischievously.
1t would be hard to say which of the four
that made ,Ienny's bridal party was the hap
piest that day.
Dick did not go to Paris that winter. He
found that St. Louis contained more attrac-
tons than any foreign city.
But next fall will see Dick and Grace on
their wedding tour, aud he vows he will
have the two old romantic travelling bags
brushed up for the occasion. Doctor Town
send, who is to sc along, says be knew
the minute he saw the girl she would one
day be Angelica Marcy, as he ''felt it in the
air