The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-04-28

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derstood why she showed OH her face
a hopeful smile ut the first parting.
Life for the next few months was nli
pleasure and brightness TO Josephine,
all hard work and dullness to poor
Walter. Josephine was plunged at
once into n new, brilliant, many tint
ed kind of existance, which entirely
novel as it was, seemed quiet congen-
ial and natural to her. She breath
ed in it with delicious freedom
Mrs. Selby Glare had money enough
and some good tase, and moved in n
brilliant circle. She lived in the
Park Lane region, and gaye pleas
ant dinner-parties; and Josephine
proved quite nm attraction aud sue
cess, and went through all the en-
joyments of q London season--the
ball, the opera, the croquet-party,
the Richmond .fete chami,tre, the
strawberry breakfast, and the rest.
with fresh and open acknowledge
ment Of delight, which mado her
doubly attractive. Then, it WAS well
known that Mrs. Selby Clare had
no children, or nephews aud nieces,
or very near relations OF any kind
and the natural presumption was that
this pretty, graceful. charming girl.
whom she introduced everywhere as
"almost my adopted daughter"
would assuredly be her heiress,
which assumption added not little
to Josephine's charms, and formed,
indeed. the glorious atmosphere of
roseate and gold which surrounded
them and set them off.
Toward the close of tho season,
for the visit of n fortnight had, of
course, swelled itself into weeks and
months, Josephine was startled, de-
lighted, displeased-all emotions
blending or conflicting in q moment
by receiving card with the name
of "Mr. Walter Hexton" engraved up
on it, and being told that the owner
of the card was below, and wished to
see her. Whereupon she blushed
very deeply, and the following
thoughts and wishes passed success
lively through her mind. in the in
slant during which she held the card
in her hand, and hesitatcd as to what
she should say; -e4 -,
Poor, dear Walter, How delight
ed / am to see himp
"How did he contriye to get to
town just nowr
"How glad ! am he had card!"
81 wonder what he will think Of
mc?" and she glanced at the looking
glass.
~ wonder what he looks like!
az wonder what Mrs, Selby Clare
will think?
"How unlucky that he should
have come just now, when were we
are going out at once!
~ don't know, perhaps it is ra ther
lucky, on the whole.
II wonde, how long he is going TO
stay in town!
II hope not lon2-oh, no, / don't
hope any thing Of the kind!"
And then, to stifle all further
doubts and hopes, she ran down
stairs, and presently received Wal
ter. Well, she was compelled TO ac-
knowledge to herself that Walter was
not looking like West End youth.
His dress seemed rural, provincial;-
SO did bis hands; aud there was an
uneasy, anxious, alomst melancholy
expression on his face, which young
2elgrayia does not allow itself to
wear in presence Of lady. Her
6srrt q rite warmed to him, however,
and s,''e run up and caught him by
both ha. DIS, cud wondered why he
did not kiss her, md told him So
Then he did kiss her, and he
blushed SO much IL the act that she
blushed too.
They sat and talked, I'D he grew
less constrained. He had come to
town because of chemical discovery,
apparently of some Importance,
which he believed he had made, and
about which he had written-not
knowing anything better to do-to a
famous LQdkon saranf, whom even
MAYFAIR ddIyburnia admired
The famo6s sarant had actually re-
Piled in friendly, kindly style, and
declared that he thought there was
something in Walters idea, that he
would look into it, and that mean
time he should like to. see Walter
and talk with him. So Walter came
up to town, and was going to the
house of the great science man in the
afternoon; but first, of course, he
| must come to see Josephine. Then
he said, very awkwardly, that he
hoped she was happy, thatshe looked
splendid and quite like great lady,
and that he supposed she was never
coming back to the old town any
moro. She assured him she was ie-
turning home very soon-as soon as
the season closed; and she began to
give him little outline of the kind
Of life she had been leading for the
past few months; but she thought
of the fight of time, and looked at
her watch, and was just beginning to
tell him that she was going out,
when Mr.. Selby Clare relieved her
\ from the necessity by coming into
the room and asking her whether she
was not ready. Then Josephine pre-
sented Walter to Mrs. Selby Clare
and that lady was gracious and dis.
tant; and Walter knew he must go.
He was awkward about beginning te
go, and longed beyond measure fol
one other moment of Josephine
alone. That Joy. however, he was
| not destined to have; and he left the
room without q chance of exchang
ing syllable with Josephine, ant
without any hint from Mrs. Selby
, that he would be welcome if he wer,