Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-01-28
delay 1t WAS opened. and he learned
49, IL. l. IL, h.I H.. A.. ,,o,o

AAARN tAiC A9AANp hG0 9AANhAJ bSAiNs
Scarcely had Edith aud her mother
seated themselves in their box at the
opera house, when Hattie, holding in
her hand a beautiful bouquet, came
rustling in with party Of friends and
entered the adjoining box
Leaning over to Edith, Hattie whiS'
pered, "See my beautiful bouquet,
dear Edith, and guess the donor, who
also sent with it tho sweetest little
note Imaginable
"The flowers are lovely" said guile
!ess Edith, gazing with sdInirition on
the costly bouquet, and secretly Won
dering why her lover conld not think
to send her one.
Lovely indeed, but how can sim
gle one from your many admirers as
having sent it?'
We'll, see | mustte you, though !
always thought lie fancied you more
than me. II was DR.. Ashton who
sent the flowers, or rather, brought
them himself tonight, and the note
was cunningly twisted into The center
Of the boquet, barely visible"
/ A sicRcning sensation crept all over
poor Edith, and an awful gray shad-
ow settled down on the sweet, fair
face, as Hattie went on.
CDR. Ashton is considered one Of
the best catches in the city, and you
may regard the match ss settled and,
dear while we are talking about it, |
may as well ask you to be one OF my
bridesmaids. But wouldn't you like
to read this sweet little note?" she
continued, watching the almost weep
|, ing girl out of the corners Of her great
black eycs, and at the same time
, handing her the doctors passionate
, little note, that had been written t..
u it'll.
The poor girl read il with wild di
+ lating cy es, and inquired III strange
| iy husky voice how long they had
} been engaged.
3 "Oh, for some lime; scarcely
t know exactly how long" Hattie
8 carclessly replied lifting tho boquet to
q hcrips; "but hush! the curtain is 60
/ ing up;" and she leaned back in her
chair and devoted herself to watching
4 the stage for the next half hour.
e A more artful person than Edith
l. would have noticed look of wicked
Is triumph cleaning in her handsome
= eyes and curling her well.Shapod lips.
a Unable longer TO bear her great
burden calmly, Edith pleaded indis-
III position at the end Of the first act
" and with Ter mother, quietly with
drew, leaving their friends behind, tc
enjoy the evening. ..
We AS may be supposed, Mrs. Allison
re WAS highly indignant at what sh'
III deemed the treachery Of their daugb
ter's accepted lover, but concluded
ed that it would be better to pass it OF
w as if no engagement had existed be
IAl tween her daughter and the you'll
at physician. She could not bear TO
Ii lin to know how deeply his perfd
ed had wounded the gentle Edith
H. But how Jared il with the doctor
he Totally unconscious that the tw
tn girls had met the evening before, 4
an early hour in The morning he Gale,
Id to SEQ his affisnced, with the expects
,d ton of amusing her with u history Q
nv the fate of bis veofering. To hi
ID great dismay the servant denied hir
" admittance, saving that Miss Edit
wa, i'll and could not be disturbed.
40 81 will juS' step into the parlo
- then, and write herL few lines, for o
~ = course, | would not intrude Oh her !
-. she is not well,' lie said, not full,
:, comprehcndirg the position OF All irs
~ " "The madam said that ! was not T.
;, let you into The house, or take sny
y, thing from YOU 10 Miss Edith," tn,
: ~ servant answered, making Il motion
: to shut the door. ....
=, The truth flashed on the doctor
-, - mind at once, aud dsshing the door
le vide open, to the servsnt's grest con.
- sterna'ion, he went up the stairs
- two steps at y time. Hearing voice,
i'm a room close ut hand, he Tapes
l. lightly on the door, which was opened
'f bV Mrs. Allison herself Had he been
Z" 4 ghost, tho good lady would not have
been more surprised. Drawing her
&c self up haughtily, she demanded:
u "To what am indebted for this
, intrusion, sir"
Is "If you please, | wish to see my
Edith, to explain TO her satisfaction
II about that bouquet, last night
o "No explanations are needed, air,
g from you. Hattie told lis all about it
last night at the opera"
/. MAY very ugly something fly
e awav with Hattie and her scheming
It mother. | want to see my Edith, and
! | WILL" ...
| "Go down stairs, dear Herbert, and
r wait. | will be with you in few
minutes" called forgivipg Edith, from
+ her sick bed.
y "Bless you, my darling, will ii be
G safe to get up and go down stairs,
sick as you are p
u ',Oh! am well now, since am
c not to be bridesmaid to Hattie.
s "Dear, trusting Edith" the doctor
: murmured, as he went down stairs TO
o wait her coming.
Hattie declared That she only meant
I "to tease the fond, foolish little thing
at the opera last night" a #
J, There wsss brilliant wedding oer-
Q cmony not long afterward, Hattie
o was one ofthe bridesmaids, and Edith
= was the bright and happy bridC.
r --------------ss--o -ss---------------- b.
r MARs AS A PLACE or RESIDENCE
Recent astronomical discoveries seem
ito indicate that the planet Mara re-
sembles the eSrth to a greater degree
than any other. So Thoroughly has
: Mars been studied BY many Of the
: most noted asst, om0mers OF the pres
: ent and of the mast, that a man has