The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1871-09-21

"Don't mind them, Mr.. Daleford, ,
she cried, speaking from a quicl
impulse in her heart. dolly was
always thoughtlessr'
And then she bent over her work
coloring scarlet, and covered with
confusion.
"You are not thoughtless, at al
events, Miriam," said Daleford
using the name by which he had
been wont to call her when she was
a brown-eyed elf, climbing the
trees after nuts and berries and
sprigs of mistletoe. "And as fol
Dolly-welI, I suppose we can't ex
pect the world to stand still while
we are gone, be it six years or six
teenr'
He sought a special interview
with Dolly Markham the next day.
"Well, Dolly" he said, chow is
it?-Are you going back to Cali
! fOrnia with me next month";"
Dolly looked down and hesitated
looked up and twisted the bow OF
her apron into a hopeless knot.
"Well?" persisted Daleford.
"You-you are very sudden y
lisped Dolly.
Sudden! Not at ALL" said Mar
tin. 81 thought it had been settled
for the last six years?'
'But 1 was such a child then y
pleaded Dolly.
'You are a woman now," coldly
answered Martin Dalcford, "and
the matter is open for you to de
eide"
"One changes ones mind with
the course of years." stammered
Dolly, "and-"
"Have you changed yoursr'
"Ye-es," hesitated Dolly.
about me?"
''To tell you the truth, spoke
out the village maid, forgetting for
the moment her lisp, and her Gre
clan bend, "Pve promised to marry
Octavius wellington"
"Ohr said Martin, jerking fierce
ly at his moustache. "And you
prefer him to me, do you?"
eyes, lido" answered Dolly with
the courage of despair. ''He is
such gentleman and his prospects
are so encouraging"
CLERK to Saxon d Co., interpola-
ted Martin, rather scornully.
."But they are very great people
out there, I have heard. with such
an extensive business, and Octavi-
us will be sure to rise. And you
may sue me for breach of promise,
if you like, but I shan't care"
"Oh, I shall do nothing of the
sort said Martin, with calm phi
losophy. "Suit yourself and you
will suit me. Ihope you'll be very
happy with Mr. Octavius Yelling
ton"
And so saying he went out for
long walk, whereby he might gain
the opportunity of dispassionately
surveying this new aspect of do
mestic affair
When he came back there was no
one in the sitting, room but dove
eyed little Miriam Abingdon.
"Why, Miriam, you have been
crying" he said, impulsively.-
whats the matter? Has any one
been scolding you?"
Il think it is a shame" sobbed
Miriam, sticking her needle ener-
getically through the emery bag
three or four times.
"Think what is a shameY'
''For Dolly to treat you so, after
being engaged six years. And now
you will have to go back all alone,
and"
Martin Dalefofd sat down beside
the little slender, shrinking form,
and looked into the brown eyes,
shining duskily through their vail
of tears.
miriam, would you go back with
me, if 1 asked your
That was all their courtship: but
two weeks afterward, when Martin
Daleford returned to his western
home, he took with him a pretty
young wife, whose maiden name
had been Miriam Arlington.
'Well," quoth The Widow Gran
dis, q wouldn't put up with anoth-
er gals leavinsr'
Il wouldn't marry a common mi
ner," said Dolly, disdainfully.
Il dare say he will make a good
husband for Miriam" said Farmer
Markham, "and you need not be
so set up, daughter Dolly, for all
you are going to marry a mercan-
tile man. All on US can't have the
same luck; some goes up and some
goes down"
"But Miriam can't expect me to
visit her, if she settles in San Fran
cisco. Of course / shall have to
study Octavius' interests, and 1
must be very careful whom I asso-
ciate with
TNnH1r~