The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-12-22

now shy and stupid, and how veEed witt
myself afterwards for my aWkWardnes
and confusion. was not Shy at all 10
night How pleasant It Is to be able L
talk easily. Yes, it is very pleasant-bu
- Well, perhaps 1t Is best as 1t is" ShC
was signing TO herself, she hardly knew
why, when she found that Mr.. Dixon ha,
followed her from the dining. room, ant
that Mrs Lorimer had LEFT the room, ant
they were alone. .... ..s
Nothing in this, however struck her a
extraordinary, She sat down on the sofa
and took up her work, and made some re
mar K about the finenesS Of the weather ant
the beauty Of 1.-THE spring,blosSom on thu
trees.
DO you like this place, Priscilla ?" he
said abruptly.
ELM Grove Yes, Hike 1t very much. ;
She knitted away quite comfortably anc
unsuspiciously. -s
"Pm glad you like 1t. Priscilla, wha
would you say Then he stopped
and looked at her. 1t was very odd, bu
still blind to what was coming. Shit
looked up from her knitting fora moment
without exactly noting what he was say.
ing, and began to count some stitches.
Her calmness annoyed him, but he had
begun now, and he would 90 on.
priscilla" he said graVely, II am going
to ask you to be my wife" Then, indeed
her composure gave way, Alook Of stu
petaction, a deadly paleness came over
her face. 1t had come OF lastI And she
had been thinking herself safe
Then, as he sat down on the sofa beside
her, and took her hand, while she was too
bewildered and frightened to make even
q show Of resistance, q sudden memory
rushed over her Of those old, lOng.past
days-of hours when she had waited, and
watched, and wept, and prayed for this
very thing; Ofweary days Of blank diSap.
pointment, of nights Of bitter tears And
It was come nOw-nOw, when shO
had no other welcome for II but this
feeling of actual shrinking and terror.
"Ohl no, no u she muTmured, with o sort
Of wall, as II over the remembrance OF
what she had once suffered OF course,
he did not understand her. lie, In his
Obtuse, well meaning cOntentment with
himself and his plans, could only suppose
that her low cry was expressive OF con.
vontional, old.maidenly hesitation.
"Werc neither Of US 50 young as we
have been, it's true" ho said, with self.
satisfied smile. "But we needn't mind
that-need we, PriscilaP We are old
enough to please ourselves, at any rate.
PYo only to think OF my children and my
sister,. As To the children, your Just the
very best mother they can have; and
they're fond of you already, you know.
As TO Maria, she knows what Pm going
TO do, and she's delighted, And you have
nobody to think Of at ALL"
That was true, how true She had no.
body 10 think OF; she was 80 alone in tho
world She turned away her face, and
tried to think, and he still held her hand,
Just then, Mrs. LQrimer came in. She
thought she had given them time enough
TO make up matters, and the was impa.
tlent, with o somewhat irritable impa.
tienCe, to know II she must really look
out for another homo for herself or not.
"Well, Maria" said her brother cheer.
fully, IS he came in. Miss Brown drew
her hand away, and stood up hastily; but
he rose too, and again took possession of
her hand and as he did so, he felt real
pleasure and satisfaction in his prize. He
had no doubt at all that he had done well
for himself s.
Before Miss Brown could say u word,
Mrs. Lorlmer came up and gave her a
hasty kiss. She wanted TO get tho scene
over. Then the three little girls came IN,
and Priscilla had presence OF mind enough
to whisper hurrledly: "Please, say moth
ing TO them yet" And nothing more was
said that evening.
But poor Miss. Brown had no sleep that
night. What was this that had happened
TO her, and what had she been about, that
she had allowed 1t to happen Had she
really agreed to marry Robert Dixon
She lelt she had not agreed 10 Il; in her
own heart she had shrunk from agreeing
TO Il. Yet her agreement had been taken
for granted. She was vexod and angry
with herself; how foolish and stupid she
had been. And yet, how could she have
helped itP
Was not what Robert had said trueH
She was alone In the world; and had she
not been feeling this loneliness OF hers TO
be sad and cherries thing, even with all
her money to comfort her In itY And
why should she tremble at the offer that
had been made her tonight 7 She had
loved this man--how dearly Was her
love for him 80 completely dead ? lie had
been very good and kind to her during
those last months; she had been very hap.
py living In his house. What was there
so alarming In the idea Of having 10 live
there alwaysH On the other hand, was
there not something chilling and unwel.
come to her In tho thought Of having 10
return TO her own solitary homer And
now she need not return there; her home,
her very own home was 10 be here, among
the pleasant fields and gardens How
often had she thought with sigh Of OK.
cusable envy, how charmingeuch q home
would be. -.
Yet she could not help saying to herself
over and over again: "Oh, II he had only
asked mo before! Oh, II he had asked me
when l was poor and friendless, and had
no home at air Oh, why does he come
70 me nowH" When the morning came
she had not answered the question to her
satisfaction; and she got up and dressed,
weary and depressed, and with every
minute that passed getting more and more
perplexed as to what she was to DE- next.