The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-12-14


love- when Minnie is gone, is to go to he
Aunt Kate and talk about her. Kate i
mercitul enough to let him maunder unin
terruptedly, as a rule, but one day shi
does hint to him that Minnie is but nor
tai
" Minnie can i'll bear stagnation and sus
pense,' she says. :" l shall be glad wheI
you can take your holiday and 60 and sec
her. You will go soon, won't your
Something in her tones sets him think
ing. 1t does not exactly alarm him, but il
startles him.
g Is she ill? Have you heard ''--Bu
Miss Paulett interrupts him Impatient,
before lie can say word more:
Ill Oh, no! If there were anything
the matter my sister would have written
for me to go and help to nurse her.
rarely hear when she is wcll.''
''Twere long to tell and vain to hear
about all he does in order to get u free
week from his parish. He will not drop a
| single service, but he must see Minnie.
Eventually one of the reserve force-a
CITRATE unattached to cure at present
comes for consideration and takes charge
of Binham for a fortnight, and Edward
bou9hton goes up to town by the express
to surprise his loving, loyal Minnie.
Surprises are odious things under the
most propitous circumstances. He no
sooner is across the threshold of the earthly
paradise than he feels that it would have
been better far if he had notified his COM
ing to the presiding Peri
Mrs. Ward, Minnie's mamma. lives in
lodgings in Nansittart Terrace Kensincton.
NanSittart Terrace is more than rather out
of the way, but when you have wrisgled
yourself into the right path that leads to
it, is pleasant enough.
Minnie's teaching is in the neighborhood
She gets home generally about six o'clock.
For several days she has had an escort
home-a soldiercousin Of the girls whom
she is instructing.
When Edward Boughton is announced
Mrs. Ward fell into paroxysm OF Devil
derment. Minnie's lover, and there's moth
ing ready for dinner! And Minnie may
arrive at any moment suspiciously attend
ed; and-ob! what shall she do?
Mr.. Boughton asks one or two awkward
questions. Mrs. Ward evades tie cues
tions-parries them-answers them deftly
and sweetly. Presently there is Il knock
at tie front door, and as Edward goes to
the window, Mrs. Ward gets herself out of
the room, ''to see about tea
Minnie comes into the hall radiant; an
enamoured young man follows her; and
Mrs. Ward meets them with despair print.
ed on her matronly brow. She whispers to
Minnie, and Minnie is staggered For a
moment only, though; at the end of the
moment she whispers to M. Gascoigne,
and dismisses him.
Edward Boughton, standing at the win
dow, sees the handsome poung soldier off
Ger walking away; but he does not for one
moment associate that son of Mars with
the fresh, fair creature who presently
bounds into the room, and seeks to make
him believe that Is grateful that Heaven
has made him such a man as he is.
Up to the present moment Mr.. Gas
coigne, though he is on the brink, has not
taken the plunge. He is rapidly preparing
to fall at her feet, but he has not fallen
yet. Therefore, if Edward Boughton has
come to plead for an earlier wedding day,
Minnie will be fidelity itself to him.
She Manages very cleverly, she consid-
ers, during Edwards visit. She writes Il
pretty note of apology to her employer,
pleading bronchial affection as the cause
of her non appearance. She writes a pa
thctic little note TO her martial adorer, tell
ing him that for time, at least, it IS bet
ter that they should not meet-a note which
is wolded in a way that leads him to sup
pose that her mother has been interfering.
and to vow that he will propose to the
sweetest, jolliest little girl in the world the
next time ne sees her.
Minnie holds Boughton's heart in the
hollow Of her little INSCRIPTIONS hand
She does not spare him single look, word,
art, that may allure him on to love her
more and more. She is full of coaxine.
pretty, caressing ways, and these she plays
off upon him as pertinaciously as Kathleen
played hers off on St. Kelvin. lie is des-
perately in love with her. Not a doubt OF
her being to the full as desperately in love
with him has even clouded his mind for a
He goes back to Binham at the end of
his holiday, happy man. For three days
after his return from that soiourn in Para
disc he hears regularly from Minnie.
The fifth and sixth mornings are blanks
He begins to look worn and anxious.
On the morning of the eight day he gets
a letter in the well known, dear-loved
handwriting, and when he has read a
few lines Of it, his face, which had been
pale before, becomes CHASTITY white. But
he says nothing to his aunt, who is watch
ing him ptifuily, aud her prophetic heart
tells her that he la, got blow from that
gisl."
A letter goes from him to Minnie by
return of post, such as might melt stone
Bat it is puweIicss to melt the heart of
hear.less girl. Then he waits for three
days in silence, with such wounded feel
ings, such passionate love preying upon
him that lie gets to look SO miserably i'll
that every one in the place calls on Miss
Paulett i'll the hope of hearing that the
the lovers have quarrcled.
On the third day he has another letter
from Minnie, a conclusive letter. \ letter
that shocks all hope out of his heart, and
all belief in the good, pure love Of woman
out of his mind.
1t is the topic in Binham for nine days,
for it leaks ont, as such things invariably
do. AT the end Of nine days people cease
to look as if they are thinking about it
when they meet him.
The aunt and niece cross swords by post,
and wound each other freely. Minnie is
to be Mrs. Gascoigue in week OF two.
and Garrison town life will suit her mich