Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-05-25
a.Esd !. May entered tSs S1ssEf..s

lzlslllzlze
asked as May entered the breakfast
room.
"Yes."
"How do look 20 asked May an
hour latter, coming down
the stairs dressed i'm a fine white
morning dress, tiny blue slippers,
and the fair curls bound back with
ribbon and a knot OF blue at her
throat.
"Oh, beautiful - exclaimed; 'if
Ed. Clarance isn't captiVated it
won't be your falt."
She shrugged her shoulders, as
she always did when said anything
unpleasant, and marched OF fRto
the parlOr to watch and wait, while
I went out under the apple tree to
read and dream. Oh, what air cas-
ties i built! what great plans 1
laid ont for the future. But ] laugh
ed when l thought Of what little
hope had OF any OF them ever be-
ing realized. Then I began 20 be
disconted. Was IL always 10 be
drudge from m0rHing till night ia a
kitchen, while my whole soul cried
out for all that was true and beanti-
fal Was my girlhood TO be pass
cd without knowing any OF the Joys
peculiar TO IL 2 IL seemed so. "But
| must not feel naughty about ID,
must 1, Carlo ~ said 1, as the great
shaggy New fOundland rubbed his
head against my hand ''DO you
want me TO play with you Well,"
and / starte1 4 mp for a Tace aro9ud
the house-for I was a big romp, IL
was seventeen-buti Just as near
ed the kitchen door l tripped and
fell, up serting bucket OF water
and bringing down large Tin pan
that was hanging near. i was both
stunned and frightened, and lay
still q minute before attempting TO
get up. Some one raised me so
tendeFIy and quietly thatI opened
my eyes in astOnishment- Oh NY
there was Ed. Clarance's handsome
face bending over me, while his
mouth was quiyeFing with Suppress
ed sorrow or laughter, | know not
which.
''Are you much hurt p he asked
AT length.
1 looked around 20 see if any ono
else was near before Venturing q re-
ply, and caught a rejection Of my
torn. limp dress and disOrdered hair
IN the glass opposite the door. Ed,
CIaFance could retain his gravity no
longer, and burst out into n hearty
laugh. IL was too much and Isprang
from his arms and rushed away,
never stopping until j reached my
own room. Then i threw myself
on the floor, sobbing like a very
child. What could be think OF mea
great oVergrOWn girl; romping with
a dog, and what q cOmical object 1
must have been as / lay on the
porch. No wonder he laughed oh, L
could never look him IN the face n
gain. / listened till be went away,
then / went down stairs, hoping no
one had seen me but Ed. but there
was May giving mother a laughable
account OF the whole affair, only
with many more extracts added 10
a.. was too ungry 10 reply 10 any
thing she said, and so aat down an
a chair, humming a tune as uncon-
cernedly as il nothing had hap
pened.
The next day, Ed. Clearance called
again, and this time asked for me,
but would not see him, and ran
away and hid myself in = little ar
Dor at the foot OF the garden. / sup
pose fell asleep, for IL seemed as IL
In dream heard Ed. Clarance say,
"Will you forgive me, little Emily,
for laughing at You yesterday 2"
tried to rush past him, hut he
held me fast.
"Don't go Emily, for l love you,"
he said.
''No you don't," Iexclaimed, "you
love May"
ssNo, love you; have loved you
ever since / received that little note
of yours, three years since. / have
longed so often for this meeting
Now ask YOU to be my wife"
"Oh, Ed.," said, 81 am not wor-
thy 10 be your wife, for ! am neith-
er educated nor refined. Every
one would laugh at you for selecting
such a WIFE"
"You suit me, little one; Is not
that enough z"
OF course you would like TO know
what / answ cred him, but ! will on
Is tell you that when we went 90
the house was bis promised wife.
I wish you could have seen Nays
face when we told her, but she had
the good sense not 10 show her dis
appointment; and congratulated US
beautifully. / take music lessons
now, 20 TO parties, and hear myself
called pretty and sweet. Ihave just
been looking at my lovers generous
gift, and elegant white silk dress
and point lace veil. l anI TO be mar
ried next Thursday. Come 10 the
wedding. Goodbye.