Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-10-12

bar. Since that time two cases Of importance
had been entrusted to him, and he had won
them both-and won them with great ecldt.
This success had brought the young aspirant
for legal honors favorably before the public,
and he was not likely to want for clients. There
was brilliant future open before him.
But what were prospects In Mrs. Langleys
eyes Prospects, even the best, were not half
80 reliable as the solid gold Of the stately man
sion already filed with every luxury, the fine
equipage and the Thousand advantages which
belong to wealth 2 What were Ernest Lee
strange's prospects compared with John o.
borne's tangible fortune
week passed away and found our party still
at Saratoga. But the young lawyers affairs
called for bis return to the city. One little
week had seemed an eventful time to him and
Mabel. Every word every look, was an event
and it may be questioned If the two had ever
lived 30 much before. in 70 brief time.
The day before his departure Mrs. La gey's
stylish equipage drew up before the hotel, and
that lady, accompanied by her niece, by the
Judge and Mr.. Lestrange, entered the carriage
for drive into the country. The only regret
in the widows mind was that there was no
room for John Osborne, whom Mabel had neg
lected shamefully Of late But she would man
age to change all that when Ernest Lestrange
should have gone
There are most delightful drives around Sara
toga. Stray winding roads lead you up lofty
hills covered with verdure, and down iDtdp val
lelb WIN DfOhu 0eluh OF uhlhleh OF Teu Win
sweet scented clover, or yet yellow with millions
Of nodding butter cups, which the laughing sum
beams seem to have kissed into gold. 1t was
near the sunset hour, and they had driven five
miles fIom the village into the quiet OF the open
country, into the midst Of the flowery fields
Mabel proposed ramble through q field of
daisies which lay before them And 80 they
alghted and went roaming through the sea of
flowers. Mabel, with her fair face and flowing
golden hair, looked like nymph just risen
= 1. q IL u II
gentle wind OF Summer caressed into undua-
ting waves. The day was warm and she car
ried her little hat in her hand and the last rays
Of the setting sun cast a halo around her, as it
fingered upon her long golden hair. She wa9
indeed veritable queen Of the flowers, and the
daisies did her homage as they bent beneath
her tiny feet
She plucked the flowers and placed them
around her hat, forming them into a wreath
and AZ she did 80 she said, MIR Lestrange, We
have a new name, you know, for the daisies. -
''Ahl what il it Z" asked tue young man who
was not skilled in daisy lore.
I'VE call them Marguerites in memory of
Faust's lovely Marguerite, who, you will remem-
Der, took this flower for her oracle"
"A simple method OF learning the future
truly" said Ernest, laughing Suppose you
consult the oracle also, Miss Vaughan
And pluckng handful of the flowers, he
gave them to her.
Mable took them laughingly and half blush
ing and picking the leaves off slowly with her
dainty little fingers, she said softly, AZ they
futtered to the ground, AZ maine an pen
beau p-pdsSioHdte-pd du tout! He loves
me a little-a good -passionately-the
the leaves are all gone and my lover adores me-
But alas where In he Z" she added with a half
comic sigh, AZ she threw the flower away.
"Ahl Miss Vaughan, the daisies have then but
half toll the tale. Let those tell the rest ~ he
said giving her another handful of them. Let
these speak for me ]"
And a.. bis hand touched hers, his dark earn
est eyes met her own, revealing all the passion
which was in his soul, and the tale was told
All Mable was indifferent no longer The
voice of love had at last reached her heart, and
taking one single white blossom she put it into
Earnests hand, and as che looked up to him,
although her lips were mute, her blue eyes said:
II love youl"
And 30 the daisy troth was plighted.
Meantime Mrs. Langley and the Judge had
been discussing the races, politics and the 30
cial gossip OF the day as they walked along, and
though the white flowers nodded their heads at
them az they passed, they paid no heed. The
flowers had no voice for them. They sought
no oracle among the daisies Az they drove
back to Saratoga the stars came slowly out IN
the sky, and the sweet moon hung low above
them. But the sweetest light Of that Summer
evening for Ernest Lestrange was the love
light in Mabels eyes.
AS they drew up before the hotel John o.
borne came down the steps to meet them. Alas,
for poor John
The next day Ernest Lestrange returned to
town, but with the sweet assurance from Ma
bells lips that ere the daisies bloomed again she
would become his bride.
And Mabel will keep her troth