The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-11-22

Ben Nichols! Why, Mrs. Mar
ley, she is only child.
"She's seventeen next week, ;"
nodded Mrs. Marley, 'tand high time
she thought of settling"
! Mr.. Avenel looked across to
where Juliet stood in her pink ging-
ham dress, the soft summer wind
stirring her curls, and her checks as
softly tinted as the standard rose on
the lawn. Seventeen. Was it pos
sible that little Juliet Hawkhurst
bad grown to be seenteen years old?
Oh, relentless Time, that would not
stand still? Oh, cruel years, that
went by and stole tho fair bright
ness Of childhood away! SO Ben
Nichols had actually asked Juliet
Hawkhurst to be wife!
" | wish you and Harry'd talk Sc
rious to her bout it" went on Mrs.
Marley. ''Tain't likely she'll have
any more such cnances as that"
"No; to be sure not" said Avenel
abstractedly.
"And o course she'd oughter
think it over well, )" added Mrs. Mar
Icy.
90 ccrtainIy-tO be suro :"
When Harry Avenel came home
from the city that evening he found
his uncle in a brown study.
"Harry," quoth the widower.
" Yes, uncle"
"Ive been thinking"
$50 | should conclude, sir, from
the I'll shaped wrinkle between your
browg," laughed the young mer-
chant. DWELL, and what has been
the topic of your meditations, I'm
Gle Joo?'
"Why, 1 was thinking what
would become of us if Mrs. Hawk
hurst wero to take it into her head
to leave us"
Harry opened wide his merry
hazel eyes at the idea.
" What made you think of such a
thing, sir 2" he asl ed.
ooh, | don't know. She has a
good place here; but one couldn't
expect her to be contented with a
housekeeper's situation always, Har-
ry."
mo- to be sure not"
"Sho has become very essen tial
20 our domestic happiness, Harry" p"
went on Mr.. Avenel.
Yes-I grant you that, Uncle
joe"
And I really don't know how
we could manage to exist without
her.
Raise her salary, UNCLE" sug-
gested Harry.
"No, l hardly think it would an
swer my purpose; but, Harry
Well, uncle ?"
Mr.. Avenel looked slightly sheep
ish.
Cant you imagine any other
way of keeping her here p he asked.
Harry stared at his uncle. Mr..
AveneI felt disposed to give him a
hearty shake for his stupidity.
ooh ~ cried the young man, with
sudden dawnjng of lucidity over
the darkness of the brain. You
don mean-matrimony uncle %
Yes [ do p quoth Mr.. Avenel,
stoutly. Would you object, Har.
ry -"
L, uncle
"Because you are the only person
, interested besides myself-and her.
= "My greatest interest, uncle, is to
sec you happy" }" the young man an
swered, wringing the elders hand
And-if l, too, should conclude tc
marry at no very distant day"
Why then," cried Mr.. Avene
= gaily, we can all live together
just as we do now, and he the hap
. piest family in the world
/ And he went into the house
/ whistIing as he went " John Ander
I son, my 10, john" as bIithely as !
boy of sixteen.
, Juliet Hawkhurst was standing
by the little side garden gate
: that evening. thoughtfully watching
1 over her right shoulder, of course
the slender silver crescent of the
1 new moon. Juliet had certainly
blOssomed into a perfect little rose
I of maiden, during the years sh'
c had been an inmate of Avenel place
She was fair haired and rosy, will
) with long eyclashes, deep blue eye
I full of shadowy purple CLEANS, anC
a complexion like rose colored sat
G in; and, moreover, there was in he
every movement q selEpossed grace
c and dignity Of mien, that was mex
pressibiy charming. Juliet Hawk
: hurst had been born a lady, but un
toward fate bad made a housekoep
er's daughter of her.
/ As she stood there, leaning Owe
t the iron rail of the gate, a fOOtstel
c sounded behind her.
d ''Juliet 2'
She turned with little rose blusI
# and smile she fain would hav
+ concealed, and Harry Avenel cam
s up and stood close beside her.
IS Little elf, you thought You ha
e hidden away from me, but you sc
o | have contrived to find you out
= even herel What makes you blus
u and look so confused? %
r "Do I?' And Juliet fixed he
r gaze very steadfastIy on the gree
t. turf at her feet, where a single ye
y low dandelion was closing It's eye
e dawny gold for the night.
Listen p cried Harry, triumph