The Republican journal., 1872-11-14

you did," said Olive, hiding her face in
the white neck Of her baby. He is very
independent"
"Surely, why should he care what she
thought of him ?" soliloquized Fanny, her
cheeks flushing.
The next day she met him at the table
1t seemed strange enough to sit down
with the hired help, but she was forced to
confess that in nothing did he give the
impression of being a menial
"Shall we take hold of that five acre lot
this morning?" he asked, respectfully, of
Mr.. Maynard, Olives husband.
mo, | prefer you should look TO the
drainage OF that patch east of the hill, y
was the answer. "There will be no rain
yet awhile and I want to prepare that
land for potatoes"
Fanny watched Mathew Dom out on
the sly, and Olive caught her at it,
Il wanted TO see what kind of Il dress
he works in,' said Fanny, with telling
cheeks
Don't YOU think him little hand
somer in his blouse and heavy field hooisg
asked Olive
"He is certainly very handsome, said
Fanny, frankly; but why in the world
however," she said, stopping short, Its
none of my business; but such man as
that should surely work his own land"
s'That's true" said Olive quietly
Time passed on. Fanny became accus-
toned t eat, sit and even talk with the
hired III tn On one day Olive took her
up into his room. Fanny stood aghast. II
was exquisite in its way as lady's bou-
doir
''He furnished it himself said Olive
in reply to Fanny's look of surprise.
"a Wilton carpet" murmured Fanny +;
'a marble top set; that Psyche those
| flowers and what is this ?" She lifted
lovely little miniature from the table,
one of the most beautiful and refined faces
she had ever seen.
ooh, one of his friends, | suppose" "
said Olive in her undemonstrative way.
'And see how perfectly neat everything
is kept. Always in this beautiful order.
Do you wonder that Harry calls him a
rara avis >"
"Indeed I cannot" said Fanny, slowly.
"but he must spend every cent he earns
to furnish himself in this extraordinary
manner"
''He has nothing else to do with his
money. dear" said Olive; he don't even
buy cigars For my part | think he is
| perfectly elegant
Fanny said nothing, but she found her
self wishing she knew who was the origi-
nal of that lovely miniature and dying to
| reconcile the tastes and surroundings
of the man himself with his seryIe occu-
patton. Not but what the work was good
enough, and honorable for any man; but
why was he not laborng Tor himself in
stead of another
For days she thought OF the miniature.
Every time she met him, heard him talk
or sing-he had a fine voice, and was not
averse to using it-up popped that mys-
| telious face with the Spanish eyes and the
clustering curls.
Mr.. Eben. Wolcott meantime, had taken
advantage OF her reluctant permission and
| brought his dashing team to Winnihut
Poor Fanny, at the sight of his respectable
aldermanic pei son. his gold bowed spec
tacles and thick gray whiskers, felt u
strange sinking ut the heart. Why would
the six-tooter rise mp in her imagination
and cause by mere force OF contrast Il
repulsion so terrible?
Its positively wicked for me to seem
to encourage that man." she sand almost
passionately, one morning the day after
a drive.
(which man ?n asked Olive, nnoccntly,
| anu tnelr eyes met.
The red blood flew all over poor Fanny
face; she felt hot to the crown on her
head-and yet why should she?
'Ihat's Il pretty question to ask ~ she
exclaimed, nearly angry
"Well, dear, but how am to know
who that man isgN quered Olive, with
a conscious look.
"You know it is MIR. Wolcott," said
Fanny, nearly crying
''Well, he is II good man and Il rich
one," was the answer. II know girls
who would jump at the chance, US the
saying is. | would either marry him or
send him Off"
"Pshawn said Fanny, biting her red
lips, and Il few moments after she lett the
room, conscious of a new, a painful, and
at the same time strangely delightful eX-
perience. No use to try to conceal it to
herself, not the slightest = she loved
Mathew DOM. sisters hired man.
How she paced the room half distracted,
sobbng without tears, forming wild re-
solves and then throwing herself down
with sense of her utter helplessness,
shall not describe How could she ever
meet him again Could she keep her al
most painful secret, and did Olive guess
it? What would Olive think-what coun-
sci If she knew?
Only the next time tha tMr Eben VOL
colt came out she quietly dismissed him,
and then made up her mind that she must
90 home. If she could only flv to the
ends of the earth
But Fanny did not 90. for Olive would
not hear to it. A slight cold confined
Olive to her room, but one evening she
sent Fanny out and bade her peremptorly
to take Harry out for a walk. Then she
summoned her husband to give him
orders, but when he came down stairs
Fanny was gone, and Mathew, with a
wicked little smile. was taking down his
hat
That's right Donn," said Harry, break
ing into "A laugh, "she ought to know bet
ter than to 60 alone. By-thc-way, |
happen to know that she has dismissed
that old alderman"
Dom smiled again and went out, clos
ing the door behind him. There was a
bright moon, displaying flower, leaf and
bud. Supposing that Fanny would only
make the round Oft the place, he ran swiftly
down to the back gate, and met her Just
as she had reached the great elm that
stood guarding the lane.
She started at sight of him
"You will allow ne to walk with you?n
he said. ''There is a squad of gypsies in
the neighborhood, and some one might
modest you.'
Fanny could not say no, could not talk,
even. for with ready tact he took all the
conversation on himself What did he
not touch Opera, art, nature, city,
country-all derived new beauty from the
glamour of his tongue Was it strange
that Fanny found herself leaning on his
arm and listening with rapl attention to
the eloquence of his speech? From that
time there was tact understanding be-
tween them and all went smoothly till the
morning he kissed her For that Fanny
was angry at herself. but she was angrier
with him. All day long she was full Of
moods, changing from grave to gay, from
fits of reflection to the widest of merri-
ment.
Fanny" said Harry, coming up to his
wife's room after tea, "Mr. Dom wishes
| - l.