The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-04-27

mist, l pursued my way to the mansion OF
Colonel Marston, father to Miss Dora Mar
ston, to whom am honorary cousin.
Colonel Marston's house is situated on
fine grassy knoll, shaded by handsome
trees, and inclosed with well kept hedge;
it is Just out of reach of village eyes and
ears, but not beyond the pale of village
curiosity. Anybody there can tell you by
what right l address good Mrs. Marston as
my aunt, and pretty Dora as my cousin,
while being not in the least related to eth
en- My dear mother, now deceased, when
young widow, possessed of some proper
ty and a little boy, married Miss Dora's
uncle, and became her aunt, thus making
me, as consider, virtually her cousin. At
any rate, for twenty years l have been a
frequent visitor at the dear old house, rec
ognized in my cousinly capacity by the
family, and treated accordingly, and for
more than half that time like a wolf in
sleeps clothing, have 1 sought the avun-
cular mansion with an eye to Miss Dora,
fact she seems surprisingly unconscious OF,
considering how many times, by hint and
innuendo, by sigh and look, and tender
courtesy, and honest speech, have shown
her the place she occupies III my mind, and
given her, as it. appears, the right to drive
me out of it, if possible. Tom Hayes is
her favorte instrument of torture. He is
the young lawyer of the place, as am the
young doctor, and is advancing about as
fast in his profession. He is considered
good-looking fellow, though don't see it,
and has undoubtedly a fine voice, upon
which pretext he spends about half his
time twanging away upon Dora's guitar,
and waking Col Marston from his after
noon nap. 1t would look better, L must
say, for young man in his position, to be
at home, waiting for practice; but l have
heard that he says the same of me, and
perhaps with equal justice. At all events,
it was hard to find his horse already tied
to the gate post on that particular spring
day, when warm and weary, | arrived on
the bate ground, prepared to put my fate
to the touch at once.
On one side of the house lay the broad
white public road, from which one devlated
to approach this earthly paradise; on the
other, narrower private one, mere cart
track, grass-grown, cool, and shady, lead
ing down to the mill stream that ran be-
hind the grounds, brawling and seething
and swelled by the spring rains into quite
respectable torrent Down this path
Dora always took me to walk when she
wanted me to say anything uncommonly
foolish, which could serve her as food for
laughter, and down this path again we
must always 60 when that villain Hayes
was of the party, and she wanted to play
me off against him, or him against me, or
both against her womanly vanities. Ac-
cordingly l found them equipped for a
walk, lettering on the front piazza, not
waiting for me, however, as Dora took
pains to explain, and as could readily be-
l;eve, for they were flirting over new
song. Not in the best of humor, l took
the offered seat near them, wiped my heat
ed brows, and advised my fair cousin not
to saunter through the damp woodland
paths on this most unhealthy morning. Il
advise you as a physician, mind you,' said
I. to give weight to the opinion which
might be denied it in my cousinly capacity;
but she received it in utter contempt and
ridicule of my pretentions, gladly Joined by
Mr.. HAYES, whose white teeth cleaned
wolfishly behind long black mustache, at
nv expense. We had shaken hands with
great cordially; 1 had inquired after his
clients, he had professed interest in my
patients: had asked him how he had en-
loved the ride with Miss Julia Stevens last
evening, and he had just remembered see
ing me, as he drove past Mrs. Hedges in
the front garden with Anna Hedge; re-
miniscence which went a thought too far,
for had been, at the time of which he
smoke, seated on this very piazzaIbeside the
innocent young lady opposite, who now
showed no tokens Of the sweet confusion,
with which she listened to my broken con-
fidence last night, and only glanced from
one to the other with guileless interest and
wondering simplicity.
Now | had said enough to her on that
occasion to make me feel some anxiety
concerning her demeauor to-day, and some
resolution concerning my own. had
right to expect, after the way in which she
then treated me, that if nay cheeks burned
and my ears tingled, and my heart beat
faster, at the remembrance of that sweet
meeting, hers would at least betray some
consciousness of the fact. But not fleet
inc tremor shook her little hand, not
shade of color deepened the rose of her
round cheek, not passing emotion Of
bashfulness weighed down her curly eye
lashes. She was serenely self-possessed,
superbly cool, and attentive to the obnex-
ious Hayes, in proportion as she was disre-
gardful of me.
Burning with suppressed indignation
accepted her careless invitation. and fol-
lowed the precious pair into the shrubbery,
there being no other way of obtaining the
explanation was determined to have this
morning. l had often seen such demon
STATIONS before, and borne them with COM
parative patience, knowing how we'll worth
the trouble of winning, how true and ten
der after all, if only it could be reached
under these Disgusting caprices, was the
wayward little heart that had tested my
love and tried my temper all these years.
From her very cradle she provoked me,
from the frills of her baby cap she Knocked
me; and, grown into the ranks of little
girlhood, Systematically aggravated me by
artful preference of all the little boys
most hated, for whose infant attentions
she unceremoniously deserted my elder
claim and assured protection. And yet, in
all her childish troubles, from torn frocks
to Latin lexicons, she flew to me for aid,
counsel, sympathy, and protection, repent
ing of all her sins against me, and walking
in straight path again, till between her
sweet eyes, and her pretty confessions, her
helpless reliance, and gentle ministering to
nv vanity. she had regaincd larger place