The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-12-03
Everybody bought Of Che little witch

WHO was areaulully experlenc9H, shop
woman---a knot Of detected, pennies
beings hung round her stall, and pleat
abjectly to be allowed 10 run into debt
the best match present, Lord tiBgton
came ineekly to be snubbed.
Cissy was in the highest spirits, ant
just a little wicked and coquettish il
consequence, though, poor child pearl,
all her happiness arose from the fac
that Jack was coming. -.
= She did not know it, and would ihav,
rebutted the idea Indignantly; but i
was true. Z ..gtiaIl. 40 sl.s.rsiq;
He was,yery late, "1'll punish him Z
said this naughty girl; process, unless
you are 9 cold blooded animal, which
generally ends in furnishing yourself
much more.
But Cissy was daring, and and had ,
greater idea than ever Of her own mai
esty to day, because her court was SC
large and servile. So when Mostyn
came up rufiied, firstly, because he was
late; secondly because he knew his be.
loved would, as she said, 'sgive him 8
wigging" for it, and it really was no,
his fault, but made him quite as angry
as it did her; thirdly, because he found
her surrounded with men, when he came
up, showing his disgust in his face
shouldering srlkily through the crowd
and pushing past Lord Lington, pre-,
scnted himself at her stall, his recep.
ton was pert "Well, ever, thing is
sold" = 80 i'et-,'''i t'S'i'i
81 hope not" responded he forget
ting his defence; she was so pretty, and
smiling down on her ina possessive
manner, which hurt her independence,
thohgh it was manly. and fond enough.
81 couldwt come before, l." ~
Before? Before when p she said
innocently. l'''= p"
"Before now.nyd t'u bss
"Oh, dear! I'm sure + didn't notice
whether you were in the room or not. y
cried Miss Cissy, with "a toss. and q
mocking appealing look at her circle Of
admirers. IN :, .,z.....+ st9 :
Thereupon ensued q, covert quarrel,
to the amusement Of those lockers on
close enough to perceive it. adT ~
It was a proof that Jack was tstho-
rough" and to be trusted, that though
he went away from Miss Devereux' s
counter in q very unpleasant temper,
crimson in the face, and unspeakably
cross to innocent sellers who beset., his
path; he returning the next minute to
ask, with somewhat sulky reproach,-
"May get my letter from the post.
office, oil the same ?" There was some.
thing generous in bis look and tone
which made his little torturers eyes
droop, to hide two half-penitent, half
angry tears but she kept up her digni:
ty, as she Gohceived, and only answer,
ed carelessly. "Yes, you can, il you
like"
He went away, without another word
she. safe in the knowledge that a Ger
tain document which she had writer
and entrusted to her friend Miss Lau
renee (who was acting postmistress,
would set all right, and bring him te
her feet, repentsht and enraptured, con.
tinued her duties. ..
AS TO Jack, he went to the post Office
laid down Lis half-crown, and demanded
a letter rather cavalierly. He instinct
lively dfsliked Miss Laurence, and ht
was now painfully pre- occupied.
"Cissy gayelit me. She wrote it her
self, you know" said that young per
son with an air of intelligence.
"Thanks," said Jack, CURLY, avoid
ling her eye He was of laudably re-
served disposition, not given to indis
criminate condolences, and he took hi.
letter and walked away to open it unob
served.
He read it through twice, turned il
over, looked at it upside down, with at
air of unbelief, then stood still, crush
ing it hard in his hand. He was very
white, his eyes wide open, and had alto.
gether much the aspect of a child who
finds out a grown-up person in a decep'
| ton. . 2 '''"
It Was just as impossible and awful
to him that the sweet words, and blush
es, and glances of months past should
have been so many falsehoods-that the
proof lay here, in his hand-a refusal
not only cold, but mocking, such as. sht
might have written to the acquaintance
of week, Yet here it was, in her pret
ty, delicate writing.
He didn't believe it, simply, at first
not from vanity about himself, but from
trust in her; his misery might have been
absurd, OILY it was so, still and earnest
He was obliged to believe it at last, and
then. being three and twenty, he des
paired ofiever believing in anything good
or true again. He s>i1 4
Suddenly, passionate hope that was
almost fear, sprung up in his heart, and
he turned round,upsetting flower stall
dashed back to the post-office, and said
as he thought, with uhconcern, but re.
ally in threatening manner,
"You're sure you gave me the right
letter, Miss Laurence ~
His face might have moved her, il
was SO brave, and yet SO imploring; bu,
alas ! it did not.
"Of course" said she, coldly. 81
hope it's not an unpleasant one. CissJ
wrote it; but then she can be disagree
able, though you don't think SO
mo: l don't" said he, chiyalrously
but with terrible effort "But you ar,
sure it is for me '!f4.i itse
"Of course: it was directed to you
as you saw. Now, Mr.. Mostyn, yoi
ought to stay and talk to me; you hay'
not been near me-"
"l'm going away" he answered stern
ly. "Good afternoon, Miss Laurence
! He strode through the crowd without
seeing anybody: for all his wrath, ms
| love was too strong; he could not hell
casting one last look back at her.
She did not perceive fit she had
what misery might not have been aver
ted! She was smiling and talking te
Lord Lington; smiling, poor Cissy, a
the thought of how happy Jack mus
be by this time, how he had read hel
letter, and forgiven her. and how they
could never quarrel again.
| ttHood hx,n lorl;pr ko cold Eorool,