The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-02-15

Does Mr.. Ashmore resid: here p
"He does" the sweet voice replied.
as he at liberty for few moments?'
"WaIk in and | will speak to him"
We were ushcred into the tidy kitchen
and in a few moments farther, Ashmore
appeared. Our business was made known
and after consultation with mother, a
faded. cheerful looking old lady. much
too old it seemed to be sweet Dahlia's
mother, terms we're agreed upon and
Gail here found a boarding place. We
stopped.with the Ashmores over night,re-
turning to town the following day.
Every moment spent in the presence Of
Dah'ia [ discovered new graces and new
virtaes. She was indeed as fair and
sweet a creature as | ever looked upon.
How she frightened the old house with
h3r graceful presence, how like sun
| b ean she moved about in her routine OF
homcly duties.
sob Carl" I said laughingly as we
| rolled homeward. Il fear for your heart
if sou spend the summer near that beau
tiful creature
Carl locked at me in reproach. My
heart is so fully occupied with the queen
OF girls, that no new face can ever creep
in" he answered gravely enough. How
I wished he was fancy free, for | al
ready loved this girl as [ never could
Helen Leroy. But OF course could not
express this sentiment to him.
Carl arranged his business in the city,
! and in Just one week was back in the
country. He came home bit three times
that summer, but he wrote long glowing
| letters IF his new life | missed him ter
ribly but Miss Helen seemed to bear
his absence bravc!y. AMI she did fiirt
with men who followed at her heels, in a
most unbeco ming manner for an engaged
woman, | could rot refrain, meddIesome
as it was, from writing as much to Carl
| But his answer silenced me.
Il should be sorry to think that Helen
was denying herself pleasures and pas
tt nes that her yonth and vivacity entities
her to. | an glad II know she enjoys
herself, and have the utmost faith in
her truth and constancy
] said no more, even when one even
ing in passing the Leroy place, l saw
Tom. Viiler>. the greatest hirt In town,
put his arm around her waist, and kiss
| ba. ha m,
pleasures and past mes" [ repeated
to myself; kissing Tom. Villers in the
guden and riding out with some beau
! tire. days In u we elk
But if Carl was satisfied, I ought to
! b.
Carl came home for good the last Of
September. [ questioned him about
Dahlia.
Yes, she is very sweet and amiable, at
least | always see her so. But have
been so busy all summer, that [ have
had no time to think Of anything but
work, and my spare moments l bav given
to you and Helen
] smiled, but remained discretey ST.
lent.
Carl vas brown and red checked and
handsomer than ever. He devoted him
self to his hetrothed. and her admirers
were driven from the field.
They were to be married the following
Autumn So Carl told me-
L shall so down to Seaville next sum-
mer to supefintend the building of the
house aud farm it little Ofcourse |
shall settle in business here as soon as we
are married, and only go to Seaville a
while in the summer.
''How I would like to go down to the
Ashmo, es !" | said in mid-winter to
Carl
Then you shall CO." he said. I have
a little business there myself"
So we went. found Dahlia, my beau
tiful pet Dahlia, as lovely "a ever; but
somehow changed. Something had gone
from her. What was it?
Carl" said. when found myself
alone with him, do the Ashmores know
OF your engagement p
"Well really" Carl replied laneuidly,
81 do not know. | never informed them
of it. because they 2ever asked me. But
doubtlessly they have heard of il. Why?
| did not answer, for my heart was full
Of a terrible fear.
That evening as l sat with Mrs. Ash
more and Dahlia, spoke Of the building
summer.
'Will he occupy it himself or lease it?'
Mrs. Ashmorc asked, and oh, how my
heart ached while answered:
He is to be married next autumn, and
will make his home in the city but in
tends to pass the summer months in Sea-
vile, | believe"
raised my eyes as soon as l dared, to
DahlIa flower like face. And then |
knew what | had already surmised she
had given her heart, unasked, to Carl
Knew the secret that even her parents
did not suspect.
She rose moment after, and left the
room. Oh, how logged to go and corl-
fort her; the fair young creature, who
was having her first lesson of grief
We went home the next day-and I
said no word to Carl of what knew. 1t
would do no possible good-and | did not
want his heart to ache as mine did.
Helen Leroy would be just as happy
with some equally handsome man, and
I II 1