Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1872-05-11
"ADOPTED.r
A TRUE STORY.

bring her glsss Of iced lemonade. Il,
colbert" she said, "why do you look
" cross p t'oif Ntatl sH
"Bscause have good reason. Tam
sorry you pay 90 little regard TO my wishes,
Miss Psoroy." srs,,N ~. s..il
She drew herself up haushtily.
"You are beginning quite early to die
tate sir y
Have I not the right!"
"No, Mr.. Evering." II ...',
"Bs it 80, Blanche" he said, 10 voice
that betrayed how the arrow ranked in
his bosom. II give up the right now and
henceforth."
Blanche was startled. She would have
said more, but Walter Birmingham was
advancing toward her, and when she next
had leisure to look around Gilbert had
gone from her. .,..,
"What have done ?" she thought 10
dismay. "I'll see him this evening and
coax him into good humor once more.
He surely can't be vexed at me for an idle
word like that"
All, little blanche, it is not the we'll con.
sidered sentence that does all the harm in
the world-it is the idle word. "-
"Such charming day as We have had,
Mrs. Lorain," said Blanche. as she came
in smiling and radiant, as if the worm re.
morse was not guawing at her heart.
" Yes" said the charming matron, who
was reading 10 an easy chair under the
shadow of the vines. But what sent
Mr.. Everiug away 10 such hurry"
"Sent him away 2"
"Yes-by the evening train. He came
home. packed his things, and drove away
40 If there was not moment to loose.
am very sorry; We will miss him much." +"
Blanche went slowly up stairs and sat
down by her window, looking at the pur.
pie glow of ths evening landscape as il it
we're . featureless blank. So he really
has gone away; and by her own folly she
had lost the priceless treasure of Gilbert
Evenings love!
And | cannot even write to him, for l
do not know his address," thought she.
with clasped hands aud fearful eyes.
swell, it's my own fault; and I must
abide the consequences as best may"
So Blanche went home from the gay
fashionable place a sadder and wiser wo.
man, and November mists dropping over
the brick and mortar wilderness Of her
city home had never seemed half 50 dreary
to her as they did now.
~ suppose shall be an old maid,' -
thought Blanche, walking up aud down
in the freight darkness of her room, her
dimpled hands clasped behind her waist.
"1 will never care for any one now as
cared for-for Gilbert, and I dare say
shall keep cot. and grow fond of her.
Ah, well-a-day life cannot last forever"
A dreary comfort for that girl Of nine
teen summers!
She rang the bell with an impatient
jerk. a
Are there any letters, Sanderson p
"One, ma'am; it came BY the evening
post, about five minutes ago."
Light the gus, then, and give ii to
me-" - M
Blanche sat down by the 6re and opened
the letter, suppressiug yawn.
"Black edged-and- black sealed! So
poor Mrs. Marchmont is gone at last
Il Was from the the executors Of Miss
Penroy's distant cousin, formally and
briefly announcing her death which had
taken place some mouths since, but Of
which the " melancholy news" as the lot.
ssr ran, had only just been received. 1t
vas not entirely unexpected, as Mrs.
Marchmout had been for some years slowly
falling out Of the world, in . victim Of
hereditary consumption.
Leaving one child, son." slowly re.
peated Blanche, leaning hsr head on her
hand and looking down into tho Gerry
quiver Of the white hot Goals. "Poor
little fellow. hs must feel - desolats q I
do. Ooly I have At least suaiciency of
this worlds goods, aud this orphan child
must not Be thrown pcnniless aud alone on
his own resources, for, If I remember
Alright. Mrs. Msrchmont. forfeited oil the
wealth Of her arst marriage BY her second
alliance with the povsrty.strieten lawyer,
whose death plugged her into such bitter
mourning. That was . genuine love.
match, yet how much grief and trouble il
brought! Leaving one child son :"