Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-11-30


my child, never go out to anoth-
er days sewing. Your mother has
given you to me. will take good
care Of you."
A month bad passed.
"What is the reason that Wilton
never stays at home now-a-days?"
said Mrs. Hills to her dull, but very
stately hu 'band, on one of those in
frequent evenings which they were
passing alone together. "He used
to be away quite too much, l
thought, but now we never get a
glimpse of him, till eleven. Do,
Charles, hand me that magazine"
"Perhaps he's out courting; eh,
Sara?" suggested the gentleman, as
he passed the pamphlet to his wife.
"Nonsense; it's nothing of that
kind" replied the lady, quickly, for
she had no great confidence in her
husbands discriminating faculties.
''Td give him q lecture for leaving
me so; but, then, what good would
it do?"
If Mrs. Hills could have known
the new life which the heart of her
brother had been living for that last
month, and If she could have looked
into Mrs. Mason's little pArlor that
evening it would greatly have mod
fled her remarks.
Wilton Hughes had passed his
evenings with Lena Arnold; and his
soul had drunken again of the gol-
den goblet of its youth.
Lena was so child-hke, so unafec-
ted, that it was joy to the world
weary man to be with her.
He might have been married years
before; but his sisters hnesse and
frivolity had sickened his heart of
their sex; and then they would new
er have him alone, but were always
trying to palm off some woman up
on him as false and vain as them
selves.
But, Lena! Lena! She had taken
him back to the golden dream of his
youth, and he sat watching her to-
night, as she stood by the table, her
graceful head leaning over the draw
ing he had brought her, her dark
eyes beaming bright through their
long, heavy lashes.
Lena" he said, at last, ''will you
come and sit down by me, for have
something to say to you?"
She came, with smile haif-curi-
Gus, half-confiding for Lena had
learned to know Wilton very well
during that month.
.'Lena," he said, stroking the lit
tle hand he had taken in his, and
looking into h@r clear eyes, 'do you
love me any,"
Love you ANY," answered the
girl, with that frankness which con-
tact with the world had never
taught her to conceal; ''to be sure l
do. Were you not my mothers
best friend, and are you not my own
now? O! 1 love you better than
any one in theworld, Mr.. Hughesv
Well enough to be my wife, Lee
mar"
She sprang up In her wild aston
! ishment, and ker cheeks were incar-
nadined with bushes.
Il your wifei You do not mean
it, Mr.. Hughes?"
He put his arms around her.
"Yes, Lena, [ should not Jest ON
such a subject. Twenty years lie
/ betW ecn us, and my hairs may be
! ;
| still keeps the bloom of lis youth.
Shall you love me less because L low
ed your mother fiFst-because
shall be old before you, Lena2"
She drew up close to him. mo,
no. was not thinking of that; on,
IyI am so diHerent;I know so little
and am so untitled to be yoU1
/ vile"
81 am in no hurry, Lena. You arr
I right in thinking yOurselftoo youne
to marry now. l will wait for You
three wears. / will not tramme
YOUR girl-life with any engagement
which gratitude might induce you
to make me. You shall be free, anC
you shall pass the intervening threC
years at one of the best schools il
the Union"
The pride of Lena'S father, 2nC
the delicacy of her mother, rose IL
her answer. But TO be so depen
dent before l am married! Forgive
me! but / cannot bear the though
of it, Mr.. Hughes"
Il have looked out for all that
nv Lena. The gentleman at whose
school would place you, desires al
assistant in drawing. In two month
YOU can be this, and yourself defra,
youriexpenses."
How can l thank you:" said lie
ma, with a burst of happy tears
How will study, so you shall no
be ashamed of me when l am
She did not finish the sentence
but before she buried her burnini
face on his shoulder, there had beam
ed q glance through her swimming
eyes, which told Wilton Hughe
that she loved him.
Three years had passed. Wilto.
had lust returned with Mr.. and Mrs
Hills from their annual visit TO Sar
atoga. Martha, his elder sister
rode up the next day TO welcom
them home again.
, Il hear you've had an "nusuall
CAV season at the Springs" said III
lady. WAS Wilton as indiferen
as ever TO the beauties he foun
= there, Sara?"
eyes, Just, Martha. Eve give
= him up now, He's confirmed OF
bachelor"
? E.No, he isIist, either" said tn
! gentleman in question, as he enter
; ed from the next room, where II
had overheard these remarks; San
TO prove this TO you, L expect to b
t married, Providence permitting
four weeks from this dayI'
i ''To whom? To Whom?" erie