Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-05-05

Mamma returned the smile very family, and
| we bowed our visitor out, with hearts very full
Of indignation.
i shall not GO, for one! cried Sue, angrily,
and then by chance glanced at Pansy. The
| girls face was radicnt.
/ at will be so splendid she murmuied under
| her breath.
The end was, that all went, Sue included;
, and IL was splendid.
| Mrs. Moneybacs had sense enough TO put tho
! arrangements into The hands Of decorative ar
lists from town, and the effect was superb. The
good woman's face shone complacenty. But |
| her great attraction, which quite oveirun her |
simple heart with pride, were lalfa dozen New |
York gIests-a faded belle, a gay widow, and
| two or three gentlemen Respect for MIR. Mon |
eybags had, perhaps, Brought them all the way
10 Rexford They were the observed Of all
observers.
| Miss Administer must have felt her early tri- |
umphs renewcd--uutil Pansy appeared upon
the scene.
She had come late, with papa, and the pic
ture she was when she entered the room, In
her shimmering white garments, l shall never
forget.
A low exclamation of delight and surprise
| broke from some one near me. o..
'Good heavens. what vision Of angelic love-
illness!
half turned it was one of The strangers who
spoke, a dist,nguc, stylisll-looking young man,
who had set all tho young ladies hearts in n
| hutter when, twenty minutes before he had
made his entree Handsome he certainly was.
Why did shrink and shiver little when pres
emily saw him lead 1'ancy out Npon the floor,
and watched his fine dark eyes fairly scntillaic
with admiration?
Why need lingcr over the tale? 1t was the
old, old story.
Mr.. Kennan called, was gentlemany and de-
lightlu; won mamma by his graceful Difference,
and papa Ly the display Of keen business like
qualities. Pansy sat almost silent, the sweet
color ilickerug in and out of her checks. But
when he was gone, and they all broke out into
praises of him, steady crimson settled there, and
burned like rose.
Mr.. Kcnnan came again. He fingered two
weeks in ReXford. BY the end of that time the
denOulBlent came.
He proposed for pansy, declared his passion
ate love for her. and when papa demurred de-
nanded that she be sent for. The child came,
weeping like culprlt, accusing herself oftreacl-
cry toward Tom. But not all her tears, all
her remorse, could hide the fact that this man
had won her heart.
81 thought l loved Tom-poor Tom" she
falered "But did not know what love was"
An utter disnay fell upon us all when this
tragic denouncmcnt of Tom Gordon's pretty ro-
nance became known to us. Many long,
fearful consultation We had, but the hard, pain
full facts could not be changed.
Pansy herself was firm as a martyr.
"lll marry Tom if you say So" she said with
great sob, "Bnt love Max
| Of course, then, it was all over. Papa lad
theory-a curiously sentimental theory for n
grave lawyer of fifty-lhat girls should marry
for love, and mamma had never thought Tom S
impecunosity was quite what her darling de-
served. Mr.. kennan saw his advantage, and
pursued his suit 1t was decided that Tom
should be written 10. But who would break
, this bitter news?
Pansy came winding her soft arms around
my neck.
ale loves YOU better than any OF them," she
said ssily.
broke away from lier angrily.
y "And you would make him hate me / cri
ed.
t But who caa resist fate. =. Ifa hateful thing
was to be Zone, | somehow always got thrus
= into the breach.
wrote the letter to Tom. / daio say 1t was
5 cold and hard, for my heart aclied for him al
: most 10 breaking, and the very intensity Of my
feelings chilled my words.
|, Three wrctehed days passed, and then tn,
answer calns-a faw calm, strong words; bu
A the good, tender heart struggled through them
9 We knew what his love for Pausy was, lie said
If it could serve her best by giving her up-why
then, he gave her up.
, pansy cried little. But love is selfish Ma,
t. Kenn;l came, happy and Triumphant; an,
Pansy smiled and danced again, and nobod
could resist the infection or her fresh, Il isl
d joy.
/. No more from Tom Gordon; only, We hear
incidentally that lie was working hard, an
rs sure to distinguish himself; later, that lie ha,
l. gone to Europe on some law business.
l lhink rausy scarcely noticed this news
l. Max had urged a speedy marriage, and we wer
all frantically busy on the trousseau.
ie But one day Sue, looking up from the bi
III of dainty muslin in her hands, said, gravely:
g.a Al. l.
ting had made Pansy liltle-just n liitle-se
fish,"
10 smiled with tears in my eyes. Dear, gel
erous Sue! Who so slow to accuse others a
us those who are themselves the salt of the earth
u. The bridal-dly came OH apace. The prepa
ol ations wei0 splendid Max lived like a prime
is and il seemed as il lie thought nothing too GOO
for Hausy.
lie 1t irked lis TO rest under the Obligation of
, many magnificent presents, andwe all declare
IL we d rather live on bread and water for a ye
ih after the marriage than to do so.
Papa was quite of the same mind, aud so Il
ny diminished his modest fortune to buy us finer
al and decorate the house for the wedding.
'u. Max WAS TO b. busy in town till the last mi
y ute, only coming up TO lunch with us the d.
ue before.
'iY We were all ready then, and Pansy was in
fiutter of excitement.
il no When the noon came she trirpcd down to q
no station to meet him.
III We had all gathered in I'll. dinng-room
i. teen minutes aitcrwdrd. When she came in wi
~ ~ a face whter than death, and trembling fro
HIS head TO foot.
- She had IL slip of paper in her hand, wh
ia' y. somebody took from her Just she dropp
~ fainting ON the floor.
ny Ii was tclegra6. Two brief, bewilder
'"i sentences.
NM "The wedding must be Postponed. COUNT
mand the invitations and wait for my explain
et ton
mr. Papa went straight 10 town by the next irli
ma Pansy shut herself up away from us. We hu
,ye dlsd together, a miserable gronp, all the afl'
eet noon.
ee' At dark the awful suspense was broken
vim the still more awful truth.
Max kennan was delilulter, and had go
, , from the city. The papers rang with it. for t
nf amount WAS almost fabulous, ami tic positi
IA of the culprt very high one.
Nv Papa came walking slowly up from the 5
zen ton, a new weight Of years upon him.
-ith .'Tell her gently he sobbcd When he Il
related the shameful story.
hi Pansy heard, her white face scarcely char
esi- ing.
ova "Thcn lie loves me i' she suddenly exclai
ON ed at the end.
pr our "Dut he has dissraced himself ami us all, a
hn YOU must never think Of him again y cri
Sue.
rr- i'ansy did not hear her. \ smile fasl
nav across her face.
nv ale hasn't deserted me - size cried, and til
,lIs broke into tempest Of sObs.
,in. She cried long, long, time In MANN
arms, and then said, weakly, that She Wa
bitc 90 upstairs, and would we be good enough
to disturb her again that hight.
issi- We sat to-cther till late, going over
wretchcd facts. When at last we retired
Mrs. was strangely nervous. longed 10 60 to Pa
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