The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1873-06-25

was not Sucn q p0ICroOn as THAI
had begun the enterprise, and
would carry it through. Moreover
1 had an inspiration. An entirely
new and original method of putting
the momentous query had occurred
to me.
Hang Fitzhugh Trefoil !" 1 ex
claimed gleefully, half aloud, though
there was no ear to hear my ejacula
ton. "rll win the dark-eyed treas
ure yet. in spite of him.
l opened my writing-case, and
carefully took out little carte Gle
visite wrapped in tissue paper, and
tenderly laid it away with a pink
silk perfumed satchel that Minnie
had made for me once. It was
Cecilia's picture; she had allowed
me to steal it away from her, with
scarcely a remonstrance, a week
before. Then was the time I ought
to have proposed; but, like the
timorous doubling moon-calf that |
was, had let the golden tide of op-
portunity slip away from me.
drew Bessie Armitage's vacant,
doll like face from its envelope, and
compared the two with a thrill of
triumph in my heart.
/ ~
sparkling champagne pale violet
III the shadow of a royal rose pearls
eclipsed by the fiery flash of dia-
monds!'' / exclaimed. Henry Wal
lis taste may be correct and classical
but give me my radiant brunette !
These bleached-out beauties don't
correspond with my ideal of per-
fection.''
1t was lovely spring evening as l
entered the white graveled path that
led mp to the broad porch of the old
fashioned Vernon mansion. Squire
Vernon sat there smoking his moer-
schaum.
Won't You sit down and have q
smoker he demanded Hospitality.
''Its real luxury to be able to take
a Whit out of doors, after being shut
up in the house all winter. Or may
be you'd prefer going in to see
Cecil?''
Sensible old gentleman he had
not forgotten his own young days.
l intimated that the special object of
my visit had been to ''see Cecil"
"Well, she is in the parlor, all by
herself" said the Squire, good hui
moredly. "Walk in-walk in
Cecilia Vernon was sitting in the
parlor alone, as her father had said,
the bright center of a cheerful circle
of lamp light. A bit of crochet work
was lying in her lap, and an open
volume of poems-poems l had sent
her-was on the table.
Cecilia Vernon was always fair to
look upon in my sight; tonight, how
ever, she seemed more than ordinari-
~ beautiful.
sat down, and began hesitatingly
upon the never failing topic of the
weather. 4 proposal had seemed
the easiest thing In the world as I
walked along the dewy edges of the
peaceful, star-lighted road, contcm-
plating it from afar-off; but now
that / was facing it, Alps upon Alps
of difficulty and perplexity seemed
to surround its accomplishment. /
would have given all that l was worth
to postpone the evil day but twenty
four hours-all but my self respect,
and that was imperiled now.
Cecilia tried to keep the ball of
conversation in motion; she intro
duced her subjects, asked leading
questions, and feigned deep inter-
est in the most abstruse of topics.
But even Cecilia couldn't talk on
forever, and presently with a little
sigh of despair, she subsidized into
Now was the eventful moment of |
my destiny.
Cecilia p said softly.
She raised the liquid brown eyes
to mine.
Il want to confide in you to night
have your permission to speak?'
Certainly, Mr.. Markham
81 am very much in love, Cecilia
in fact, my heart has long ago gone
out of my own possession into that
Of
1 stopped with the fatal husky
feeling in my throat. Cecilia was
divinely! drew my chair
close to hers with the sensation of a
man who has just pulled the string
Of cold shower bath.
"Who is the lady?'' faltered Ce-
,ilia; as if she did not know perfect
y well already.
''Shall I show you her picture,
Cecilia?'
Miss Vernon inclined her head
almost to the level of my shoulder.
o look at the little carte de visite /
lrew from my pocket. I skillfully
tole one arm around her waist.
'sSee, dearest p 4