Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-05-31

light seemed TO come rushing into my
heart.
"susan, must 1 hnlsh the story, or can
you guess the end 7 For all this while
the wise man Is kicking his heels down
stairs, waiting 10 know II goodness is go
ing TO crown his days with bliss"
"Aliee I" | couldn't say more. / felt
as II a ball In my throat was choking me;
but let her take me down 10 the dra wing
room, and push me In, and then she
closed the door.
stood with nv EYES downeast, In the
attitude Of penitent schoolgirl, know
ing that was alone with him, but never
daring TO look at him. He must have
come toward me on tiptoe, or else In the
perturbation Of my heart | never heard
his step, for before a minute was passed,
both my hands were In bis, and his voice
was saying,
" So yov have come to me at last,
Susan Am 80 hateful ln,your eyes that
you could not bear to look upon met"
Hurt at his words, glanced up 10 his
face. Something In that glance made
him smile.
"susan, has Alice pleaded my cause
WELT Has she told you that | have
placed my hopes Of happiness In these
little hands, and unless they clasp my own
in all love and faith, I shall be a misera-
Bile man 2" And he pressed his lips 10
INV trembling fingers.
] stood In a dream. Susan, "poor,
plain Susan" was being courted with all
the earnestness and delicate fa,tery that
a "beauty" might have expected. But
be did not let me dream very long.
"Do you love me, little one, or have |
deceived myself2"
don't know what / said, but ] must
have answered something, for my bewli.
dered head was pressed against his breast,
and felt kiss fall softly on my hot
forehead.
"And you love me enough 10 become
my wife 4" he whispered.
He had To guess how much Iloved him,
after all; for l could never have told him
II bad talked all day aud all night. But
be was quite satisfied and after little
while we were sitting side by side on the
sofa, with Alice opposite TO us, eongratu-
lating us on our happiness. As j looked
at her lovely face, l wondered how
Henry Craven had deigned TO notice me /;
but the next moment met my darling's
eyes, and In that glance faith and trust
unepeakable were born, and Jealousy
diod out of my heart forever.
Courtship at Marsheld went smoothly I;
and before many weeks were over / be-
came Henry Craven's wife, but still an in
mate Of my old home, for my iather,
whose pet had always been, could not
bear me to leave him, and preferred gain.
ing son to losing daughter. We lived
more quietly than ever, for my sister
Alice was not so strong as In days OF yore,
and che shrank from strangers gaiety,
deyotipR herself to her books and music.
| The summer had come second time
since that fatal Christmas parry thatshad
spoilt her life for her, aud thinking that
| fresh breeees might blow little color
into her cheeks aud lips, persuaded my
father 10 send her away with my husband
to the nearest seaside, while took the
relns Of domestic government entirely
into nv own hands and saw her start
from home with a strong hope that the
change would be beneficial 10 her.
Il was three days after their arrival at
Eastbourpe that she and Henry arm-in-
arm faced Dick Oswald on the beach.
Alice, cliuging close to my husband,
turned ashy pale, and Henry, unconscious
Of the cause of her agitation, bent anx.
ously over her, believing she was III.
Dick Oswald passed them, and then
with a strange sort of defiance written on
his face, be walked up TO Henry and held
out his hand.
'I heard Of your marriage, Mr.. Craven
and am glad Of an opportunity OF con
gramlating you," he said In hard tone
but never looking toward Alice. NJ
husband, aware Of my sisters forme
engagement 10 him and her grief at los
Jog him, accepted his overtures cordially
and after few moments, invited him Il
! pass an hour In the evening with them
Dick must have been determined TO fac
everything, and TO shut his heart agains
his unfortunate attachment, for after
second's hesitation he assented to the pro
position. -,
I how, when the evening gloom was steal
= ing over the sea, and the low murmur o
the plashing waves was all the SCUM
: that fell upon the ear, she sat lookinl
: out dreamily on the one bright streak o
I light that marked the horizon, while
d. strange calm, such as her heart had no
> known for months, came over her 10 spit
? OF the natural excitement OF her nerve
] in meeting with her old love once more
G Then footsteps at the deor. and yet sh
E never turned although the fostfall was
I; we'll remembered one, and then a tami
lar voice, trembling just little saying I
q her.
d "Good-eveuing, Mrs. Craven"
II Alice started as the name was uttered
y and was on the point Of replying, bt
instead OF words, the old smile hovere
u on her mouth, and she simply offered he
d hand in return for his greeting. Bt
II whether il WAS too dark, or bis feeling
/, warred against her, Dick ignored h,
D amiable action, and relreating to dis
/ tant chair, commenced an ordinary col
II yersation until Henry Ane lights relieve
l him from, his awkward fsts-a-tete.
l "The night is superb and the sea
l. calm as a flsh pond" Dick ventured B
W way of an original remark. 81 don
u wonder Mrs. Craven enjoys looking out,
d he added in q tone of vexation that
ID should find himself an object Of perfe
d Indifference to one who yet ruled b
le whole soul.
rs aMrs. Crayep!" calculated my hushan
z, The next moment he OWNED the mistal
l. under which his guest was latoring, al
al plying him, determined to correct II
8, once. mrs. Craven, why she is prob
Il. bly, reading the Times to her father,
ee else going quietly to bed at Mansfield
sn this hour. And, by the way, must n
or let the evening pass without writing her
ny line. I'll be back directly" And cal
ing a look at Alice's still averted hea
er he walked out Of the room.
ee "Alice, what on earth does he mean
of and Dick, eager and breathless, knelt
nt her feet. "Who is Mrs. Craven 7"
M "My sister"
es "What, poor plain Susan p
vs. s'Poor plain Susan but in spite OF
,ls plalnness, the dearly. beloved wife of
en excellent man."
,at Sand you, Alice, are you free y or
ed Arthur Farquahar still dear to you :"
air 81 hate him !" my sister flashed I
IN bitterly and the scorn ip her eyes CT
ole hrmed her assertion. eyes, hate hi
em for through him have passed wei
,ee days and miserable nights and hope 9
red happiness have left me forever"
lhe aForever, Alice Even II we
should be together once more as in
old, old days, when this face rested
AL my heart, and thee sweet lips said q
loved met U Alice, my life, my darli
req let them say II TO me once more, an
aut will bless you from my soul !"
me- Down went my sisters head upon
.. old restIug-place, which must have IN
gou a very uneasy pillow, seeipR that Die
lit heart was beating at ten knots an ho
lna and the pretty lips, that could snils
.es' soitly when they pleased, murmured,
~ ~ love you Dick
'ela II was enough. An the misery OF
past months wss oarriad out OF mem
We by the bliss Of the present and Al
70 grown wiser, eschewed the rock Of NJ
soa ton on which she had nearly .
Anu wrecked.
az And now, on Christmas eve, ! am
nay ting before q glorious Are, while my
out band opposite is buried In the column
yIT y0ITu a dabAts, and up aight Of stairs,