Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-05-05
PANSY'S LOVER.

PANSY'S LOVER.
Pansy was our youngest. There was no spc-
cal merit in that, and, of ITSELF it was no reason
why she should be the pet ofthc family. But
she was also the prettiest.
Nobody never denied there was beauty in
the Tremaines and the Gordons.
Mamma had been rose among the girls in
her day, and at fifty Judge Tremaine was q
stately handsome gentleman, whom all women
admired and fell in love with much oftener
than would have boen convenient under other
circumstances.
kWhy all this hereditary beauty preversely con-
centratsd itself in Pansy, don't know. / sup
pose it was only q part of the total depravity of
things in general.
At any rate, Pansy was lovely, and we all
adorsd her.
The pretty creature knew il before she could
speak plain, and graciously allowed herself
to be set up on throne and worshpped by a
troop of loving subjects.
When she grew to manhood, and all tho
young gentlemen We knew fell into an orderly
procession, and followed her up and down to do
her homage, it was quite a matter of course;
but when one of them actually had the audac-
ity 10 propose, our indignation and amazement
We're equal.
'The wrcteln cried Della.
'How dare he p sobbed Sue in n rage.
'He-isn't a wretch. And why shouldn't lie
dare?' cried Pansy.
'WhatP'
Good hcavensv
'The child is angry, as true as you live" said
Sue, in maze Of slow incredulty.
ApgryY Pansys checks were as scarlet rs
pomegranates, her lovely eyes swan in tears,
and when she could brush them wildly away
an outraged soul looked forth upon the amazed
group.
why shouldn't man want to mary girl,
and why shouldn't he ask herf Do you sup
pose I'm never going to be married?' and will
this the sheet-lightnings of her eyes were
drowned out by passionate rain of tears
We were all of lis on our knees in an instan
the rest metaphorically, literally.
Don't, dear, don't-It was only that W,
grudged you to anybody, darling. That i
all
'As if grandma should long for tho brishtes
OF the Pleads to do her knitting by Such pre-
| sumption!' cried Della, who was the poet of tn
| family.
| Mamma leaned back in her easy rocking
chair, and wiped her fearful eyes disconsoata
| ly.
| DO you mean, Pansy, that you wonG %
away from us all with this young VaudeIneyor.
she said in pathetic voice.
DuI fallsy was noI III pathetic moou lls
| then.
Tie queen had come to her own, and the Ii
tie heart was full oil triumph.
Oh, no, mamma, not with him but there
somebody clse,' and the delicious bushes cha,
ed each other across the fair flower of face.
'She says there's somebody echoed Deli
appealiDgly to me.
.Pansy,' said Sue, severely, "do you mea
to say that somebody else has been proposin
toyou?
Pansy kindled again.
'Oh, Sue, be quiet! AS if she was to bam
| Who is it, dear" Won't you tell your own Xxi
tykins"
Il Pansy resisted.
Not even the absurd name with which she III
dubbed me in her babyhool unsealed her cor
! iidence.
Mamma wcpt softly. implored, Della W
| tragic, Sue assumed the role OF outrag god frien
ship.
Pansy held out Ten minutes, Then she su
rendered at discretion.
Ityou must know-but you needn't blall
, limits Tom Gordon. There and she IL
: | from the room.
tom Gordon
Wolooked at each other blankly
'Ef t,t, Brutt' said Della, raising her eyes
the ceiling.
There was where 1t hurt. Tom Gordon W
our pet cousin, who had come and gone amoi
us all these years in tho sweetest fashion
C bresherly intimacy. And now ho could do
this wrong.
'After ALL sighed mamma, "I suppose I
I, child must be married some time"
We pondered over tho sorrowful fact in
y lence-we girls. But mamma was apt to th
4, aloud.
Il suppose it might as well be Tom rs q
one she added, Then, after a pause' 81
ways thought he might marry one of you,
never thought it would be our little Pans
'Of course it would be Pansy, skope up S
g sharply, and then She turned, and went swif
. out Of the room.
Dear Sue! She was twenty-five, and
prince had not yet come to wake her out of
dream OF maidenhood. 1t was rather hard
deed.
Papa was not rich; we had not been brou!
= up to any profession; it was weary work, {
n ignobls waiting, and Sue had n high spirit
NJ Does anybody know any more such househo
70 of girls, who wait and wait, and see tho sw
al years go by-thc cruel years which steal aw
bloom, and beauty, and youth, and leave tn,
only the ashes Of disappointment?
Il But that is not the point. am telling p
sy's story.
We all cried little, more or less, in sec
and then We all accepted Tom Gordon as
future brother, and next Christmas, Tom ca
u uoNn, cittc dHu DIT
2 young manhood irradlated with this new sw
D. hope.
o- Work. Wouldn't ha work? Anything to
no Pansy.
ny lie was in tho law, creeping up slowly int
,ly lucrative practice; but, oh, he would be patti,
so patient, ii PLnsy would wait for him. !
Wy Pansy smiled and looked distraciingly low
on and we all agreed that Tom would have b,
,m Incredibly stupid not to have fallen in love v
- her.
But We asked this question only with dol
ful, sOrrowful eyes, and afterward with II
tating lips-dld Pansy love Tom? Did she
q him as tho woman should love the man wi
she chooses out of all the wide world, as
good cousin, Tom Gordon, deserved to
loved?
Tom, dear fellow, had, l think, some sti
Cling doubts. l have seen him look at Pa
with such longing, hungry eyes, that
heart ached for him. But, whatever his dol
he said nothing, and We all kept the same p
ful silence.
-, The golden Autumn passed, and the W
= silent Winter came on.
u,u Rexford began its usual career of mild Il
and patton.
Iery A few little initatory parties, aud then
Moneybags fairly inaugurated the camp
with grand ball.
D. D. The Moneybags lived in magnificent
in the most magnificent qualtcr of
t)wn.
""' They had no family, but large accour
his. the bankers and an immense admiration
ware blae blood.
Now, papa had ever so much blue bloc
,1a his yiens but no account at all at the banl
tf 60 Mrs, Moueybags, besides sending c