The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-09-13
NlISI.AUD.

,oSs luose ScisSofS during The short after
mon.
" Oh, here they are--in the work.
drawer, just whereaI put them half an
hour ago! exclaimed Mrs. De Lacy.
ITS terribly annoying to have such a
memory as mine.n ss,sa8
Annie shut up her book. Maud
what would you do ~
!" About what ?" asked Mrs. De Lacy.
biting off a thread. 53D =
.s John Allen" W.
" Why, haven't you settled that matter
yet? Marry him, of course.o
: No, | don't intend to do that, but
Then you have decided ?v ~
:" decided instantly, Maud. All l
want to know now is, whether I'd bet
letter.. fsig Aasss sllTg
Don't do either, Annie. / tell YOU.
4 you are foolish girl. John Allen IS too.
good a man to be rejected
"Oh. of course,o rejoined Annie "he
IS one OF the best men in the world!' and
she took up her book again.
VI wish you would be reasonable said
Mrs. De Lacy.
II think you are throwing away the
best chance you will ever have in your
Mrs. De Lacy said no more than this.
ana Annie made her decision alone--to
send her rejection Of John Allen by letter.
The epistle ran as follows: So
my Kind friend--Before you receive
this Am sure you win have discovered
that you have made mistake in regard to
your feelings for me. | never thought of
; loving you except as a good elder brother;
and the circumstances of little illness
and low spirits on my part have made you
mistake the impulse of your own kind
heart. It is simply this, and nothing
more, that caused you last night to ask me
to marry you. 1t would be a great mis-
take for both of us--for me to marry one
whom look upon only as a brother, and
Tor you to marry one whom you regard
only as q sister. "a
CANINE REDDINa."
She wrote the note that evening, and sent
II the following morning; and then she
went out for walk.
little I'll and low-spirited she had been
for month. The illness was caused by
nights spent IN wearisome crying the low
spirlts-well. Annie knew better than any
one else what caused them. Her head
went ont. 900
Ia The morning light lay blue in the tracks
upon the snow. She listened to the sound
OF the crust breaking under her feet. All
else was still in the fields A flock of
spafrows twittered around her when she
came to the gate. A spray Of purple
mezereon blossoined over The stone wall.
II all seemed dreadfully dull and common
MI To A al.. -
examine the mezereon little. A sudden
step crushed the SNOW more decidedly than
she had done.
"Good morning." said a voice.
She turned and looked at Walter Vest
gate with a sudden startled flush on her
lace, and he nodded airily, laughing at the
wide eyes and carnation colour. "A
"WeI, Annie, do you think Pm
ghost?" ,.,...t.. :.
mo. IL thought you were at Len
nox.n
mo, indeed have been home week. /
Are You going to the bali to night, An
ME 2"
III do not know" was the reply.
II want to see. you there. Come if YOU
can. l leave home in a few days.p he
added.
Yes" murmured Annie. believing
that she understood him.
Balls are a bore, but this one will
serve a purpose and | have promised
to take my sisters-they have new Silks
with significant nod " Goodbye
am going to meet man at the hotel"
He put his gloved hands on her shoul-
ders. Before she could draw breath, he
had kissed her, and was gone.
How red her cheeks were and how light
her heart as she turned to go home All
her sisters boisterous boys rushed out to
meet her from the garden, crying to know
what she had brought them from the
town, and it did not dlscempose her.
81 did not go into the town, children.
But here are some pennies, and you can
go yourselves tomorrow. Here-+Aubrey,
Charlie, BERT =.
She emptied the loose change of her
portmonaie among them, and ran lightly
into the house..
The dress which she wore on the follow
ing evening was very becoming to her. 1t
seemed to make the clear natural ewes
clearer, and the ripping hair darker. The
olive check was pale, but the mobile lps
. were red as rubies, and the hand which
threw aside the wraps trembled d little.
{
the rooms. M 4 N&4 ~ t
All the country families were present
She made the first "roundn of the room
confidently and happily, ithe next with a
more earnestly observant eye, the third
in anxious surprise, the fourth in Bit r
disappointment. Walter Weslgate was
not there, and it was very late his sisters
were present, with another escort. All the
pleasant socially suddenly grew dreadful.
bore to Annie. She did not even see Nell.
lie Westgate's new silk. She told her
brother that she did not wish for supper,
and he might take her home as early as he
liked. The good man was greatly given
to his books, and took advantage Of this.
permission to retire half an hour after his
entrance. T.sF
Mrs. De Lacy, at home, was waiting for
her sister. ~ ~
Here's a letterairom Mrs. Morton, An
q MES and II yon want the situation, YOU
must take Il Tomorrow. Her goyerness
left to-day.o -
.Certanly want il. will make all
necessary preparations Tonight ~ Az