The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-05-22

escape from her gOverneSs to beg him to
have tea with her in the school-room-
was quite another thing. How could he
give her up? But what was he to do ? he
asked himself, hopelessly. What indeed? !?
And Nellie2 AS long as she could re-
member, she had heard good marriage
spoken of as the highest aim in life Her
sisters had dressed danced, and smiled to
win that prfze-and had Won it, The
dear girls were so sensible" her mother
said, complacently. She herself had been
LETT entirely to the care OF servants, until
Laura's marriage turned her mothers at
tention to her only remaining daughter
If dear Helen We're only well married, !"
she remarked, contidentially, to Geoffrey,
Il should be perfectly happy-my duty in
life would be done"
Brought up in the midst OF all this
worldliness, Helen had still retained
enough natural delicacy to be disgusted
with the plotting and planning her mother
delighted in. Her father she rarely saw
She had no intimate friend of her own
sex. so to cousin Geoffrey" every pleas
ure, every trouble. great and small, was
brought. From her earliest recollection
he had been the hero of her dreams Al
lighter and her voice was gaver when she
caught sight of those tired blue eyes
watching her, and his cool ''Pon my word,
Nellie. YOU are looking we'll tonight" +" the
beautiful Miss Howard was the theme of
every tongue. And now - what now !?
She dared not think. Alphabetically, she
endures dressing, only rousng herself to
refuse, decidedly. the rouge the French
bonnal N,
white cheeks.
At last she was ready there was no
further excuse for delay she must de-
scend to the paror drawing-room. where
she knew Sir George Linton had already
arrived
Put some color about me-quick;
look like a BRIDE" she half gasped, as
she caught a glimpse Of her white silk
dress in the mirror.
"This. Mademoselle ?"
mo, no; not that :"
1t was a pink camellia- Geoffreys
tavorlte flower; he had brought it to her
that afternoon.
A knock at the door; footman with
Sir George Lnton's compliments, and
some flowers for Miss Howard"
The very thing, mademoselIe, - An
nette asserted as she fastened the heavy
crimson roses in the soft. dark hair.
Helen assented wearily, thinking with a
SIGH that to wear Geotfrev's camelia was
now 'the thing no longer.
Her mother looked ut her anXiously as
she entered the drawing-room, noting her
coo! greeting to Sir George
*'Surely Helen could not be SO mad as
TO refuse him." she thought.
Geotfrey, too, watched her uneasilv. Her
extreme pallor and trembling hands
troubled him. Noticing that she ate moth
ing, he pushed her wine glass toward her
saying quietly, "Drnk that, Nellie" His
movement was unnotced by any one, and
Helen, meeting the warning glance in his
sorrowlul ewes, by a great effort stilled
her throbbing pulses. and regained her
cold rather naughty manner.
1t was a relief to all, especially to Geot-
frev when the ladies left the table.
A. he held open the door for them, he
carefully avoided looking at Helen-he
would not disturb her newly found COM
posure by what his eyes must tell her.
Sir George will soon Join you-of
course You will accept him ?" said her
mother, rather teartullv, as they passed
through the hall. EIelens quiet 'Of
course reassured her, and it was with an
oXultant heart that she assembled to her
dresslng-roOm, on pretence OF forgotten
glove.
Very quietly Helen gave Sir George his
answer. Very quietly she listened to his
loveihc rhlpsodieS Could he have known
how far away her thoughts We're wander
ing, his face would have been shade less
bright. 1t was not till Geotfrey's voice
was heard in the hall that she seemed
conscious of what was passing: then
snatching away the hand she had passive
ly permitted Sir George to retain, she
Withdrew to the further end of the fire
place.
The kingleys' ball was the finest of the
season; and Helen danced, and chatted,
and smiled, the gayest Of the CAV Her
engagement was soon whispered from
one to another, calling forth the usual
amount of comment. Disappointed dow
ayers consoled themselves with the re-
Election that now that ''the beautiful Miss
howard" over whose hair, and eyes and
hand, and smile, the male element in
their little world had been ravng for the
past few weeks, was fairly out of the war,
their own less attractive daughters would
have the better chance. The numerous
young ladies who had angled unsuccess-
fully tor the rich baronet, now murmured
in corners that 'Sir George wasn't half
50 handsome as he used to be, Door
fellow ''Alter ALL hazel eyes are not
wonderful" "And don't you think, dear,
his hair is Just the least bit red ?''
Sir George Linton pleaded for an early
marriage. Helen seemed to have no wish
in the matter; so before the town began
to be deserted, splendid bridal train
swept up the aisle OF the fashionable
parish church, and more beautiful than
ever, in her bridal robes. with the Linton
diamonds in her dusky hair, Helen Howard
calmly spoke the words which bound her
to the noble, loving man at her side, whom
as yet she scarcely knew
''How lovely the dear girl looked /" ex-
claimed Mrs. Howard, wiping imaginary
tears from her eyes with a priceless lace
handkerchief. Geoffrey misunderstanding
OFT to his club with the vision OF his Nellie's
parting smile ever before his eyes ''Poor
little Nellie!" he soliloquized, as he threw
down the evening paper, which failed to
distract his attention from that one sor-
rowtul subject. "I'm very fond of Aunt
Ju, but [ couldn't do what she has done.
Far better this than the toothless old
marquis. Bah | wonder what my re-
spected aunt is made Of! She knew the
o!d sinner as we'll as do. My poor little
girl, | saved you from that, but lost you
myself" And Geotfrey swallowed his
brandy and seltzer with 4 very heavy
Sigh. He was weak not wicked, and it
comtorted him q little when he remem-
bered that Sir George Linton was man
well calculated to win any woman's love,
and might in time win Nellie's
"YCu will come to us for the hunting?"
Sir George had said. as he shook his hand
at parting. So Geotfrey found himself at
Linton Court in the early part Of Deem
ber.
Helen was looking extremely well, and
moved among her numerous guests with
grace and dignity peculiarly her own.
What her feelings were he could not dis
cover. In fact, Helen did not know her
self
Day by day she learned more of the
nobeness of the man she had been unjust
enough to marry She had not added
talsehood to her injustice, however, for