The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-06-21
2niscellaneoms.
The UnJucky Note.

"Dnner ready, Ann 2" questioned Eva Ham
mond, stepping from the street into the warmth
of the lighted hall.
"Not quite, Miss" answered Ann; "tnere arc
some letters in the dining-room for you"
every we'll :" and leaving her hat and shaw
on the rack, Miss Hammond, who was about
eighteen, and very petite and girlish looking fol-
that, danced down stairs to the warm, cozy di-
ning-room. On the mantel were three white
envelopes. Eva gathered them up, and drew
an easy chair toward the glowing Goals in the
CRATE, to read them. "Addie," she said, look
the seals, ''and-Calforna, yes, this is from
Matte, and" She stopped, looking startled
and puzzled as she held the third one up to-
wards the light. She seemed dissatisfied with
her scrutiny by the aid of the gas, and leaned
forward to the redder glow of the ire-light.-
Nor did she seem better pleased then, but for
getting the other letters, and twisting this one
around, unopened, in her small fingers, she
fixed her eyes on the Pickering flames, with a
far-off, absent air that made her look less q
child, much more woman. Suddenly she tore
open the envelope and read these few lines
written in a graceful, delicate hand, like a
mans:
"Am in the city. If you desire to meet me,
l am agreeable. If so, please state time and
place. No. IL W-st."
There was no date, no name, and Miss Ham,
mond looked even more puzzled over the note
than she had been over its envelope, yet both
appeared to recall some sad or unpleasant
memory; then she went thoughtfully up to her
own room, and unlocked desk containing pa
pers and letters. She looked them over care
fully, but found nothing to reward her search.
"Ah! know" she said suddenly crossng g
the room to a small book cases, and drawing out
a small clasped book. 1t was collection of
autographs, and Miss Hammond turned to one.
She compared it to the unsigned note for a
moment, and ended with throwing both the
book and letter into the desk, heaving sigh
and going down to dinner. At the table she
was the same bright, pretty little maiden who
had danced into that room some twenty min
utes before. 1t was evident, as Miss Eva talk
ed animatedly to her father about politics,
questioned tenderly about her invalid mother,
and gaily described the newest fashions, that
she was the sunshine and jewel of that quiet
home.
The doctor after dinner went to his lecture,
and Eva to her own sanctum. Once more she
compared the lines in the book with the mys-
terious note, then threw herself down on a soft
rug before the heater and mused aloud.
at must certainly be from HERBERT she said
spitefully. "Of course it's from him! But
then, why should he suppose would care to see
him, or why in the world should he wish to see
me? Pm sure he would nos give me chance
to recognize him when we met last; but then
the circumstances took him so by surprise, and
really it was long ago, and he had not aequired
peffect control of himself. Now he think he
hAs. nvw- little men know themselves p
Miss stEfa talks tPfe ne Can XeEy XeEy S WR
pletely he has conquered himself Foolish fel
/ low to tempt me! l can't see," she added, at
| ter moments pause, meanwhile rapping on
| little foot upon the rug in very energetic
manner, "why we should seek meeting afte
so long silence; and I've surely done every
| thing in the world to make him hate me. Blu
| then could not settle down to be quiet coun
| try parsons wife, and it was absurd of me t
| entertain that dream for moment. Pm sur
l did what was for the best, in telling him SO
as soon as became convinced of it myself
| o, dear, what an aimless life I lead, anyway !
and it really seemed TO be so at that moment
"Those long walks and talks" she went on
| "were pleasant; and how much better an(
purer his life was than these gentlemen NEE
every day. He said he could never forget, o.
cease to love. Nonsense! Men always forget
| Very likely he wants to tell me of his approach
| ing marriage" and Eva's lips were slightly les
scornful, and her eyes grew misty. Suddenl.
she ran to the dressing table and studied he
| face in the glass for several minutes yer,
thoughtfully, then appeared pleased at the re
Election.
"No, no." said Miss Hammond, shaking he
little fist at the beauty in the glass, "he'd bet
ter not have tempted me for shall make hin
sorry if becomes. Ireally cannot help il" ant
then she sat down to her desk and wrote thes
| lines on sheet of tinted paper:
"Come Thursday evening. You have the ad
dress. Eva," and, folding them, addressed tn
envelope to the Rev. Herbert Stafford, II Wes
- street, - city. This done, she took an
other survey of herself in the glass, and curl
ed up again on the rug to dream.
Eighteen months before this evening Herber
Stafford and Eva Hammond had met at tn
house of mutual friend, and for several week
| were constant companions. She was just from
school, and he fresh from his studies at the uni
versity; both were prepared to throw them
| selves with ardor into the pleasant recreation
of that golden summertime. Eva's exceedin,
beauty appealed, through his artists eye, t.
his ethetic nature, while her innocent way o
confding to him her longings after highe
| life appealed to his spiritual nature; while sh
was discovering that she did reverence to thi
mans character, and wished she could be some
thing like him. Thus they both dreamed on
| until Eva, with woman's quick perceptions
awakened to the fact that she held in com plet,
thraldom Herbert's heart and Affections
| Somehow it was pleasant awakening, and sht
| took no pains to mar the dream and when he
too made discovery and asked her to be 6
| country parsons wife, she said eyes" because
| the summer days were not over, and she found
| them too sweet and pleasant to wish a change
The time came when they had to separate
all she let Herbert dream of; but in the gay
whirl of city life Miss Hammond commenced
| to view the matter in another light. She
thought she could find greater happiness in the
excitement and adulation that surrounded her
| in the city than in Glove in a cottage" with the
young minister. When Eva told him this the
blow to Herbert was terrible. In vain he plead
ed with her. Miss Hammoned grew very
scornful, and refused to see him. Those were
bitter months for him, and ere the pain had en-
tirely gone he met Eva accidentally in the
street. He knew that he had not schooled him
self to meet her quite calmly, and so avoided
her glance of recognition. The white face sent
a thrill of pain through Eva's heart, and to pay
for being SO silly she became very angry at him
for stunning the recognition. Since then they
had never met, and both believed the other had
forgotten. 1t is not so easy to forget. All il
it only were.
The morning after Miss Hammond received
Herbert Stafford's note she mailed her reply,
and awaited anXiously the coming of the even :
ing. But the evening brought no HERBERT
"What can all 2" she asked of the face in
the glass, as she noticed how flushed her cheeks
were, and that two large drops were gathering
in the velvet eyes. "Well, if he does come he
shall suffer all the more for disappointing me, !"
and Miss Hammond dashed the tears away
proudly, and afterwards went to bed and cried
herself to sleep.
Friday morning Eva went down to procure
some new music, and was just leaving the store
when one of the packages slipped to the floor.
A gentleman, who had been playing on pi
ano near, sprang from his seat and re placed
the roll she had dropped, saying:
"Allow me, Miss Hammond"
The color rushed over Eva's face, and she for
got to be careless and naughty, or bewitchingly
pleasant; but only murmured confuseily:
"Thank you."
"May l walk with you ?" asked Mr.. Stafford,
holding the door open for her to pass out.
Eva said he might, and they went out to-
gether.
GLOW is it," said Eva, regaining her compos-
ure, "that find you in M-'s"