Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-08-30

Fanny and Mr.. Middleton had taken
their seats at the other end of the porti-
co. NV Cousin Warren had followed
Mrs. Warren to Harry's room. / found
myself de trop and retired within al
so. When, an hour afterwards, the
bell rang for family prayer, Fanny
and Mr.. Middleton came into the
drawing-room, and a glance at his face
convinced me more than ever that he had
s'made his arrangements" with Fanny,
and induced her to promise him her haud.
She was blushing and avoided my eye.
When she retired she did not look at me.
Mr.. Middleton was what the novel
writers call radiant" EH
This result Of things has profoundly
depressed me. Who would have be-
Iieved it! SO my little humming. bird has
fitted by the tall, stalwart sapling Harry,
to light upon the Middleton flower! Poor,
poor Harry! L know that he loves her,
and he is going with the conviction that
she is to marry his rivall Human life is
a sad. very sad affair. Poor Harry!
| VI a ei of
L don't think human life is such q sad
affair after all, and when next assume
the tone Of the author of the book of
Ecclesiastes, 1 shall think my secretions
deranged.
The last lines written in this record of
my days at Duluth referred to scenes
which took place one month ago. On
the morning after the announcement by
Harry Warren of his intention to 90 to
Colorado, heard Fanny say to him In a.
low voice as she passed him upon the
stairs, 81 want to see yOu-cOme out after
breakfast to the rustic seat;;" and after
breakfast duly the young people were OBJ
served side by side, by the present histo-
rian, on his own fav0rite seat, of which
he was thus deprived. '-,f aa
state frankly that 1 availed myself of
my position in the drawing-roOm, where
I was reading behind one Of the lace cur
tains, to look at the pair, and to try and
discover the nature Of their interview.
This, regret to say, L found impossible.
My eyes begin to suffer from age, and the
spectacles now made strike me a. wretch
edly inferior. In an hour Harry and
Fanny rose, and the expression of his
face was certainly more agitated than I
had ever seen it before. As to Fanny she
was blushing deeply, and was unmistaka-
bly, pouting, as though something had
occurred which was far from being to her
taste. --
When 1 tried to intercept her as. she
came hillary having left her at the
portico to go and attend to some Of his
farm ayocations-she slipped by me,
would not hear my voice, and disappear
ed in her chamber, the door of which she
closed with bang. forgot to say that
during the interview upon the rustic seat,
Mr.. Middleton had been seated at the
piano, upon which he was really excel
lent performer, and amused himself play
ing bar here and there from one of Fan
ny's operas. He smiled, l observed, in a
confidential manner to himself, and SEEM
ed to have no uneasiness on the subject Of
the interview between Fanny and Harry.
Had not his riva! declared that he was GO
ing away-and-
Fanny has Just run in and thrown her
arms around my neck, and burst into
terrs, and laughed, and cried again, and
then laughed again-and departed
Was there ever such little witch? And
she thought knew nothing about it! l
knew all about it. / listened, l caves
dropped, l acted on the sly, and behaved
generally in most dish0norable and
highly improper manner! 1t was last
night that was guilty of the proceeding
here denounced, and as after all am not
So much ashamed of it, shall tell how 1t
happened.
Harry had made every preparation to
go to Colorado to-day, and we were all in
a very gloomy state ,,of mind about it
Fanny, 1 think, the gloomiest of all, She
would tell me nothing; had lost all her
confidence, and remained so much of her
time in her chamber that it was almost
discourtesy to Mr.. Middleton.
Last night occurred the denoueuent. II
was about ten, and woke from pro-
Ion rod x,o n, On INV old ructin spat tn hQa r
voices near me.
"You must not CO." said the voice Of
Fanny trembling. atr.eslg y3aai
% must.'
This voice was Harry's.
1T is perfectly absurd-you are going
faway-you say because, because"
"Because 1 love you," came in deep
strong,tones, and love you so much that
would rather die than stay here and sex
. you marry another person. i1r
81 have no intention-to do So"
The voice fluttered.
Fanny - f-n-al
This time it was Harry Warren's voice
, that trembled.
: "What made you take such foolish
fancyY'-there was little quiet attempt
! at a laugh here" I'll die an old maid be
! fore I'll marry the person you mean
/ And oh, Harry! harry! wnat goose
must be, and foolish little fiirt, to have
everybody, yes everybody. even my deal
old cousin THAT was me) think me 80 de
r ceitful! l only told Mr.. Middleton-or
rather did not tell him-thats-I wouldn't'
, / chuckled quietly. These two mega
tives charmed me!
d, Fanhy's voice had sunk to bashfu
murmur then it died away.
"My dear, dear Fanny !"-I never hear
: a mans voice express such tenderness
" you have made me very happy! Max
i me happier still. Tell me not to 60 Z
!, Colorado!"
They had moved away, and saw moth
ing, and heard no more. Yes did.
heard kiss, and a sob, which appeared :
;, be suppressed in some measure, from tn
fact that the young lady's face was lear
!. ing upon Harry's breast.
u There is no doubt of the result Of th
a interview. Fanny has just announce
e with bushes, laughter, and tears as
Il have described, that she is engaged
L Harry; and as she has no relative but q
old aunt. who is devoted to her. the ma