The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-06-05

gelica when she opens my satchel.
And Dick fell to musing with the
slipper perched on two fingers, and
the frilled white sack spread out on
his knees.
4
In the upper apartment of hand
some mansion in st. Louis, on the
evening of the day our heroine first
made the readers acquaintance,
beautiful Belle Alden, the petted and
only daughter of the house, sat con-
templating the various articles her
confidential maid was disposing up
on the table-articles taken from no
less receptacle than Dick Marcy's
travelling bag.
The cards and cigar case lay side
by side, and highly scented party
they were.
whats in the silver flask, Rosa p
said the fair mistress.
Brandy, ma'am, replied the maid.
'He can't be very dissipated to
travel with such little bottle. That
is in case of sickness, suppose re-
turned Belle.
1T is my belief said Rosa, who
was shrewd girl, 'that the gentle
man was mighty nice one, else you
would not so readily excuse the cards
and the bottle
'For shame, Rosa. All gentlemen
play euchre when travelling, and
even clergymen take little brandy
in case of Sickness answered Belle.
'And this man was gentleman, and
liberal one, too, for he gave the
poor emigrant woman ten dollars.
What's that, Rosa.
For at that moment, Rosa held be-
tween her fingers a letter.
Whether it was wrong to read
strangers letter vexed Belle for
moment, as she glanced at the super
scription and handwriting.
'Who of all things' exclaimed the
delighted girl, seizing the letter.
sWhy, Rosa, this is Jenny Marcy's
writing, and addressed to Richard
Marcy-her only darling brother
who was in Europe when we two
graduated at Madam Ritter's, In
Brooklyn
Belle read rapidly till she came to
the middle of the letter, when she
burst into a merry laugh.
Hear this, Rosa she said, and
she read from the letter;
above all things Dick, dear, don't
fail, while in st. Louis to see my best
friend and schoolmate, Belle Alden.
know you will fall in love with her,
for, besides being the best CIR. in the
world, she's a beauty and an heiress,
and fathers choice above all others,
| for his sons wife. He used to talk
it over at home, and hope Belle
would not marry before you came
home from Europe. She is fall as
anxious to know you, and wears your
hair and mine in a locket father gave
her last year. Give her lots of love,
and beg of her to overlook your i'm
perfectiors, for the sake of her old
schoolfellow, Jenny
sThen this gentleman is of course,
Jenny's brother said Rosa, 'and
what will she say when she hears OF
your having met in this romantic
way?'
4 don't intend to tell her of it till
90 to New York this fall,' said Belle.
Perhaps her brother will call.
But in this supposition Belle was
mistaken. The month passed and
she saw no more of the golden-hair-
ed Richard
And she carefully separated the
yellow locks in the little keepsake
from the dark tress of Jenny's and
put it back into its place alone, while
another held the bit of Jsnny's. And
somehow, Belle looked very, very
often at the wee bit of hair, and she
never cid so but the rest of the hand
some head sprang up beside the lock
and she would sit and contemplate
the picture her fancy wrought her
little dreaming the interest she was
allowing to grow in her bosom tol
Jenny's brother.
In the fall, Belle and her father
went to Newly ork, and the first day
after her arrival found her sitting
. with her old friend, who, after th'
elusive meeting was passed, sa
down to empty her soul.
Il am so glad you are here thi
month"; Jenny said, because Pm t.
be married in October, and l hav
always been crazy to have you for
bridesmaid, and Dick is to be HaI
ry's best man.
Belle blushed.
But Dick has fallen hopelessly
madly in love-
Belle turned pale.
'Yes, | was dreadfully provoke
| when he passed through st. Loui
r and never went near you. But b
went wild over some lady on tina
i fatal trip
He will talk to me for hours of hi
. Angelica. And when l have spoke
of you he has been positively rud,
: and asked me to have done bottle
ing about my freckled school friend
, you know your picture show
, freckles; but bless me, you haven
s any now! And your picture dol
s look any more like you than it doe
t me, not Bit
7 'But tell me- said Belle, lis yol
q brother engaged to this lady?'
Engage dp Why, dear heart, b
don't know her name. He just 70 un
0 some of her old clothes somewhe err
4 He's got her old slippers under
J. glass case; he's got her glove
stuffed under another he's got h
!, night gown done up in lavender
e he's got her gold thimble hung G
e his watch chain; and do belle,
J. he has got hair brush and SON
!. hair pins next to his heart? |? Oh it
v folly to interfere! He's beyond a
t hope. / did think the excitement
). my wedding would wean him fro
it, but not bit. He looks at m
n new things as calmly as an oyste
n and only said-it's not kind of me. !,
v repeat it though broke off jenny.
If sWhat was it he said,' inquire
II Belle, laughing now heartily. Don
IT fear of my feelings
why he said, sI'll stand up wit
your friend. Belle, and see you SAT
y ly married and then I'm off,
g winter in Paris. I'm done with 10,
t. on my own account It's positive
). lawful,