The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-05-02
WO0lNG BOTH, WINNING NEITHER,

w ell, ueldTt
Miss Chirrup was always "declar.
ing r-might be said, indeed, to be
| in the Indicative Mode. Declare, we
may add, in her idiom, was verb in
transitive, unless the note of adnira-
ton with which she invariably fol-
lowed it, might be taken to be its OBJ
ject.
well, declare! 7" said Miss CHR
rup, in shrill whisper.
Did you ecer!?' replied Miss Chirk,
in another.
1t was Rollin Vests will that the
two were discussing. 1t was very
brief and explicit.
81 bequealh my entire estate, real
and personal, TO my niece. Ruth Nor
gan," with date, signature, and attes-
ta,ion, was all there was of it.
The Misses Chirrup and Chirk were
too distantly related TO the testator 10
have entertained any considerable
hope on their own account. \ tri-
fling reminder, in Difference 10 family
etiquette, was as much as either had a
right to expect. But that Rollin
West should have left his whole for
tune to one OF his nieces, to the ex-
clusion of the other, whom everybody
had supposed to be his iavorite, took
more than Misses Chlrrup aud Chirk
by surprise.
Mr. West had teen, for many years,
widower. His children had all
died in infancy, and couple of or
pan nieces, cousins to each other, and
reared under his root, constituted his
household. That his large fortune
would be left TO them equally, was a
point people took for granted; but
should any discrimination be made be-
tween them, nobody would have hesi-
tated TO say it would be i'll favor OF
Mile Granger, her uncle's pet, whose
blthesome smiles he had been wont
TO call the sunlight of his life.
Miles loving heart was too full of
sorrow at her Gncle's death, and in
gratitude for his kindness in by-gone
years, to leave room for any feeling
OF reproach AT his last unaccountabie
act, which the Misses Chirrup and
Chirk SO earnestly protested against.
| An elderly maiden aunt came TO
live with the two young ladies', and
the household remained unbroken.-
Except the changes caused by the va
cancy in their home, the lives OF Ruth
and Millie continued as before.
II was not till the cousins had re-
sumed their place in society, that Mil
lie began TO notice the difference
made in her altered prospects. 1t
was Ruth now, not herself, that was
the centre OF attraction.
| To be rid of the common herd of
tops, and be no longer pestered by
their silly fiattery, Mile telt was a
t thing to be thankful for. But when
OryiIie Ryors turned his back upon
her, and joined the ranks OF her
cousin admirees, she must have been
other than a woman not feel it.
| Mr.. Ryors was the pet beau of
Billingdale. Handsome in person, ac-
complished in manners, and of tasci-
mating address. he was not one whose
attentions were likely to prove dis
tasteful in any quarter, and when they
were directed toward Mile Granger
in manner sufficiently marked to ex-
cite no small degree of envy, we need
not be surprised if, instead of repel-
ling, she just little encouraged them.
1t would have required a closer an
alysis than Millie had ever made OF
her feelings, TO show her how little
she really cared for Dir. Byors, aud
how much she cared for Arthur War
rem, whom she had known and liked
since they had played, and sometimes
quarrelled, together, in childhood
But Arthur's determination had
gone deeper. He devotedly loved
Millie, and k7aeao it. If he had never
said SO outright, it was from motives
of delicacy, prompted by the differ
ence of their positions. She was a
prospective heiress; he was without
fortune, and void OF expectations, save
those whose realization depeneG on
himself.
Having meyer spoken out, it may
be that Arthur Warren had no right
to feel aggrieved by the attentions
paid by Mr.. Byors to Mile. He
should have remembered that young
gentlemen who have nothing to say
for themselves, are not privileged to
stand in the way of others who have.
But Arthur was not reasonable
was not even candid. He quarrelled
with Mile on the scores OF Orville
Ryors, without a word of explanation
as to what concern it was of his, if
she married that gentleman the next
day.
! Now Millie was girl of spirit
She not only refused to decline Mr..
Ryor's attentions at the unwarranted
dictation of Arthur, but received them
with rather more encouragement than
before.
People began to say it would be a
match soon, and it might have been,
had not Miles uncle died. For Mr..
Ryors, as we have said, was very at
tractive person, and Millie had not
suff GENTLY scrutinized her heart to be
aware that her chief interest in him
sprang from the pleasure Of having
triumphed where SO many others had
failed, and disposition to assert her
own independence.
When Arthur Warren left his ma.
tive village without SO much as call
ing to bid her goodbye, Mile cried
a little without well knowing why
and that evening went to ball with
Orville Ryors, and was among the
gayest of the gay. 1t is very likely
,. she would then and there have accept.
ed Mr.. Ryors, had he said the word
just to show how little she cared for
J Arthur Warren.