Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-02-20
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disliked Geoffry, yet | was glad to
see him. My mental faculties were
! rusting for want of attrition. Father
would not quarrel with me, and Mary
was my only face card. I could not
| throw her away. Besides, l rather
| liked to see his great handsome figure In
the room he was SO full of life that he
! seemed to vitalize even the chairs and
stools; they tumbled about and got out
of the way in the strangest manner. /
told him about Mary Lacelles, and
warned him that he would loose his
heart. He grayely told me LIE had none
| to lose.
Imagine six feet two tinches of man
hood without heart
We waited tea for Mary, but she did
not come till quite dark, aud we had be-
gun tea She said she had been detained
| by company, but / knew better than
that. She was dressed with reference
to candle-light effect, and would not
| lose its influence on her first appearance.
| | never saw her look so lovely; her rose
/ colored dress, with its broad shimmering
| bands of white silk, wonderfully en-
HANGED her charms. Geoffry looked de
| lighted, and she gave him the full bene-
| fit of both her upward and downward
glances.
When tea was over left the room
few minutes, and when | came back
found Geoffry and Mary sitting opposite
each other, with the chess-board between
them as an excuse for Irritation. The
move had been so rapid that | was as
tonished, and a little angry too; and
father did not improve matters by whis-
pering, as | passed his chair:
'Checkmated, Olive.
1t was pleasant evening TO me, and
it was the beginning of many unpleasant
! ones.
"How it came, LET doctors tell :" but
| began to like GeoffrY Just as soon as
he began to like Mary / called up
pride to the rescue, but il did not helm
me much, and | suffered a good deal ia
watching Geoffrys attentions to Mary
and listening TO her prattle about him.
thought her supremely silly. and told
her so. She was astonished at my pet
ulance, but | don't think she suspected
the truth. Only father did that, and he
looked SO 'Serve you right, Miss" that
longed for him to be a woman for an
hour or so, that / might talk back 70
him.
One day after Geoifry had been
month with Us, riding party was pro-
posed TO the top of the mountain
Father and /, Geofffy and Mary that
would be the order, of course, and | was
prepared for that; but there is last
straw in every burden, and my last
straw was this incident They were
mounted and waiting for me, when
Mary dropped her gauntlet. From my
window | saw Geoffry pick it up, put ii
on the hand laid so cOnfldingly in his,
and then kiss it. After that | was not
going to ride for liking nor kaiser" l
sent positive refusal TO all entreaties,
and as soon as they were out of sight in
dulged in good refreshing cry. cried
myself TO sleep, and woke abou; dusk
with newborn purpose in my heart,
which comforted me wonderfully, the
keynote Of which was, .'she sto0ps TO
conquer" Yet | did not dress again;
knew they were to take tea at Mr.. La
celles' so 1 threw my dressing gown
around me. and taking "Red as Rose
is She" in my hand, ordered a cup of
etrong tea, and went into the sitting
room. AS | walked in at one door,
Geoffry walked in at the other.
Il came to take you to Mr.. Lacelles',
Olive" he said.
How do you propose doing it, sir 2
For unless you bind me hand and foot,
and get couple of darkies to tote me
there, L really don't think you viii sue
ceed."
81 could carry you myself"
'Could you don't think you would
enjoy the journey"
S.WiIl you dare me to do it?"
Not tonight. Ishouid like to insure
my life first.
"Olive, you have been CRYING.
81 have not, sir" Indignantly "And
if l have, what is that to youS" re-
proachfully.
ing, provoking, bewitchiDg, little NOR
tai! how often must ] tell you love
you? How often must l ask you TO
marry me ?"
1T is not six months since the last
I time, GeOffry.
q don't care; II seems like six years
and oh, Olive, you know that you love
me.
81 do not.
You have loved me ever since you
were eight years old"
! Il have not"
Now you must take me forever, or
leave me forever, tonight. I have ask
ed you three times before"
"Four times, sir.
'.Well, four times then. Odd num-
bers are lucky; here is the fifth time.
You know what / want, Olive-your
promise to be mine. Is it to be- Now
or never"
/ suppose every one has q good angel.
Mine must have been at his post Just
then, for a strange feeling of humility
and gentleness came over me. / glanced
up at the handsome face all aglow with
loves divine light at the eyes full of
gracious entreaty; at ths arms half
stretched out to embrace me. Yetpride
struggled hard with love. / stood up
silent and trembling, quite unable to ac-
knowledge myself vanquished, until
saw him turn away grieved and sorrow-
full Then l said
''Geoffry, come back II is Hol5.
This is the way / said "Yes," and /
have never been sorry for il yet If /
life to the age of Methuselab, shall
never be meek woman but still suit
Geoffry, and l take more kindly to his
authority than ever / did to paternal
rule Father laughs with sly triumph at
Geoffry's victory, and he sent me as
wedding present a handsome copy of
''The Tanning of the Shrew."
THE Handwriting on THE WALL
There is a gentleman still in this city we