Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-12-15

aplace," was the residence of Miss Lingle,
single lady Of comfortable means, whose soil
tude was enlivers by very pretty little niece
with black eyes that made sad havoc with TIN
susceptible hearts Of all the boys IN the neigh
borhood.
! They had comical ways of showing their ad
m'ration; such as prowling around the lane Ii
bodies offour or six, watching at night, fo
Miss Pansy's shadow on the window blind ;ane
bestowing gratuities of from ten cents upwart
Oh colored man who did MISC Lingle's gar
den Chores, for any bits of information respec
ling the whereabouts or occupations Of 'tht
young Missus."
This gang Of admirers seemed to take com
fort In perching themselves on the fence of AL
opposite lot, watching the in-goings and out
gongs at the cottage, much to Pansy's amuse
nent, who was uot at all disturbed with theil
proceedings, and was quite content to remain q
child as long as her aunt desired.
Clifford Willmore, who was at the head OF
this youthful band considered himself peculiar
" fortunate In having the goodwill of Miss
Lingle, and being permitted to 60 in and out at
the cottage very much as he pleased.
Not few airs Of superiority did he assume
on the strength ofthis; aud he bad informed his
rivals In confidence that, as soon as Miss PAN
sy was seventeen, he intended TO speak to her
aunt.
They took this very good-naturedly, without
abatng their own admiration In the least, and
looked up to Clifford with equal pride and af.
ftction.
He was certainly remarkable boy, aud more
m inly at fourteen that many men. Those
darkeray eyes Of his would fash and glitter
with noble anger or melt with the sofiest love-
g'ances; and his face was apsffect kali .oscol g
OF expression.
While plugging with the greatest vim into
all sorts Of boys sports, he was no less devot-
cd to study; AMI his course Of reading was
quite different from that pursued by boys gem
orally.
As he was the only child of wealthy parents
who looked upon him as prodigy, Master Cliff
ford had his library, and his labIatory, and his
! printing press, and whatever else his PRINCE
ship might happen to consider necessary to his
happiness.
He was not a bit spoiled, however; but was
quite as l!nselfsh and pleasant tempered as
though he had b ZEN one of ten sons
Ills uncle, who was only four VI ars his sci n,
was an exec mt substitute tor brother; and
| when at home from college, succe eded In max
Ing the great house very lively.
MIR. Frederick Willnore did not wonder
at the boys admiration for little Miss Hearts,
ease, as he called her; and declared that, If they
had left him the ghost OF chance, lie should
certainly go in aud try 1t.
lie was quite a venerable being, however, in
Pansy's eyes; and If that small damsel had
been conscious of possessing heart, she would
c-rtainiy have bestowed 1t upon his young
nephew.
This same nephew had ventured to present
his iadyloye and her aunt. with two bottles of
cologne of his own manufacture, OF which Miss
Lingle kindly said she had seen worse, and
| PaDsy pronounced II lovely.
! Cllhtris scientific experiments, however,
| were pursued under difficulties, and burned
fingers, and face, and threatened eyes frequent
" testified that his enthusiasm exceeded bis
knowledge.
He seemed to flourish, in spite of these mis-
adventures; ana the years sped on and brought
bim to his eighteenth birthday, and Pansy to
i her sixteenth.
They both came on the same day; and Miss
,l'lige gave avery pleasant little party 10 cele-
brate the double event.
1t Was certainly Clifiord's duty to he very
htppy on this auspicious occasion, when good
wishes were showered upon him as tbicky as
nuts hl autumn; but he was not happy, and the
party seemed to him just the stupdest gather
| Ing lie had ever attended,.
scowl and a smile struggled together on
his handsome face whenever he caught sight
OF his divinity; for Pansy seemed to have sud
denly blossOmed into flIl beauty, and hoated
out ike lovely flower, oestowing pleasant
smiles upon several bra ainless whiskeraudoes
I ON the city, who Clitiird longed To shake out
| Of their boots
He caught the young lady somewhere in the
Yestbnie, as she wAa on the wing, and proceed
ed TO administer quite u scolding for her want
of devotion to himself.
IL was most eloquent and novel outbreak,
but Miss Pansy, instead Of owning up her fault
and evil behavior, to- d her little golden head
and laughed ut linn
lie was asquite beside himself " 1 anger and
Jealousy, aud resolved TO establish claim as
SD n as possible to have aud hold this wayward
maiden.
II raaps, a' Miss Linsle ia,he shadow OF the
| red damask curtains, the next afternoon had
seemed to the boyish eloquence poured into
her ears on behalf OF her little niece, her
thoughts may have drifted back through the
years TO some sunny day in the past, when
lovers words were uttered nj I for another, but
herself.
Perhaps this gave tenor to her voice as she
answered tho boy kindly, bidding him say MOTH
lug OF tile kind to Pansy, who was quite too
young yet 10 listen to love-inaking but to wait
patiently for year or two; and then. II Pailsy
Was willing, and his psr n gave their consent
VIII they might think OF it.
Miss Lin 5le knew tn Vt, in worldly point of
view, this would bs 0 most desirable match
for her lit 10 girl, and this very con ,ciousnsss
made her all the more cat tiou,. Perhaps SHE
fett excuse Of delicacv IN the subject; but
sh, was resolved THAT neither parents II, neigh
bors should be able To say that she had tried
t. secure the heir ofthe Winnor rs for Pansy.
Clifford fumed and fretted over faneied Sights
from ransy, plagued Miss l.iilgle and himself
whenever he had chance; am. finally, he took
u severe cold by punging into the river to res
cue small boy of depraved instincts, whose
drowning would have been blessing 10 his
family, and the world at large. Violent fever
soon set In; the great house was still and dark
ened; and the bright, boy-face was seen nc
more in his accustomed haunts.
Miss Lingle was kind and neighborly, and much
troubled about her favorie; while Pansy, In u
shy way, felt dreadfully for Clifford. It seem
ed so unnatural that he should be sick and
helpless but In startling short time word
came 10 Miss Lingie that Mr.. Wilmore's heil
was dying, aud she was requested to bring heI
niece at Unee to the house.
The poor child was white with terror, as they
entered the sick-room and there sat Clifford
propped up In bed, looking so wan and ghasty
and his great eyes seeking hers with such
hungry look. The fever had subsidized; but the
physicians said he was dying aud the only
thing now was to give him all he wanted, ant
let him die in peace.
What the young gentleman pleased to wait
at this unreasonable hour, was nothing les
, than the hand OF Miss PaDsy Berks. He hat
raved about 1t in his deliriuIn; he could di,
, happily, he said, If Pansy were only his vii,
for few minutes and his obeden parents
who would have made an attempt to get hin
the moon, II ha had asked for 1t, immed iatel'
r took measures 10 crafty this more reasonable
desire.
Miss Lingle was astonished beyond measuI,
r at M. Willmore's urgent request that the mar
tiage ceremony should be Immediately perform
ed between the children.
, 1T can do no HARM said he, without givin,
. her time to remonslrate; "a clergyman will COM
& from town OH the 81 ortest notice, and tn,
knowledge that any such ceremony has takei
r place can be strictly confined 10 those immedi
ately engaged in it, IL need never be know
, that the young lady is a widow but shal