The Cecil Whig., 1873-06-28


There was fire in the school room, but
Hattie drew a long shivering breath, as she
turned quickly around and made sudden
dash at the Goals with poker. Her back
was turned to Airline, who, in her exuber-
ant JOY, caught Hattie around the waist
and kissed her pale cheek as it came,
up to the level of her lower horizon again.
"Wont it be delightful Miss Hattie, to
go out with Mr.. LIE Roy when he returns,
and see all the prettiest girls making love
to him I? and all the mammas paying
court to him, and he the handsomest and
best bred man of the season, for he must
be all that, you know, after travelling abroad
so long?'
"Does travelling abroad make people
rich and handsome, Airline? If so, l will
pack my valise and start tomorrow"
"Now you know what l mean, Miss
Hattie" said Airline. "He was rich and
handsome before, but now he will be so
polished, so courtier- like, so delightful"
"That all the young ladies will make
love to him." said Hattie little coldly.
"Well, pity the young ladies'"
eyes, for he cannot marry them all,
and what will become of Miss Langdon?
oh, 1 forgot her," said Airline. 81 did
hear he was going to marry her. Ma says
so; she heard it in New York last Summer
from Miss Langdon's family" And Ar
line talked away, never thinking she was
wounding her friend, never dreaming there
was aught to scar or irritate in all this
iubilant prosperity and worldliness. Hat
tie returned to her school-room, with
apparent cheerfulness and sunshine.
Perhaps none of us who have ever hoped
or feared very intensely are quite ignorant
of that sensation at the heart, which seems
very like suspended existence. We see the
realizations Of our hopes or our fears COM
ing nearer and nearer, and we pause and
shut our eyes, feeling that now the crisis
approaches, we are towards at heart. And
if this be true of fear. it is truer still of
hope; if it be true of unhappiness, it is
truer of happiness. In the one case we
have that sort of courage, born Of long
endurance, to strengthen and support US,
to give us the heroism to endure the final
pang, SO long anticipated, that, when it
comes our over-wrought nerves drop down
dead, rathes with fatigue than pain. But
with .jey-would we not rather defer the
realization of our day? Do we not in
stinctively feel that with realization, they
will lose half their beauty? We have
looked forward TO this supreme moment so
long, what is behind it cannot be more
beautiful; and now that the moment ap-
proaches we would fain hold it from US,
gaze upon it, with enraptured eyes, and
picture over again, to ourselves the bliss of
that coming day. We tremble when our
happiness comes very near to US. We are
alarmed at the imminent realization of our
aspirations. We would fain pause and
hang back yet awhile until we have gath
cred our energies and our forces of soul
together to support this alp of joy.
Thus it was with Hattie. She looked
down the graveled walk and saw manly
form approaching; she gazed intensely.
He glanced upward, sweeping Hattie with
his gaze as it were, and yet he did not see
her. She fled to her room, and wept.-
She peeped between the shutters, and there
he stood with Airline. She could not but
observe his tender, gallant bearing as he
bent towards Airline. How beautiful he
looked. Like some young god, she told
herself, and her thoughts for a moment
were happy,
"Arline," said Vincent lie Roy, "where
is Miss Weston? ."
"Oh, she is up stairs some where. Are
you in hurry to see her? You have
scarcely permitted me to recover myself
from the surprise of seeing you-for we did
not dream you were near US. we have re-
ceived no tidings of you for some time.
When Ma comes from driving, she too, will
be surprised"
eyes," said Vincent, sit appears my
last letters to my friends were lost, and
this accounts for no one expecting my re-
turn so soon."
"Miss Hattie will soon leave u.s." said
Airline, Gin two weeks her school closes,
and this, you know, is my last term at
home. Next year am to board in Phila-
delphia and study all the various accom-
plishments, and then l will make my de-
but. Won't be glad when ! am pronounc-
ed finished"
Gould see Miss Weston?" said Vim
cent.
"Oh, yes," said Airline, and away she
ran to call Hattie, absenting herself at the
same time.
Hattie soon made her appearance, and
congratulated him upon his safe arrival
home, apparently with indifference. Vim
cent held her hand in his, and raising it to
his lips, Hattie withdrew it. She knew he
had kissed the lips and hands of hun
dred pretty girls since he saw her, and that
her little rose bud was only one among
score of rose buds in his writing desk,
accompanied by as many locks of hair.
For this she did not care, but when the
thought Of his betrothal to Miss Langdon
arose before her, she fairly ignored Vincent
LIE Roy. He saw at once this estrange-
ment, and inquired after her health, her
pupils, occupations and amusements.
She answered him with as much anima-
tion as though she had been reading a
cookery book.
Vincent looked into her large brown
eyes; for he felt now that he could not
leave her; he fairly worshipped her, and
felt as though he could not leave her until
she banishcd him entirely from her pres
ence.
Miss Weston" said Vincent, 81 have
returned to you-after my two years tour
the same true hearted, sincere and con-
slant Vincent. | have visited and seen
thousands Of ladies l might have won, but
| never loved them as loved you. AL
though You would give me no assurance of
your love before my departure, yet your
evasive answer and silent farewell, bade
hat