The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-05-16

aloud, as l walked up and down tn
limited domains of my law Office. %.
have been a doubling fool quite lonl
enough"
TN afraid wasn't n very amiabl'
member Of the domestic circle that af
ternoon.
II think Paul is growing crossel
every day." said my sister, Struggling
ner plump little shoulders. Mamma
wish you'd speak to him."
But my mother, bless her wise old
soul. knew better than that. She
only looked at me over the rims of hel
spectacles, and went on darning stock
ings.
"Paul is worried with business mat.
tiers. suppose" she said, apologetical.
~. "Paul will do well enough, if you
only let him alone.
Invent up to my room after dinner,
and made an elaborate toilet ; but all the
pains bestowed upon it served only to
heighten the general effect Of awkward
ness.
1--we two minds to wait till to-mor-
row." quoth to myself, abruptly stop
ping, with my cravat half tied.
No, might be q coward, but I was
not such poltroon as that. I had be-
gun the enterprise, and / would carry it
through. Moreover, had had an in
spiration. An entirely new and original
method of putting the momentous query
had occurred to me.
Hang Fitzhugh Trefoilw I ex-
claimed, gleefully, half aloud, though
there was no earto hear my ejaculation.
I'm win the dark-eyed treasure yet, in
spite of him.
I opened my writing lease, and care
fully took ont little carte de visite
wrapped in tissue paper, and tenderly
laid it away with pink silk perfrmed
satchel that Minnie had made for me
once. 1t was Cecilia's picture she had
allowed me to steal it away from her,
with scarcely a remonstrance, q week be-
fore. Then was the time l ought to
have proposed but, like the timorous,
doubling moon-calf that I was, had let
the golden tide Of opportunity slip away
from me.
/ drew Bessie Armitage's vacant, doll
like face from its envelope, and COM
pared the two with thrill of triumph in
my heart.
"Colorless water beside crimson,
sparkling champagne. pale violet in
the shadow of royal rose! pearls
eclipsed by the fiery fash of diamonds."
/ exclaimed. Henry Wallis taste may
be correct and classical, but give me my
radiant brunette These bleached-out
beauties don't correspond with my ideal
of perfection
1t was lovely spring evening as
entered the white graveled path
that led mp to the broad porch |
of the old-fashioned Vernon mansion.
Squire Vernon sat there smoking his
won't you sit down and have q
smoke" he demanded, Hospitality.
" It's a real luxury to be able TO take
a Whit out of doors, after being shut
up in the house all the winter. Or
may be you'd prefer going in to see
Cecil?"
Sensible old gentleman he had not
forgotten his own young days. I init
mated that the special object of my visit
had been to 90 see Cecil"
"Well, she is in the parlor, all by
herself, said the Squire, good-humored-
". "Walk in-walk in"
Cecilia Vernon was sitting in the par
!or alone, rs her father had said, the
bright center Of cheerful circle of
A bit of crochet work was
wing in her lap, and an open volume of
/ had sent her-was on
the table.
Cecilia Vernon was always fair to
ock upon in my sight; tonight, how
ever, she seemed more than ordinarily
I sat down, and began hesitatingly
lpon the never-failing topic Of the
weather. A proposal had seemed the
easiest thing in the world rs l walked
llong the devy edges Of the peaceful,
road, contemplating. it from
far off; but now that was facing it,
Hips upon Alps Of difficulty and per-
,lexity seemed 10 surround its ac-
would have given all
hat 1 was worth to postpone the
vii day but twenty-four hours--all