The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1873-04-03

|
endon was very attentive to me dur
ing the summer With which decis.
ion she moved toward the mirror
and began re.arranging the coronet
OF jetty braids that SO well adorned
her regal beauty.
| For my part said nothing. What
could | say? | had neither Bella's
beauty nor Bellies wit and vivacity
| was small and slight, with blue
eyes and fair ringlets. How could
any one notice me when in the com
pany Of my brilliant cousins
| 10 be sure had thought Edward
Clarendon liked me. He had been
very kind and attentive during his
sojourn in the village but perhaps
no more SO than any gentleman
| would he to any lady, especially ii
ha expected to be her cousin some.
time.
Why don't you claim the wonder
ful letter, B!uebell? There you sit
as meek and quiet as ii your name
was not Bel Conway, and you had
not as good a right to it as either Of
u.s. SAID Belle
How can you be SO ridiculous,
Belle p asked Bella. l tell you, the
etter undoubtedly belongs to me. l
shall answer it this evening"
What shall you say demanded
Belle, suddenly. AT least you might
tell us that you are going to take
our lover SO unceremoniously'
Your lover! The idea of YOU
children having lovers sneered Bel.
Children nn echoed Belle. Not
much more children than yourself, l
fancy. You are eighteen, but we are
seventeen-at least l am, and little
Bluebell, here, will be her next birth
day. No, Bella, you can't have that
letter all to yourself. ] am going to
answer it too Mr.. Clarendon was
Just as attentive to me as he was to
you, played croquet with me, took me
out driving and boating, and danced
with me at the picnic; | do believe
the letter is for her and not for either
OF u.s.
Suddenly new thought seemed
to strike her, and she exclaimed with
animation.
See here, girls, I'll tell you what
we will do. We will serve hlm as
we used TO the committee men at
school examination. Don't you rec-
ollect when they would ask Miss Belle
Conway question how We would all
answer? And, then, when thinking
to make all plain, one would add,
Miss Belle Conway, and still the trip
nle reply came. and how coniounded
they always looked Now let us
each write an answer to Mr.. Claren
don, signing our names as we always
sign them, and then the gentleman
may specify which he meant--it was,
to say the least, careless In him, when
he knew thc remarkable similarity OF
our Names
Bella would not hear to the plan.
Belle commenced arguing the matter
as they always and invariably argued
every matter, and | sat lost in my
own thoughts.
Gould | write such letter. And
what should | say to it p
Somehow, Us a vision Of Mr.. Clar.
endon's frank, manly face rose before
me, with remembrance OF his deep,
rich voice and courteous manners, it
seemed to me that had my name been
something different, and thus that
letter come to me alone, coald
have answered it without much diff
Guilty but to write reply to be
read and criticized by my cousins, or
to be seen by him il he meant one OF
the others was a widely different
matter, and with sigh ! aroused
myself to hear Bella say, We'll, well,
anything for peace. I'll agree that
we each write, on one condition
Name it, cried Belle.
sThat neither shall show her letter
to the Others
Belle demrrred, but as Bella held
fast to that proposal she at last
agreed, fearing to lose even the par
tial concession.
sWe will each take one more look
at the coveted epistle, and then for
the answer, she said.
Suiting the action to the word she
snatched up the letter, and hastily
running her eyes over the contents,
tossed it to Bella. She read it quiet
liy. as before, and handed it to ne
without a word.
, It was the first time it had been in
my hands. Belle had taken 1t from
the Office and read it aloud. AS
read the grave, earnest avowal, the
dark eyes Of the writer seemed look
ing into mine-lnto my very soul
| and l knew that whichever Of us il
might be that he loved, it was
/ alone Of the tree who loved him
Surely my cousins did not, or they
could not diicuss the affair quite sc
! freely.
laid down my letter, and in 81
+ lence, tor they were in my room pro
. ducing writing material and We be
gan our task.
$ Bella wrote quietly and gravely
and soon finished and sealed hel
!. note. Belle laughed softly over he
/ letter. jumped up, declaring he dit
not know what to say, and tinalI.
Q scribbled something hastily, and told
b ed it, exclaiming-
! 'Come, Bluebell, hayn't you finish
. ed yet =
' had been seated a little apar
from the others, ponl lering deeply q