Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-04-05
Fl0RENcE's PROMISE.


into a second class carriage at oxford, q maj
with rug, gun-eaae, and u bull terrier Thai
was myself.
fAilure--that is. i'll the eyes OF my head masters
and those whose business il was to assume the
functions of my dead parents. One of my guar
dians was my uncle, Guy Henniker my fathers
younger and only brother, who had inherited all
father. My uncle Guy always used to say to me
when came to pay hip my yearly visit at Christ
mas:
"olaude, you're a lazy dog the only things
you take any trouble about are shooting and
rowing, Why don't you work, and do something
TO make man OF yourself n
IL WAS quite true rowed stroke OF my boat
ut school and wasted my time.
My Uncle Guy was childless and during the
four aud half years had been at Oxford he
had continually written to me, asking about my
progress and adding each lime that, IL did well,
l should never have cause to regret it. fort
night before went in for my last examination,
had the following laoonic epste from the old
My DEAR Boy Write aud tell me when you
can come to me. House nearly full. L have
kept some presents for you. Mrs Betterton and
her daughters are here. Don't forget to do
well in your examination to please your old
UNCLE.
Delight at getting away from examination
room ana examiners, sorrow at leaving Oxford,
were mingled with anxious thoughts Of Flo Bet
terton and surmises as to terms on which we
should meet.
During my first long vacation had met Flor
ence Betterlon down in Devonshiro, at a lovely
seaside place near the Chase, where Uncle Guy
lived. The Betterton family had, since that
tlmestruck up an acquaintance with my uncle,
and now they are living with him. Florence and
l had gone through all the stages of a vigorous
Irritation In that happy month at the seaside,
when came down avowedly TO study Thuoydl-
des but really to read Tennyson to my golden
haired beauty. When we parted there was q
clear understanding between us that we were all
10 all to each other, backed by distinct promise
OF mutual constancy. Six months afterwards
received q verbal message, through mutual
friend, that she had ceased to care for me. So
much for the cause OF my troubled looks when
stepped into the train at Oxford
At Exeter l got out. strolled TO tho ro-
freehment saloon. Hardly had entered the
room when my attention was attracted by two
strangers, one OF whom was telling the other
that lie knew the way from Broadbeach to the
Chase quite well. Hearing one man speaking Of
going to my uncle's place, ventnred to ask him
II he knew my relative. He said that he did, and
Immediately introduced himself TO me as Clar-
ence Winning. His companion was brother
officer, Charles Hawkins.
During the journey had established myself
on q tolerably intimate footing with my now ac-
quaintances. Winning told me that there were to
he dances and dinners shooting parties and 9TH
or gaieties at the Chase, and that he intended to
enjoy himself immensely, especially as those
the house, No sooner had the train stopped 1t
the station at BrOadbeach than we saw my uncle
on the platform with Mrs. Betterton and all the
grls--Florence, Mary and AIilly. Mary was the
eldest-a fine handsome woman Of 25. She al
ways had been my great friend in the old days
when had been infatuated about Flo. Next
came Mily she was q sweet tempered, pretty
little thing, and as unlike her handsome eldest
sister as possible. Last, but not least, was my
Florence, / used TO think her perfect In those
days, and young .naua impressions often last
them till old ago. Golden hair, dark eye-lashes,
and divine figure.
Sunday was an uneventful day. Florence kept
her room all day, and Mary stayed with her.
Monday was the day for commencing the sor-
i0us work OF the day doings. We-that is, the
nlen-were to shoot. After dinner we were all
to go to dance given by Mrs. Hughes; at
Broadbeach, In honor OF our party. shot bad
ly all tho morning We compared, and each
confessed to be a little down in the mouth. He
frightened up about lunch time. when the girls
were expected to come Then it flashed across
my mind for the first time-Florence threw me
over for Winning. He certainly looked pleased
when the girls arrived.
We walked homs with tho ladies. Again
failed toget an opportunity Of speaking to Mary
or Florence by themselves. Winning took off the
latter, aud had to walk with Mary and Milly.
In theeyening. however, l was determined
. that would speak and find out from Mary, or
Oyen from Florence herself, the mystery OF her
sudden change of mind toward me- How lovely
the three sisters looked as they came into the
rooml But Florence, despite an air of sadness
which had hardly left her face since had been
at the Chase, was the handsomest picture ever
saw. l asked for the first waltz, and got ii. My
first words to her, after we had retired to the
lovely conservatory, were:
Florence, have you forgotten four years
ago2"
She never answered me. and I thought 1
would not press the subject then. Tho next
dance was quadrille and was too sad to do
anything; so went up to Mary and asked her
II she would not sit out with me. I did not he's
ttAte a moment when we were alone, to ask her IL
she knew anything of Florence's reasons for
throwing me over 30 codly and SO suddenly.
She said no; it 30 remained mystery to her as
to me-the only possible clue she could give me-
being that she might have heard that ! had been
flirting with somebody else.
"No, Mary" said, ''you know me too we'll
for that"
then asked Mary IL Winning was not engaged
to Florence, and il she did not care for him.
why" said she, "dont you know that he is
engaged to Millie, and is only waiting for Ills
fathers consent to get married at once 2-only
they had little min to-day, because he thought
you were paying attention to Millie-thats
all"
The next dance had with Florence was the
seventh. The very words she said to me were
''Mr. Henniker, l am sorry for your disap-
pointment."
answered nothing to this, but in moment
Florence, why did you send me that cruel
message 2"
She looked at me with her frank blue eyes
and said
"Olaude, heard that you were engaged to
Mary" Then 1 said
"Now it is too late you seem to have ceased
to care for me-"
The blue eyes filed with tears; the lips said
nothing.
AS bad luck would have it, the music struck
up for another dance, and saw Charles DaW.
kins coming out of the dancing room to look for
Florence, his pa rtner.
"Don't leave me, Florence l am 30 very
wretched."
What for2 Why are you wrstched2"
"BecAuse you hate me-"
Then the blue eyes looked bright again, and
she said:
''Then you'd better be happy"
She was wearing white oamslia In her dress
and said.
"dive it to me-"
II will give it to the one love.
Charles Dawkins came up, claimed her hand
and left me in misery, to walk up and down oI
the lawn till it was time for me to claim the mex
dance with her The time came at last. wentin
to the room. Charles Dawkins was again talkinI
to her, with the white cAmelia In his hand. Tn
whole thing was plain enough now-she lovet
him. was in agony, and without word turn
ed on my heel, and atrods out of the room. 4
put on my coat and hat was but the work Of
moment; and then scarcely knowing what wa
about Istartedto walk home to the Chase, three