South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1874-02-06
II E A r T. Il r q E..
A CHARMING sKEr Gil.

II Is sucn D0tner 10 be poor
There had been long interval of silence
in Mrs. JAMEsoN's sitting room, when
GERTIE made this exclamation.
what is the new bother, GERTIE p
The pleased voice and tone of kindly in I.
quiry made the young girl blush deeply, as
she replied
80, mamma, never mind l was only
thinking aloud
Thinking Of what ?
'Of some velvet flowers I saw yesterday,
which just matched this ribbon, and G. Err
TIE held up bonnet she was trimming.
Velvet flowers are so lovely for a winter
bonnet, aud this one needs something
Il am sure it looks very nice, GERTIE'
Mice : said the girl, scornfully empha-
sizing the word 'yes, it is very nice, and
that turned silk is nice, aud the short sack
made out Of your old coat is nice and clean.
ed gloves are Dice, aid
why, GERTIE" cried her mother, ia a
voice of amazement
But there is nothing stylish or hand
some in cleaned gloves, and re.trimmed
bonnets, and old cloaks turned into sacks,
and SO say poverty is a bother
'GERTIE, put away that bonnet and come
here. Now lit lie dluehter,' said the wid-
ow, gently, tell me the meaning of this
sudden TRADE against poverty; of the rest.
less tossing | heard from your room las,
night; of the nervous uuquiet of my con-
tented little girl since yesterday p
There was no reply.
'GERT:E, what did LEON PAYNE say to
you, last evening :?
lIe asked me to be his wife, The words
were jerkcd out hastily.
'And you answered.
JANE came in to shut up the parlor not,
knowing be was there, and she stayed so
he got no answer at ALL
But he must be answered, GERrIE. He
has spoken to me aud | told him it must
rest with you
Mamma this after long, deep silence
lie is very rich. when he marries his
wife can have every luxury. Tiff it is
|, We can have you with Us, and JANE need
not teach tia: horrii school any longer.
We were on - street the other day and
stopped to Look in a jewelers. window, and
be pointed out the kind of Jewels he would
wish his wife to wear. | need not wear
old silks then, mamma.
Then you Intend to accept his offer 2
Il y
- eSaSss"a'Khow you sec, there is Harry
but HARRY caunot offer you jewels
mo, poor HARRY If he had only three
thousand dollars, Mr.. IN0nAuAM would
take him into the frm. lie told mo all a.
bout 1T last week. But think how long il
will take to save three thousand dollars,
and Of course his wife must save and pinch,
and oconomizc, till he is able to spend more
freely
Yes, dear, there would be no variations
on the turned cloth and rc-trinled bonDets,
no velvet flowers, no jewels
But such noble true heart such ten
der love-
LEON PAYNE loves you
'As much as he loves anything beyond
his own pleasure and comfort. lie is so
thoroughly selfish, 80 hard, and thinks SO
much Of himself. 1t is his wife that must
be handsomely dressed, ride in her clrri-
age, and reflect credit upon his choice
Mamma, he loves me because | arr pretty
and can sing we'll and can manage his
house nicely. HARRY loves me because
it Is L.
There was a violent jerk ct the door
bell, at that instant, that called GERTTE to
the door. She came back with flying feet.
Two valentines, mamma | had for.
gotten it was the fourteenth 4"
Two ?
yes, O, mamma, look .
She had torn The cover from dainty
package in her hand, and opened a moroc-
en- case inside. Upon the black velvet lin
ing lay parfUrc Of rljuering diamonds,
flashing up, where a stray sunbeam fell up
on them, into a glorious sea Of color.
LEON PAYNE" cried GEuTIE. Are
they not exquisite 2
Mrs. JAMEsoN's lips quivored little as
she looked at her daughters flushed face
and bright eyes, and her heart sent up a
silcD; prayer for The future, trembling be-
fore her eyes
look at the other sbo said, quietly.
only a copy Of verses said GERTIE.
Violet eyes, aud all that sort Of thing But
are not these diamonds magnificent Il
ia the very set / admired so much when we
we're ont the other day
'GEETIE, IL il eleven o'clock, and must
90 to Mrs. LEWIS Little daughter, YOU
may have callers while / am out She
drew her child into her arms, and looked
with anxious love into her eyes.
'GEnTrE, my daughter, be true to your
own heart. Aud 80 she left her.
True 10 her own heart GERTIE JANE
son sat down TO ponder over those words.
The diamonds flashed out their glorious
waves Of light before her eyes the copy
Of verses lay open upon tho little work Ia
bic, and GERTIE SAT ~~