The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-03-27


mamma and little sister Bessy-that is
all our family consists of, you know.
And o, I forgot Miss Matthews; she
isn't precisely one of the family, how
ever, though I love her dearly"
"Pray, who is Miss Matthews ?" asks
Paul.
"I can't tell you much about her
family history, for / only know that she
used to be in much better circumstances
than she is low, before certain pecu-
mary reverses forced her to go out as
governess."
"The old story" comments Paul.
Stop, sir You must not sneer at
my sweet Miss Matthews. Perhaps if
you saw her you would fall in love with
her beautiful, sad face. She isn't my
goVerness any longer; she lives with
ne as my friend"
"And gets paid for so doing ?"
queries Paul, with little laugh.
Presently the lovers separate. Two
or three days pass. At length Paul re-
ceives little note from Maud Ennin-
ger, telling him, in rather familiar
terms, that she will be'glad to have him
call at about eight o'clock on the even
ing of that day.
He goes, full of pleasant anticipations.
Beyond a doubt, he tells himself,
Maud's mother has at length consented
to receive him into her house as the
affianced husband of her daughter.
Whilst thinking these thoughts he pats
himself, SO to speak, upon his own
shoulder, inst as we know of his having
done once before. He also passes a
mute mental criticism upon himself to
the effect that he is "deuced clever
and "deuced Fortunate" just as we
heard him do ONE before. But does
any thought enter his mind concerning
Maud herself-her generosity, her sweet
Winning candor her countless charms
both of person and character? No such
thought enters his mind.
Am late ?" asks Paul as Maud en-
ters the richlyfurnished parlors to re-
ceive him.
go, ne" is the prompt answer.
She takes his hand; she even lets
him kiss her but she is somehow not
the same Maud as when they last met.
Just then the soft-very soft-strains
of piano begin at little distance from
where they were seated. Paul looks
round. The back of the lady's head
and figure are plainly visible, whilst
the lady plays her soft little ripping
fantasia. Paul wonders whether her
playing is not low enough for her to
hear Maud's and his own voices.
Miss Matthews, l suppose?" he
presently says.
" Yes" Maud answered.
After this there was considerable talk
between them, on rather commonplace
topics. Paul is waiting for Maud to
speak first on the important subject of
whether their engagement is to be i'm
mediately announced. But she does
not.
More commonplace conversation. The
lady Mt the piano continues to play her
ripping, tender melodies. Paul grows
impatient.
"Maud," he murmu1s, shave you
mentioned Our-our eng agement to your
mother"
She gives a rather cold laugh. go,
dear, no."
"And why have you not?"
She gave another laugh; louder this
time, and colder. The piano stops.
Paul does not notice this. He too was
bent on the girls answer.
Because we'r0 not engaged any
longer, Paul"
He springs up with flashing eyes.
"Then have been merely dealing with
a fippant, frivolous coquette all these
months7 o, Maud, Maud, this cannot
be truep
"Coquette, Mr.. Balistear ?" The
words came hard, ringing, and measured
now from Maud Enninger's lips. "Do
yOu then so dislike coquette? And,
if this is the case, what would your
feelings be toward a man who basely
dares to trife with the affections of a
true, good women by first protesting
the deepest love toward her and then,
when he has learned that her fathers
fortune has suffered ruin, deserving her
without apparently shade of compunc
tion?"
MauG's eyes are fixed with keen scru-
tiny upon his face. 1t is intensely
pale.
81 don't understand you, he STAN
mers.
"No. The story is very simple one,
am sure. This man, whom am tell
ing you about, gave this girl whom 1
am telling you about, little cross, in
token of his lifelong constancy. [
know the girl very well. She herself
gave me this cross, the other day, after
telling me this story. / have it here in
my pocket; would you like to see it /"
Paul Balistear's face is white as mar
BILE now. GA lie !" he burst out, "a
lie Whoever told you that story was
trying to Islander me"
81 told the story, Mr.. Balistear."
Miss Matthews has left tbs piano, and
has come quietly forward, and has spo-
ken these words. Paul Balistear starts
back as if stung. ''Elsie Warner !"
Miss Matthews bows her head. 81
call myself Miss Matthews now. 1t is
within of my mothers, that shall not
disgrace the name of Warner with any
so dreadful connection as this of Ia
dy's companion" and she smiled care
lessly. 1T was an unlucky event for
you, however, this changing of my
name. Otherwise you would have
known of my presence here and retired
gracefully before any such embarrass-
ing exposure as the present"
Paul Balistear sinks from the room
in a nj cradle, cowed way. And during
his walk home that evening let it be
chronicled that he does not pat him
der, nor pronounce himself either clever
or fortunate.
AS for Maud, she is Mrs. Thomas Err
skine now, and has entirely recovered
from her weakness for dreamy eyes and
classic noses and voices of divine mel
ody. Elsie Warner is her constant COM
panion, but will leave her before many
months to gladden. home and a heart
that shall be all her own. And Elsie is
very sure that she has not fallen in love
with a second fortune hunter this time,
as she has more than once laughingly
said.
Means OF Checking Coughing, Sneez-
ing, Etc.
h. ell C, NJ Io