Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-10-29

sI'm sure don't know from whom you
inherit your strange disposition" said
mother" mot from me, certainly. Do
go and battle your face, and come down
stairs like irrational being" But could
was heard at the door, and Aunt Buck
ley entered. Her fair, sweet face was
full of sympathy when, coming to me,
she gently kissed my forehead, and
said, "Dora, dear, you are really i'll ;
Harry is right you are not strong
enough for all this excitement of going
over the country, visiting and riding
continually" Turning to mamma and
Henrietta, Aunt Buckley continued,
"This girl ought not to go to the picnic
to-day she is utterly unfit for any more
excitement.
CT quite agree with you," chimed il,
"Yes; but it's nothing now but nerv-
business; nevertheless, quiet will do
Dora more good than anything else, and
by all means I shall have her stay at
home"
1t was late in the afternoon, and j
had tried to read, butas often as turned
the page every character danced before
my eyes. At last 1 sauntered down
stairs, thinking to find a favorite Ger
man poem but the house, empty and
delightfully."- cool and quiet. suggested
music SO l sat at the piano lazily
lingering some waltzes, until finally
] wandered to Scotch ballads. Singing
the old Border song softly under my
breath, 1 came to
:" VIII We come back to me, Douglas?
Will We come back TO me moo ~
and suddenly stopped, hearing foot
step close beside me. 1t was Harry.
"Who's the Douglas you are making
vows to, Dora p he inquired
No one in particular" said /, turn
ing away my face.
"I'l tell you, Dora" said he; "I
came from the picnic quite offending
happy. / had something to say to you
that has already been too long delayed.
1 hope you can imagine what it Is ?"
could not answer /; an awful weight
OF pain, apprehension and humiliation
took away my voice.
"Not one word. dear Dora?"
And still | could not speak, conscious
though / was that my silence under the
circumstances was derogatory to myself.
Dora, said Harry, rather severely,
"if you love me, and will be my wife,
why refuse to say SOP"
Because" l exclaimed, springing
up before him suddenly, because /
am a hypocrite, and am liar! ]
have been acting falsehood ever since
1 came here, Harry" and gaining
strength as l emerged from my dread
full cloud of duplicity, l told my lover
all. When / had finished, Harry stood
looking in my face intently.
"Dora, said he, "were you acting q
part this morning in the dining-room.
and afterwards, when mother went to
your room?"
"No, indeed, Harry" 1 answered
"there was no acting then 1 was ut
terry overcome by what you said about
deceit and acting lies, and 1 thought
1 should have diedp
Harry still stood by the piano with
his hands folded. At last he said very
gravely:
"You have acted. badly, Dora you
know right from wrong; but here, my
darling I promise you that the sub
ject shall never again be mentioned be-
tween u.s." And seating me on the
sofa, aud folding his great, strong arms
around me, Harry added, tehderly,
"When we are married, Dora, we shall
be one; you viii be me, and l shall be
you, as the children say, and there will
be no occasion for either tc reproacf
the other for duplicity or petty selfish
ness. My mother loves you, but we
must begin our record right, and tel
her all. Afterwards, my dariing-why
afterwards means new world and &
new life-with us it shall be true one.
And so we were betrothed and thus
far in our brief new life the subject o.
keeping up appearances has never beer
a topic, nor has the painful experience
of my summer as an invalid ever beer
referred To.