The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-08-14
FRIDAY. AUGUST Ii

And, stay" she continued, suddenly,
''put a spray of sweet briar over the
right ear. Let 1t be just as delicate as
can be, but don't omit it, remember"
"What an odd fancyp' Annie could
not help saying, as she added the spray
to the list Of other selected articles, and
put them aside to await the earliest OPP
portunity to ''put up" the bonnet.
80, yes; rather odd for a bridal bon
net; but my affianced Is peculiar about
these things. Sweet briar 10 the emblem
Of our courtship."
The gay girl tripped lightly away,
and Annie again instinctively sought the
columns of the Gazette.
"a cypress vine is the fittest emblem
of our wooing," she said, dreamily, as
her eager eyes sought the meager tele-
gram in her anxiety for further light.
The letter list attracted her gaze, and
conspicuous among the addresses was
her own, which had been advertised for
several days.
"Some good angel must have sent me
this Gazette" she murmured; 81 must
take the paper regularly after this"
During the long afternoon no oppor-
tunity for leaving the store to go to the
post-office was given her. Customers
thronged around her, and sales were 80
many and profits so good that IL was lit
tie wonder that she was prematurely In
duced to give up the little store and
cheap dwelling for the combined con-
veniences and increased expenses of an
establishment which the profits OF her
business poorly justified.
More experienced business minds
than hers have made greater mistakes.
At length, upon the evening TO which
we have been referring, after the last
customer was gone aud the little shop
was locked up for the night, the anxious
girl went around by the post-office and
received the missive with which the
reader was made acquainted in former
chapter
From that day until Henry's increase
Of fortune came to him, creating within
her & spirit of emulation which her
many opposing and conflicting cares re-
pressed into a very natural envy, the
girl was happy as the day.
What, henceforth, was toll to her,
that she should shrink from It? or pri-
walton, that she need complain?
A brilliant light beamed in her eyes,
her cheeks grew rosy, yet delicately
beautiful, and, despite the combining toll
Of her business and the care and drudg-
cry necessary to the feeding and main
tanning of so large family, her form
grew rounded and symmetrical, her step
more and more elastic, her laugh more
modulated, her voice richer and full Of
harmony.
To be loved by one who fondly, purely
loves you is such deep, abiding JOY.
Sometimes, in going to and fro upon
the streets Annie would meet the intelll-
gence-ofiice proprietor, Green, and she
never failed to pass him with an invol-
untary shudder. He always gazed at
her as though he were q great night
owl, ogling for his prey, and, though
she always refused to recognize him, yet
the sinister leer that invariably lit up
his selfish face as he passed her told OF
memory and hate and MOTTO baffied
revenge.
The Hastings family never patronized
her store unless, as frequently happened,
they could be suited nowhere else. Then
Mrs. II. would order the carriage to stop
at the door, and demand that such and
J such articles be carried out for her In
spection.
Several times, in her desire to propi-
tiate the mother Of her absent ideal,
} Annie obeyed such mandates, and served
her fastidious and fault-hnding Gus
toners to their satisfaction, but never
once did the grand lady or her airy
daughters enter the store, or acknowl-
edge by word or look Of recognition that
they had met before.
Annie, quite as independent as they,
preserved her regal dignity, and served
them with the courteous condescensiou
Of q queen.
"They always pay good prices, and
they can't humiliate me, that's one con.
solation," she would say TO her sisters
who were taken from school and en-
ployed in the busy seasons, much
against their own inclinatIon-after ths
: wire edge Of novelty had once worn of
J Mr.. Green, the evil genius Of Annie
Lee; suddenly fell heir to an unexpected
: fortune, and his augmented wealth sooI
J installed him as r visitor In the Hast
ings mansion. Here his dark insinua'
tions against the 'pretty little mllliner'
, were magnified by the suspicious anC
proper dowager Of the premises into
mountains composed OF the blackes
r smoke of defamation.
Mrs. Hastings was far too ladylike L
make public gossip OF these pet sus
picions; but, as often happens will
e mothers who are more prudent, thar
conscientious, she hesitated not to re
a hash the same before her daughters anC
e in her immaculate husbands presenc,
e on all convenient occasions.
Mr.. Green became the accepted suite
+. OF Miss May Hastings, and as soon a
4 Annie learned the fact, she ceased Il
4 wonder that Melvin's family treated he
b so coldly.
T One day, seized by sudden impulse
e she dispatched note to Alice, warning
. her against the visitor. and begging Al