Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1874-05-28
MASTER sEELEY's ELopEMEMr


go raving distracted !" cried Helen Chap
man, with serio.comic expression of
despair. "The way these two go ON is
perfectly ridiculous. What will be the
end of it all I don't know"
"Well, I'll inform you, then-an elope-
ment one of these fine days"
ooh, Annie, you are not in earnest!'
exclaimed Helen, suddenly becoming
preternaturally grave. GLOW could they?
They wouldn't dare. Why MINES only
child"
every true: the best reason in the
world for expecting her to clope. People
don't do that you know when they are
cd enough to know better. Fifteen is
just the age for such nonsense"
"You don't know how you frighten
me. If she should marry him, she'd
never be happy as long as she lived. But
what can I do? He's been here almost
every day during yosr visit, hasn't he !?
And Minnie, romantic little goose, evil
IDENTIFY fancics she's desperately in love
with him-that little tow-headcd weak
eyei specimen of humanityw
"But it is not SO very strange, Helen,
after all. You must confess that he has
a pretty face, and rccites poetry be0uti-
fully" said Annie, with sly twinkle of
the eye.
ayes he has the face of baby, and
I'm SO sick of his eternal dropping into
poetry that I fairly gnash my teeth
every time he does it.
"Then they must be almost worn out
by this time" laughed Annie
"Bnt you don't know how anxious your
words have made me. This is no laugh
ing matter. These two goslings! Such
children! They are just romantic enough
to elope. Oh, what IL trust it is--the sole
care ola young sister, Iremembei how,
II few days before dear mothers death.
she laid her thin white hand OH Minne's
curly head Qhe little thing was six years
old theM, and said, Cake care of her,
dear Hclcn-watch over her MS should
| was only twclve-a mere child myself;
but | accepted the trust, and never have
forgotten it,
Don't look so distressed, dear" said
Annie, ''ur | shall be almost sorry that
Pve said what / have"
No, you needn't be sorry, for shall
keep my eyes open now-that is all l can
do"
""hy don't you have serious talk
with Minnie?"
"Have serious talk! Why, I've had
n dozen already, but they do more
harm than good. The more 1 say,
the more deliantly she stands up
for him, and the moro tender she is to-
wards him the next time they meet.
That's human nature! And Helen look
cd as if she scarcely knew whether to
laugh or cry.
"You might forbid him the house."
suggested Annie. after a pause.
"No, indeed, l couldn't do worse. Don't
you, sec that that would only hasten the
catastrophe? No, discretion is the better
part of valor, assure yon.''
well, what do you intend to do thcn?'
"Nothing-but watch and wait, as
have been doing. Will you not help me?"
"Help you what?" Wait or watch ?"
"Now don't you laugh. 1 wa, never
more serious in my life. We must hear
every word-watch every look that passes
between those two. Poor foolish little
sister" Than, suddenly relapsing from
the pitying into the indignant, II could
shake herw
A few days after this conversation,
Helen mysteriously beckoned her friend
into the garden.
"Well," said Annie, as the door closed
behind them, "what is on the tapis now?
What has put you into such state of
excitement? Your eyes are like stars,
and your cheeks as red rs theses roses"
"No? DO 1 look as if had anything
on my mind ?" inquired Helen, anxiously
GIVE been trying to appear rs unconcern
ed as possible. But after all, she added,