The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-11-06

| and had 10 not been Tor certain pOlntet
thrusts of his, all bearing upon my ap
pearance, health, etc, should hav
been right happy. But l could no
stifle conscience, and always avertin;
my eyes and flushing painfully whel
Harry spoke about my health, becam
actually i'll from mere and sheer nerv
business. Henrietta, too, dressed il
girlish fineries, laces, flowers, Jewels
and floating ribbons, always made
| foil of me with the close throated wrap
pers, heavy somber dresses, and practi
cal, unbecoming shawls appropriate tt
an invalid until, weary of deceit, ant
actually suffering from restraint, be
came as unstrung as any bona tide suf
| ferer.
"Dora," said Henrietta, ons day, al
she was arraying herself in a girlisl
blue grenadine, "don't you really thinl
Harry is marked in his attentions to me
before strangers, and everywhere, in
deed, for that matter Didn't you think
him devoted yesterday at dinner?"
Glow should knOw?" / GROSSLY an
swered "I, at least, was devoted tC
my dinner
Eyes, and to ,your companion-a
widower-a good match-a wealthy
farmer, Dora !"
I rushed from the room disgusted,
weary of myself, tired of life, and full
of Contempt for q wOman's miserable
managings. / went down to the dining.
room, and stood looking out of the win.
dow at the glorious summer morning,
with which my poor heart had so very
little sympathy. Some one, and that
some one Harry, sauntered into the
room behind me, and presently said:
50 you're all going picnicking to-
day, hear p
Eyes" replied; care you not go.
ing, too?"
" Not T." said Harry "I take no in
terest in such doubtful pleasures, and /
never pretend interest, or anything else,
for that matter -
Though my face. burned hotly, I re-
spOnded:
"Oue has often to do many things
for the sake of politeness-a little pre-
tense, then, is necessary"
What a creed!" calculated Harry,
by this time become my UiS-0 UiS at the
window 81 consider acting deceitfullv
to be more than contemptible; and l
would avoid the person who did that
thing as would victim of the plague. P"
My brain turned giddy, and could
not reply. Suddenly Harry caught my
hand, and exclaimed
"Dora Dora what's the matter
with you ?"
Nothing" said I, feebly; "let me
CO."
Harry released me Immediately, and
l dropped into chair, while he, bend
ing over my head and smoothing my
hair tenderly, said in q compassionate
voice, "P Poor little one, you are not
strong this being pulled about the
country to visit is too much for you.
Bursting forth with the tears 1 could
no longer repress, I rushed up to my
mothers room, sobbing bitterly. When
1 had explained my misery, Henrietta
said, "Always think of yourself; if yen
will, you will, though, and we must all
be content, and try to bear it. ="
"Pm sure don't know from whom you
inherit your strange disposition" said
mother" not from me, certainly. Do
go and bathe your face, and come down
stairs like a rational being" But [ could
not, and, still sobbing, gentle knock
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 CT going
over the country, visiting and riding
continually" Turning to mamma ard
Henrietta, Aunt Buckley continued,
"This girl ought not to go to the picnic
to-day; she is utterly unfit for any more
excitement"
"I quite agree with you," chimed in
Henrietta, to which mamma added,
% Yes but it's nothing now but ner-
vousness nevertheless, quiet will do
Dora more good than anything else, and
by all means 1 shall have her stay al
home"
1t was late in the afternoon, and |
had tried to read, but as often as [
turned the page every character danced
before nv eyes. At last I sauntered
Gown stairs, thinking to find a favOrite
German poem; but the house, empty
and delightfully."- cool and quiet, sug-
gested music: so I sat at the piano lazi-
ly lingering some waltzes, until finally
| wandered to Scotch ballads. Singing
the old Bofder song softly under my
breath, came to
s'WiII We come back to me- Douglas
Will We come back to me moo -
and suddenly stopped, hearing a foot
step close beside me. 1t was Harry.
"Who's the Douglas you are making
VOWS to, Dora ?" he inquired.
"No one in particular" said I, turn
ing away my face.
"Ill tell you, Dera," said he; 81
came from the picnic quite offending
every one but | was restless and IN
happy. / had something to say to you
that has already been too long delayed.
I hope you can imagine what it is p
I could not answer an awful weight
of pain, apprehension and humiliation
took away my voice.
"Not one word, dear Dora ?"
And still I could not speak, conscious
though 1 was that my silence under the
was derogatory to myself.
"Dora, said Harry, rather severely,
'if you love me, and will be my wife,
why refuse to say SOP"
"Because," I exclaimed, springing
up before him suddenly, "because l
am hypocrite, and 1 am tar! /
have been acting a falsehood ever since
l came here, Harry" and gaining
strength as / emerged from my dread
full cloud of duplicity, 1 told my lover
all. When I had finished, Harry stood
looking in my face intently.
"Dora," said he, "were you acting
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; [ was ut
terly overcome by what you said about
deceit and 'acting lies,' aud l thought
[ should have died !"
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 promise you that the subject
shall never again be mentioned between
u.s." And seating me on the sofa, and
folding his great, strong arms around
me, Harry added, teDderly, "When we
are married, Dora, we shall be one you
will be me, and I shall be you, as the
children say. and there will be no oc-
casion for either to reproach the other
or duplicity or petty selishness. Ny
mother loves you, but we must begin
our record right, and tell her all. At
terwards, my darling-why, afterwards
means a new world and a new life
with us 1T Will be true ope."