The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-06-18

NO. 49.
lite without her. His father bad purchas.
ed bis step, and he WAS on his way
home to claim her. He should be With
her almost as soon a. his letter. Would
she write one line to Malta, to welcome
him !?
George received the letter after
breakfast. She was going 10 a Rich .
mond picnic, and wanted to get new
bonnet for the occasion she was really
in hurry, but after moments delib.
Grafton she gave up the bonnet, and
sat down to answer. The
letter was posted before twelve,
and Miss Filmer went to the
picnic, which Was a pleasant one.
Simon Fraser turned very pale when
be read bis loves letter at the poste
restante he said never a word, but
took his passage back to India in the
vessel that sailed that night, and be
rejoined his regiment in tho hot plains
At once.
Miss Filmer wondered whether the
next mail seuld bring her letters lock-
ed up and down the street when the
carriage stopped, with half an expecta-
ton OF a reproachful face. But her
mind was set at ease by the list Of pas
sengers to Bombay, and she knew that
her "true love forever" had taken his
dismissal as he ought.
Why George did not marry the
mniddle.aRed @ baronet, the small Wis.
count, or any Of the eligibles, as conf.
dently expected by grandmamma, depo.
ensnt saith not; she few too high, some
said, and she liked flirting. After two
seasons grandm.mma had the bad taste
TO; die. The BelgrAve Street house was
shut; up.
"Famille Filmer'' went abroad en-
n.1sse to some small German court :;
there was story afoat about a prince
Of some sort, Russian some said, 9TH
ers gave him principality in Nassau !;
people shrugged their shoulders, and
said she had always been the greatest
alrt. George came back to England
handsomer than ever and we'll dressed :;
money had been left by the grandmam-
ma, at least sufficient for good gloves.
La the summer she lived with mar.
ried sister, quiet dowdy NJ. P.'s wife;
in autumn and winter she reigned at
waterinE-plaoes and hunting parties j.;
she had jewels on hand and wrist she
had . suit OF young Life.G .Guardsmen IN
the fever stage Of admiration, aud she
had lots OF dear friends; but though
lhe did not look fve.and-twenty, it was
quits ton years since she was seventeen
and she vas still George Fllmer. All
thsss. 3ea,s neither by word spoken mol
written had news ever reached her Of
! Simon Fraser the recollection of thai
trft love was to her memory like an
old.fashion plate. Only she used to
say to herself, "W hen he does come
back" and brace herself as if for an
encounter. He had come back she
had met his eye and touched his hand
again, and had seen and known by in.
stinct that she was stranger, and less
than stranger to him. Did he even
know who she was? she wondered
! For the next days it seemed unlikely
that the question Of recognition should
be solved, so completely was his manner
to Miss Filmer devoid of consciousnes s.
Of their past position with regard to
each other.
Only there was thus much of sign
that in place Of the attraction George
| exercised on every other man in the
| house, she met with an Indifference
from him that verged on discourtesy.
She had prepared sundry speeches,
above all, suudry feelings for this meet.
ing,-in case Of reproach and reorimi-
nation in case of intatuation aud en-.
| treaty,-preparations entirely needless,
.s it would appear. Had he also pre-.
pared feeliugs7 Apparently he had
none At all, aud on her miad, accus-
toned to look on mems hearts as 80
many notes on which her fingers had
the special art of playing what tunes
she chose for them to dance to, it be.
gan to dawn that the position was
shsnged, and that her heart must
tread : measure to the tune that he
should plsy. This both perplexed aud
ausspsd Miss Filmer.