The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-10-10
[From Harper's Bazaar
Sponge Cake.

eddy tossing empty pods at the heavy-headed
peoples in the garden border. When the
tine for summer boarders came Lottie had
to be second girl;" and very piquant lit
tie house-maid she looked, with her black
curls pushed into net, and her bright cal
leo skirt fastened back. She was humming
in low tone, and listening between times to
the gay laughter of the group on the front
piazza, where three young ladies were en-
broidering with Berlin woods and two gen.
tlemen lounged on the steps smoking.
The air she was humming was sad one,
but she felt merry enough. 1t is true that
she was little tired with her mornings
work, and little indolent because of the
heat the day. 1t is true, too, that she was
conscious of a faint twinge of envy when Mr..
Davenport's baiouche was drawn up to the
house by pair of painting horses, and its
owner, leaping to the ground, assisted a lady
companion to alight.
Lottie would have liked to 60 riding in a
barouche with-well, with some one who
was not Mr.. Davenport. 1t is a pity the
'some one" in question could not have seen
the crimson deepen in her cheeks as she
pulled the basket of peas toward Ter and
commenced the song over again:
"Yc banks and braes o. bonnie Doom,
How can We bloom sac fresh and fair?"
A step and voice behind her arrested the
next words on her lips. Turning, she saw
Mr.. Davenport, who had come through the
hall, and stood looking down on her, with his
hat in one hand and half-inished cigar in
the other.
"All the birds seem to be singing on this
side the house, Miss Lottie."
eyes," was the demure reply. "Silas says
there are two oriole nests in those elms.
They're very pretty singers"
Mr. DaVennOrt did NOT see the mischief in
Lottie's downcast eyes. He was more
amused than vexed by her literal response.
'Will you allow me to sit down here
awhile? Perhaps they may go on singing"
Lottie made no objection, only shelled peas
vely vigorously. When Mr.. Davenport had
seated himself, thus bringing his hair, which
was alreadj streaked with gray, on level
glance OF admiration at the heavy gold chain
OF his side and the rings that adorned the
hand with which he was wiping his heated
face.
ITS excessively warm. Can't 1 help you
with those peas, Mss Lottie? 1t is a pity to
stain such pretty fingers as yours"
Lottie blushed, more at his glance than his
words, and replied, hastily,
son, no, certainly not; I'm used to it."
'sBut you don't like homework, do you?
You'd as lief somebody else would shell the
peas, and SO forth? Eh?''
''Why, yes. That's of course"
"Ah! Pm glad you're frank with me. Do
you know I've been curious about you often,
when we've all been enjoying ourselves, and
you've been working away haId like good
little Cinderella? Do you know Tve act
ualy worn path under the kitchen windows
trying to get peep at youP''
NO." said Lottie, with frank look of
surprise; but something in Mr.. Dayenport's
c,111apIu cof hor TO hand
over the basket, to hide the vexed color that
burned on her cheeks.
miss Lottie?v
The voice was almost whisper, and a
hand softly tried to draw away the basket Of
peas.
''Well, sir?:"
'sPut these away awhile, and let me talk
to you"
80, Why, I'm n. listening i'tg shan't have the
Nevertheless, she let him put the basket
one side, only saying with nervous attempt
at laugh,
"There now are you satisfed?'
Mr. Davenport deliberately took the bask-
cts place at her side, aud, bending his dark,
bearded face very near her own, answered,
mo, not yet. How can ] be satisfied,
Miss Lottie, when you show so plainly that
you don't like me?
LIS ncdTeI CouiuScuiy uisCidlmcu IulS COu-
cluson.
''Why, Mr. Davenport, IL OF course 1
dop'
"Wen, don't want you TO like me. l
don't like you"
Her puzzled and somewhat resentful glance
made him smile. He continued, bending so
near that fringe of hair brushed Lottie's
culls:
81 believe you know already what l mean.
You little coy, black-eyed sprite, love you.
Didn't you guess it before told you?'
The garden, the over-hanging vines, and
the sky whirled before Lotties eyes. Love
her?-the rich Mr.. Davenport, who had
more money than he knew what to do with
Love her? She was too much amazed to re-
sst when he took her hands in his, or to
comprehend the disconnected sentence which
confirmed his declaration. The first words
she heard distinctly were uttered by lips that
almost touched her check:
'Will you marry me?"
sT-I-Somebody will see u.s." she said,
struggling in vain to free herself.
THAT isn't answering my question. Poor
little stained fingers! they shall never do any
more hard work. How would you like to be
rich lady, Lottie?'
He saw the quick sparkle in her eyes. All,
how beautiful! To dress, to drive, to dance,
TO see thousand things she had heard of!
She let the casping arm draw her closer and
closer, and the beared lips touch hers once.
The clump of marigolds cleaned in the gar
den like prophecy of the wealth she might
possess if she would. No more calicoes and
kitchen-work, but, instead
"Are you never going to tell me yes?'
Some answer that Lottie ma laged to utter
earned her so many kisses that she struggled
again to rise.
LET me 60, pleasew she entreated, scarlet
with shame.
swell, want to put this ring on your fin
ger, There! and now"
An approaching footstep startled them
Mr.. Davenport lose hastily, and Lottie toe
sprang to her feet. Susan, the house-maid
appeared in the doorway, and Mr.. Davenport
turned abruptly down the garden path.
''Be them peas sheled, Miss Lottie?''
''No, but almost. what time is it p
''Eleven and quarter
Lottie went to work in serious earnest, de-
spite her excitement; but she was fated to
have another interruption, in the shape of a
tall, blue-eyed youth, who came up the gar
den path with several fish dangling from
rcd.
"Therel" he said, dropping these on the
piazza, and throwing himself down in the
place Mr.. Davenport had just vacated, 'those
are for Susan if she wants them. I've had
BOOu luck LnlS morning. suppose Tue HSnes
wanted to celebrate my last holiday. Don't
you think SO, Miss Iottie ?"
''Your last holidayr' was the blank rejoin-
der. "What do you mean?'
''Pve got to go back 10 the city tomorrow.
Two of the clerks are sick. Ho for cash
meres and and muslins againr'
He looked up at Lottie rather expectantly,
hoping for some expression of regret; but moi
word did she say. A sudden pallor had re
placed the flush on her face, however. The
heavy seal ring that Mr. Davenport had
placed ON her finger most inopportunely
slipped off just here, fell from her lap, ant
rolled along the step slowly. The new Gomez
picked it up, changed color as lis eyes fel
upon it, but merely said, as he handed il
back,
''You have a new ring, haven't you?"
"Ye-es."
He watched Ter as she hastily pushed it on
again; then said, rather Indignantly.
You haven't told me whether you're sor
ry I'm going or not"
"Of course Pm sorry, Mr.. Willard" was
the reply, in stifled tones; for Lottie was
bending for another handful of pods.
OF course! Is that all? Well, that's
the way with women. A man believes wo
man will perhaps think kindly of him when
L =,