The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-11-06

60 four cars of lifetime she said to
herself
The very next afternoon found Mr..
Phelps in Riverside. The image of
Bessie had taken on new charms, now
that TO win her seemed possible. One
woman had weighed him in the balance
and found him wanting. There would
be sweet and full amends in the greet
ing of this less judicial charmer, who
had never seemed disposed even to crit
icise him. He found cruel consola-
ton in remembering the swift pallor
that had overspread her face when he
showed her Miss Sturgis's picture. All
through his hurried journey he had
been pictu-ing to himself the sweetness of
her welcome. How the young cheeks
would crimson, the dewy eyes gleam and
glow, the sweet mouth trembleI That
there would be any dificulty-that she
might be estranged, or cold, or dead
even, never once occurred to him Two
years had gone by, bringing change and
experience to him, as was natural, but
she-surely she must be still just that
same half-opened rosebud of a girl
like flower in picture that
ssbiddeth fair to blossom soon,
But it never, never blossoms in this picture,
Never ceases to be crescent, and the June 10 al
ways Junep'
| He went to see her at about the same
hour on which he had seen her first. He
knew the household ways. They would
be through tea-the Doctor would have
gone out-she would be alone. He
would have the long twilight, the sweet
summer evening, in which to make her
happy, to sun himself in her soft joy.
He half-thought he should find her in
the door, as he had seen her stand SO Of
ten, white-robed and fair. But he saw
no one when he drew near the house.
For the first time he thought, "what, if
she were deadr' and shivered, as he
/ knocked at the door. a new servant
answered his summons, and his inquiry
whether Miss Bessie was in.
He sent up. his card, and then
waited for her in the parlor below, his
heart beating as no woman had ever
made it beat before. She looked at the
bit of paste-board, and smiled. He had
come again, then-this man who held
her heart in the hollow of his hand, that
other summer, and played with and pit
led it, with a poor-thing negligenceP'
She took sheet of paper, and wrote on
| it,
"Do not come tonight will tell you
why, tomorrow"
| This she gave to her maid, with few
words of direction; and then looking a
moment in the glass-for who does not
adjust his armor before going into bat
tle-she went down stairs.
She was not quite the Bessie Walter
Phelps had expected to see; yet he could
not have defined the change. Certainly
she was not less beautiful. If anything,
her sparkling, changeful face had gain
| GU Ill ClidIlHs Dub luSIO W as dddCO
possession in her manner-a new
pride in voice and gesture. This was
not girl for any man to love and ride
away. Nor, sincere as was his purpose,
did he find it easy to tell her for what
he had come. She had some new power
over herself and others. She chose, for
a while, to keep the conversation on in
different subjects. She wished to take
a fresh sense of this hero, whose star had
once ruled her heavens-to see, with
her mutured powers of perception, what
manner of man he was. Would he be
able to stir her pulses with any of the
old thrill? She thought not-but he
might try, if he chose; it would be well
that she. should be altogether sure of
herself.
So at last she let him ask the question
for the sake of which he had come. He
was too much in earnest, now, for dainty
gallantries. He asked her in a few
plain words to be his wife; and she an
swered with little spice of wickedness
for she was a very human little crea,
ture:-
"But your cousin, Miss Margaret
Sturgis! supposed you had married
her, long ago."
"No, Bessie, you had made that i'm.
possible. only found out how well
loved you after l had left you. Mar
garet was too clear-sighted to be deceiv'
ed, and when she guessed my secret she
gave me up. Never fear but I am hon
orably released. am yours, now, i
you will have me-"
"I am afraid Mr.. Robert Niles would
object" she said, demurely.
"Who is Mr.. Robert N;les?"
She answered with deliberate cruelty
bearing in mind the very words will
which, two years before, he had turned
her to stone:-
"My friend, whom am engaged t.
marry"
Walter Phelps was proud. There i
. pluck and courage in the jeunesse doret
He, too, remembered the old time-th
old words 81 congratulate you," h
said, as coolly as she had spoken tn
= same words of old.
"Thank you," she answered-"I know
Mr.. Niles so we'll that do not thinl
my marriage will be an experiment"
Just before he left her, his heart soft
ened over her, and conquered his pride
, ~ have loved you very dearly" h
said. 81 did not guess how we'll, in tina
Il. old summer; but knew afterwards tina
1 had never really cared for any othe
:, woman. Is it too much for me to ask
. in the name of all I feel for you, wheth
er you EoUe this Mr.. Niles?"
Her nature, always as exquisitely tru
. as it was exquistely tender, impelled he
to the frank confidence which was al
:, she could give him now. If he wer
really noble enough to rejoice in be
happiness, she would make him sure off
H.