Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-11-26
StItfttO storn.
Making Love in the Dark.


please. My quilting look very much like
Mrs. Partington', turpentine walk and
Mary Norris raised pretty. laughing face
TO the assembled company. which consist
ed OF the elite of Brownsville. with some
of the lower strata The little village
boastrd not of its numbers a. il did of its
pretty girls. and Mrs. Goodwin was re-
solved to have her quilt flashed by fair
means or foul. and. being desperate. had
scraped Brownsville for her quilting bee
The usual gossip was at its height when
it was interrupted by the appeal of MARY
Norris to Mrs. Goodwin. whose interest II
Was TO have every line perfect. aud to
keep the social machine ia running order
SO >he hustled aud soon got Mary 10 work
again.
4 wonder said Jennie Haskins. 'ifMary
Frazier Is coming to-day
Goodness knows' She is terrible fash
ioLable and aristocratic,' returned one of
the lower set.
oh. she is coming interrupted the
hostess; she promised me not to fail. she
is such quiet. undcmonstrative little
thing that she will accomplish good deal
even il she does come late
She wouldn't be fashionable and like
city people il she came as early as the
rest put in another of the lower strata.
For my part. wish she would stay en-
tirey. We can live without such stuck
up
The sentence remained unfinished. for
at the moment the lovely face of Miss Fra
zier looked in upon them with a pleasant
smile. In her quiet manner she had Gid
ed in at side door. removed her hat and
gloves without disturbing the hostess. and
then surprised them. Mrs. Goodwin
4. ia
much fuss and hustle. she was seated AZ
the quilt. where her sligat, deft fingers,
a. Mrs. Goodwin had predicted soon began
TO trace line after line in her exquisite aud
neat fashion. and to outdo many who had
come earlier.
All the people who could be picked into
pieces Were and Brownsville had to pass
through the social femme mangled Gus
tomary upon such occasions, aud yet
strange TO say, survived. After tea the
gathering of the rusti. swains began.
Among them came handsome DIR. Collins
and his old bachelor friend DIR. Peters.
or course the entire unmarried portion of
the other sex were setting their caps for
the handsome young physician, and were
doing all they could to Increase his vanity
and spoil him generally. Upon the pres
ent occasion he joined right merrily in the
country games, romped with Mary Norris.
and paid more than one forfeit upon her
red, pouting lips. Indeed. lie seemed TO
revel in sweets. for the most of the girls
though making n show OF resentment
when he kissed them, evidently sought or
challenged such liberties-all but quiet,
little Mary Frazier. She stole into out-of
the-way corners. and more than once slip
ped out of the hands OF those who sought
TO drag her into their plays. Ii was whlsp-
| cred again that she was TO aristocratic to
mingie with the common herd, though in
| truth. from having been reared IN the city,
she was unprepared TO permit such liber-
ties. Her extremely delicate nature
! shrunk from becoming public property.
Her lips were reserved for him who should
| win her love. and were not 10 be desecrat-
| ed. But that she had also cast longing
| eyes upon the handsome young physician
was not to be denied Yet. even the most
careful observer had not been able to de-
| tect the fact-a higher color or sudden
bounding of the heart at the sound OF his
voice. when he addressed her in tones al
ways defereutial and polite. as If he was
| awed by her manner.
Mirth reigned fast and furious as the
evening waned. Chair, were overturned
the bostcrous game of blindman's buff
while dresses ard sashes suffered sad y.
| The doctor. seeing Mary Norris dash out
| of the front door, followed her. resolving
| (upon the spur OF the moment 10 seize
| the time to disclose his love. Such an
event had been one of the future, if at all.
Until now lie had not given much thought
to Ii. but her saucy black eyes, and sweet.
| warm kisses had completed his enthral.
ment. Out under the vine covered porch
OF the Goodwin cottage, where he could
distinctly trace the soft outlines of his
love in her fleecy-white dress, he follow
ed. and gaining her side whispered:
Mary. must leave now. l have pa
tient TO visit yet tonight. but l cannot
tear myself away without telling you how
much loved you
One little hand was clinging to the trel-
lis as he spoke. and dimly tracing the GOV.
eted member. he forcibly possessed him
self of it, while his other arm stole around
her slender waist. With an air of timid
surprise. all unlike the usual spontaneous
demonstratiyeness Of Mary Norris, the
young girl dropped her head aud murmur'
ed:
.I-I-did not think
you did not think loved you! Is thai
it. my sweet girl? Well, do most sin
cerely. But, Mary, am no adept at love
making. and am not very brusque. Ye
will you be my wife!'
Surely you cannot mean it. You have
never shown me the slightest preference,
was whispered back, as her head dropped
still lower.
Never shown the slightest preference
Is it possible that under my careless ant
light exterior you did not detect a NOR
serious meaning? But am waiting m!
answer and he bent down to catch th'
timid Yes
The night was moonless and dark-s'
much SO that the doctor could not see. a
he longed to do, the blushing face of hi
Mary. He kissed at random, and bein
determined TO leave the seal of betrOths
on her lip, kissed first her forehead ant
then her cheek, and after meandering u
about at Last settled upon her sweet lips