The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-09-11
PEARLS AND BIAoKBERRns.


Senses" And as he enuneiate5 til
words with impressive distinctn, b
looked solemnly at Harry Clifford
He might have found worse-lcg Tin
individual to fix his regards upor ha
this young M. D., who had take hi
first season in bones, mucles and 1 "a
anatomy, with the therapeutics b ne
ing thereto, in the little Office ac os
the hall, and was Just preparing TO D. IN
mp shingle of his own: for 3 n
Clifford was tall and shapely. witt I'd
brown hair and a huge auburn mus
tacae, and merry eyes that LAUGHED TX
springs of water in the sunshine.
Or. Darling took off his spectacle es
folded them, and deliberately placed
them in their case, still without takin,
his eyes from his neophyte. Ha1r
Clifford smiled but he looked a I'll
embarrassed, Notwithstanding
{" She would have you in minute, i
you were to propose" pursued DIR. Dar
ling, dropping great red-bot splashes O
sealing wax over a sheet of blotting
paper, and stamping them with BIZ
monogram seal in an aimless sort o
wsy.
Yes; but I tell you, sir, 1 Ion'
want to PROPOSE" said Harry, staring
at the intertwined d. J. D. s as if the
were the most interesting things in tht
world.
wife?"
"Not that pretty girl in particular
DOCTOR"
"Nor fifty thousand dollars P' added
the doctor, pronouncing the three mo
mentous words in a manner that mad,
them sound very weighty indeed.
81 would not object to the fifty thou
sand dollars in itself, sir but, as a mert
appendage to Miss Bradbury"
believe the boy is crazy" eiacu
lated DIR. Darling. "Well, well, as tht
Scotch proverb has it, a wilfu' maj
maun hae his way and / shall inter
fere no farther. By the way, Harry
eyes, sir %
"You are going to the city this after
noonP'
"That is my present intention, sir. 81
Stop at Depierre's, will you, and
leave Mrs. Darling's pearl brooch to be
mended. ought to have done it a
week ago, but man can't think OF
everything"
Certainly, doctor :" and Harry Cliff.
ford deposited the pearl brooch-an
old-fashioned ornament of massive gold,
set with tiny seed -pearls-in his waist
coat pocket.
" Rather a careless way to carry
iewelry, young man." said DIR. Darling,
elevating his eyebrows.
The morning sun was casting bright,
Pickering threads of gold across the
kitchen floor; the morning -glories and
Madeira vines, trained across the case
ment, stirred softly in the mild July
air; and Ursula Percy, Miss Darling's
orphan niece, was busy doing up
blackberries.
Fresh as a rose, with hazel eyes, soft
ened to intense blackness at times bv
the shadow of their long lashes, and
smiling scarlet lips, she stood there
her calico dress concealed by the house
wifely apron of white dimity that was
tied round her waist, and her black
curls tucked remorselessly back of her
eaIJ-looking demurely into the bub-
bling depths of the preserving kettle,
like beautiful parody on one of the
witches in " Macbeth ;" while on the
whitely-scoured pine-table beyond a
glittering tin vessel was upheaped with
the beautiful jet-black fruit, each sae.
arate berry flashing like the eye of an
oriental belle.
Ursula r.
The pretty young girl started, v "
nearly dropping her skinner into ae
preserving kettle.
"How you startled me, Harry"
Harry advanced into the kitcl n.
with an admiring look at the bri ht
face flushed with little blush an
good deal of stove heat.
You are always at work, Ursula.
"I have got to work, Harry, to m
my own living" Ursula Percy answer q,
with a slight uplifting of her exquis te
black brows. "I am not an heir s.
like Miss Bradbury"
"Confound Miss Bradbury p exclai n
ed our hero. ST hear nothing but M iss
Bradbury the whole time"
"She is a very sweet young lady,
Harry" said Ursula, in mildly rep "
ing accents.
at dare say; but-what a lot of
blackberries you have here, to be ST Q,
Ursula"
"Forty quarts, said Ursula, dem e.
ly. Aunt Darling always enjoys t m
so much in winter"
Harry put honey-sweet globul cf
fruit into his mouth.
Blackberries are beautiful fl it,
Ursula"
every :" and Miss Percy skim ed
diligently away at the bubbling IL |
dron.
Especially when you are doing Il m
up" added the young M. D., v th |
rather a clumsy effort at compliment
Ursula did not answer. Harry wal ID !
mp to the range and took both her har Is |
n his.
Harry, don't; the berries will bur ="
"Liet 'em burn, then who cares ?
"But what do you want ?" she ask, I,
impotently to escape, |
laughing in spite of the grave look s q |
fsin would have assumed.
To see your eyes, Ursula"
"She lifted the soft hazel orbs to lis |
face, then withdrew them with sudd, \ |
shyness.
"Do you know what answer / read |
from those eyes, dearest ?" he whisper
ed, after a moment or two of silence, |
broken only by the kissing and simmer
ing of the boiling blackberries.
tsNo."
81 read yesl"
go, Harry, 1 dare not. Uncle and
aunt are so determined you shall mar y
Miss Bradbury"
"And / am so determined not to mar
" her. Is man to be given away as
4 he were house and lot, or a bundle |
IF old clothes, should like to know
Ursula"
Harry, they are burning am sure
Of it. I can smell them. 0, do let go
Of my hands p
Harry Clifford deity seized ,up the
big iron spoon, and stirred the boiling
depths vigorously.
Its all your imagination, Ursuls.
No, it's not; and if they are the
east bit scorched they will be spoiled
'or Aunt Darling"
"Bqt, Ursula"
The creaking sound of an opening
heryo,,1 1