Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-09-05

take her forp declare don't know but
Jane was right" exclaimed Aunt Magru-
der, under her breath, and putting on ner
restless glasses again to look at the man
mo, sir My neice is the image OF Smi-
bert's painting of her great-great-grand-
mother. who Kept the color on her cheeks
and the laugh on her lips when the Indians
thrust burning sticks into her flesh, rather
than let her concealed husband know that
they were hurting her. No, sir! Sarah
Ponsonbv would die rather than let you
know that you had all but broken her
heart. Yes, sooner than let you know it.
I don't know but she would even marry
old Ellenbrod with his million that she has
refused ten times!' And there Aunt Ma
gruder paused. And presently she began
to be very much frighted at her own au-
dacity, and her hands trembled so that
she couldn't put her glasses on at all.
For Mr.. Sternbergh was standing so ST.
lent, SO silent and rigid. that Aunt Magru-
der feared lest he was never going to
move again, lest her revelation had killed
him, lest he would smitc her when he did
move. But she took heart again directly.
under the assurance that he was but ex-
erting all his strength to save himself
from the exhibition Of some violent emo
ton. Come" she said boldly, to break
the spell, "they're just about to make
Christian of the youngest member OF this
party. Are you not going to take me
up?"
Mr.. Sternbergh started; then he turned
toward her, smiling. and he bent and took
her hand and touched it to his lips. that
perhaps themselves trembled the least
possible, with all the devotion that youth
may pay to age.
Go along with you for a sauce-boX. ~
murmured happy little Aunt Magruder,
with so much water in her eyes that she
couldn't see whether she was tapping him
with her fan, or only the empty air. And
just at that minute Mrs. Jane came slip
ping down the room for her aunt, and di-
rectly afterward there was nobody absent
from the group that was gathered about
the white-robed priest at the other end OF
the parlors.
1t was probably some ten minutes after
that that Miss Ponsonby, exhibiting the
presumably phenomenal beauties of her
namesake to a cluster of her friends,
turned about to give her to the nurse and
found herself on the point of depositing
her in Mr.. Sternbergh's arms, while every
vestige OF color fled from her face and left
it ashen.
1T is mercy that she didn't drop the
child!" thought Aunt Magruder, watching
them from her coign of vantage, and see
ing the nurse at that Opporlune moment
intervene; while Mr.. Sternbergh drew
Miss Ponsonby's arm through his, and
with an authority not to be publicly re-
sisted, without observation or remark. led
her down the long room and Aunt Ma
gruder saw no more. "Good manage
g Vment," said Aunt Magruder triumphant
~! good management always wins" And
you never could have convinced her that
telling the plain truth was no manage
ment at all. Sometimes | do" said
Aunt Magruder.
Mr.. Sternbergh led Miss Ponsonby
away. but neither OF them uttered sylla-
BILE as they slowly threaded the groups, all
whose members turned with look of
wonder after them. He, to be sure, had
q purpose, but she went along, ignorant
whittier, and simply trying to recover her.
self He conducted her so through the
lower door of the parlors-hc was per-
fectly at home with the Breuners, though
not word Of the thing that gnawed his
heart had been ever spoken of there-con-
Quoted her across the dining-room, where
the structure OF the christening cake was
yet unbroken, and into Mr.. Breuner's lit
tie smcking-den, that was always safe
from Intrusion; then he seated her in the
great hollow of the armchair. and waited
for the color to fiutter back into her face,
while he stood, death-still. with one hand
on the chair. his own face white as hers.
and his heart beating SO that he could hear
il.
- 1t was only two or three moments,
though it seemed eternities, that she sat
there, looking straight before her, uncer-
tain whether she wished she were dead,
or thought she was in Heaven: and then
he stopped and lifted her hand, and had
indicated the ring on its forefinger. "Why,
do you wear it still P" she said, hoarsely
And suddenly, as she looked up with her
great startled eyes, he had flung himself
beside her, and had taken her in his arms,
and was holding her to his lips and to his
heart, as ii they were never to part. "And
never mean to part with you," he whis-
pered. xk.EA
why should you 60 back for more mis-
CHIEF to be made between us ? If | have
not Ellenbrod's million, have enough.
The priest is in the parlOrs, our friends
are all with him. MY darling, when we
have waited five years. you will not ask
me to wait another day Pr
y do you mean" she began hestating-
ly, and all the beautiful color deepening
81 mean to marry you, dec volente be-
fore the next quarter Chimes" he whs-
pered.
q ''In this dress y she cried, with sudden
revulsion to the world, especially the FEM
inc world.
lin anything" he answered. The out
side shall not matter when our hearts are
clad in wedding garments ~ He moved
away, but came back and took her in his
arms again in an embrace as if he were
satisfying the hunger of five years MY
darling, you have not told me yet that it
was all error" he said, "that YOU love
me-"
Al ..,.ll Al ~