Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-03-13

Malcolm"
Poor Marioni--poor childi-poor dar
lingn
Ho murmurs this between the kisses
that he leaves on the hand which he has
seized between both his own.
81 have dreaded 80 TO tell you," she
! proceeds, quiverirgly. "Don't think that
| took this means because of such cow
| ardice. All, no, mol Papa promised me
so solemnly that he would touch nothing
If he came-promised II over and over,
| you know--that l gained o little conf
dence, and let him come. When l saw
him taste the first glass, at dinner, l knew
that this must be. There was no getting
him away without worse shame.
and scandal Qor wine at once is
wormwood TO his sweet nature and
makes him british If he is crossed),
or | should certainly have gone to
you for assistance. But noto he Is differ
ent. Cannot you manage TO get that star
ing crowd from about him9 1t is 80 hor-
rible for me to think of his being stared
at in his shame and overthrow"
Yes; it shall be done at once"
! Malcolm leaves her, and approaches the
window. The long French blinds are
fastened on the inside, but they can be
! opened from without Malcolm, know
| ing this, stoops down and opens them.
Theu he slips into the dining-room.
Malcolm looks round him, and address
es the company with clear voice:
"Gentlemen, | am sorry enough to in
terrupt your conversation, but l fear it
will be only courtesy to the ladies for us
to join them in the next room"
The group shows immediate signs of
dispensing, and does disperse presently in
silent couples and trios. Not long after
ward the only occupants of the dining
room are Malcolm, his father, Edred Cav
trie and the Major, whose loud, thick
breathings already tell the beginning of
besotted sleep.
Come" says Gawtrie, {" let us have a
farewell glass of this jolly Madeira before
we join the ladies'"
Malcolm smiles, takes up glass and is
about to fill it, when he feels hand lay
itself lightly upon one of his shoulders
He turns, and is astonished to discover
Marion
al wish you would drink no wine with
that man." she says, pointing directly to
Edred GawtTie. Her voice is not loud it
seems, indeed, to be somewhat low, and
yet, by virtue of a certain cold vibration,
it is heard clearly in every part of the
spacious dining-room. "1 will tell you
why think he is not fit, Malcolm, to re-
ceive the courtesy of any true-bred gen.
tleman. Having borne a personal spite
toward myself, and wishing to deal me a
good blow of revenge, he has used tonight
all skillful arts of persuasion in the mat
ter of making my father yield to a weak
ness which he has for years known him
to possess. When my father came here
tonight it was his honest intention TO
drink nothing; butagain and again saw
| Mr.. Gawtrie tempt and re-tempt him with
unhagging zeal l repeat that saw this,
and dare Mr.. Gawtrie to deny it."
Naturally clever man, quick at expe-
dient, rich in repartee, Edred Gawtrie is
now completely nonplused. He springs
up from his chair and begins, with a
choked voice:
Madam, if you were not a lady"
"Spare yourself the trouble of talking,
Gawtrie," !" breaks in the stern voice of Mr.
Hurst. az, for one, feel certain that Miss
Farrowe has spoken the truth. / re-
marked your conduct at dinner, and your
attempts to gain certain object were very
noticeable"
Edred Gawtrie is biting his under lip
now, while either cheek looks quite blood
less. Presently, making each word dis
tinct, separate sneer, he gives rapid an
swer to this effect:
81 am really sorry so to have called
down all this wrath. Of course, l don't
/ CdIC WuGluGT L dlu DellCNeu OT UOI, DuJ LIl6
truth of the whole matter is simply that
1 supposed Major Farrowe had seen the
folly of disgracing himself among assem-
blages of refined people; otherwise, took
the liberty of believing that his daughter
would have had more respect for the fam
ily and the friends of her future husband
! than to run the risk of what has tonight
occurred. Miss Farrowes charges are
nnder & &s.a .h1pGh 5 daThileSs cnra5dGpa1Ae
l cannot say the same for yours, Mr..
Hurst; unfortunately, not even your
mortified pride can excuse their absurd
ity."
And then this best of haters slips from
the room with little mocking smile and
considerable grace of exit. II have left
my sting behind me-" he confdeptly tells
himself.
Everybody has now left the dining-room
except Marion, Mr.. Hurst and Malcolm,
and, alas the poor Major, wholly inert
and unconscious in an easy-chair which
has been provided for him some time pre-
viously, and looking a sad enough wreck
of the splendid guest who entered Mrs.
Hurst's rooms with so lordly a presence
not many hours ago.
And now Marion breaks down utterly.
1t is torrent of tears and sobs. She i'm
plores Malcolm not TO dream of holding
to his engagement; she begs Mr.. Hurst to
tell her his true feelings, which she knows
are those of horror at becoming connect
ed with such family. AS for Malcolm's
mother, on her account it will be a hun
dred-fold better if the engagement is
broken. These and words much wilder
leave her lips. Mr.. Hurst and Malcolm
both try to minister comfort; tits without
avail She throws herself on a great
lounge in the corner of the room, and
means and sobs only more terribly.
They leave her thus for a little while, and
at last, after she has grown much quleter, a
soft voice calls her name, and two arms
lift her almost forcibly from the cushions,
and pillow her head upon large, warm,
motherly bosom instead.
al have heard everything my child"
Mrs. Hurst murmurs, land have heard
also that you persist in talking wild, fool
ish words about your engagement being
broken. Why, Marion, do you think we
could possibly let you go now-now when
the knowledge of your misfortune has
made you so much dearer to uss No, in
= deed And now, too, we begin to see
how noble girl you are. Oh, there have
been people here tonight who know you,
and the secret somehow got abroad long
ago of how you have given up all your
young life to your poor father in devotion
and protection. So do you imagine we
could part with such heroine as this,
now we have secured her? Oh, no; never
hink of it!"
Then there are sweet kisses given and
taken, and Marion feels a great peace
steal into her soul as she thinks of the f1-
ture, and is filled with shudder when
she remembers the past. The curse yet
remains. That shall be scattered by
} Deaths hand solely-but it is good to
f think that she must not hereafter face it
) all alone in its black grimness, And so,
; clasping Mrs. Hurst very tightly indeed
in her strong, young arms, she exclaims,
t just as Malcolm re-enters the room:
t "With all its horror and its agony, l
cannot but thank God for this nightl'
b. Why's" whispers Malcolm, coming to
g her side.