The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-10-12

working away hard like q good little
Cinderella2 Do you know I've actual.
ly worn path under the kitchen win
dows trying TO get peep at you"
"No, said Lottie, with frank look
Of surprise; but something in Mr..
Davenports answering gaze suddenly
caused her to bend over the basket, "a
hide the vexed color that burned on her
cheek.
"AIiss Lottie |"
The voice was almost a whisper, and
hand softly tried to draw away the
basket Of pease.
"Well, sir9"
"Put these away while, aid let me
talk TO you"
"why, I'm listening I Isha'n't have
the pease ready for dinner !"
Nevertheless, she let him put the
basket one side, only saying, with O
nervous attempt at laugh,
"There now are you satisfied p
Mr.. Davenport deliberately took the
baskets place at her side, and, bending
his dark, bearded face very near to her
own, answered,
"No, not yet. How can / be salts
fed, Miss Lottie, when you show SC
plainly that You don't like me 2"
His hearer coniusedly disclaimed this
"Why, Mr.. Davenport, IL Oh
course / do p
"Well, 1 don't want you to like me.
l don't like you."
Her puzzled and somewhat rcsentiul
glance made him smile. He continued,
bending go near that fringe Of hair
brushed Lottie's curls:
"I believe you know already what ]
mean. Yon little coy, black.eyed
sprite, 1 love you. Didn't you guess
II before l told your
The garden, the oyerhanging vines,
aud the sky whirled before Lottie't
eyes. Love her 2-the rich Mr.. Dayen'
port, who had more money than he
knew what to do with Love her
She was too much amazed TO resist
when he took her hands in his, or tC
comprehend the disconnected sentence
which confirmed his declaration. The
first words she heard distinctly were
uttered by lips that almost touched hel
cheek:
"Will you marry moP'
"I-I- Somebody will see u.s.
she said, struggling in vain to free her
SELF.
"That isn't answering my question.
Poor little stained fingers they shall
never do any more hard work. How
would you like to be o rich lady,
Lottie?h
He saw the quick sparklein her eyes.
Ah, how beautiful To dress, to drive,
to dance, 10 SEQ thousand things she
had heard Of She let the clasping arm
draw her closer and closer, and the
bearded lips touch hers once. The
clump OF marigolds in the garden
cleaned like prophecy Of the wealth
she might possess II she would. No
more calicoes and kitchen-work; but,
instead
"Aro you never going to tell me
yesP"
Some answer that Lottie managed 10
utter earned her so many kisses that
she struggled again to rise.
"Let me go, pleased" she entreated,
scarlet with shame.
"well, I want TO put this ring on
your finger. There and now"
An approaching iootstep startled
them. Mr.. Davenport rose hastily, and
Lottie, too, sprang to her feet. Susan,
the houso.maid, appeared in the door
way, and Mr.. Davenport turned ab.
ruptly down the garden path.
"Be them peas shelled, Miss Lot
aNo, but almost. What time is
itr
"Eleyen and quarter"
Lottie went to work in serious earn
est, despite her excitement; but she
was iated to have another interruption,
in the shape Of q tall, blue.eyed youth,
who came up the garden path with sew
eral fish dangling from q rod.
"There |" he said, dropping these
on the piazza, and throwing himself
down in the place Mr.. Davenport had
Just vacated, "those are for Susan, II
She wants them. I've had good luck
this morning. I suppose the fishes
wanted to celebrate my last holiday.
Don't you think so, Miss Lottie ?"
"Your Inst holiday |" was tile blank
rejoinder. "What do you mean2"
tive got 10 go back to the city to-
morrow. Two Of the clerks are sick.
Ho for cashmeres and muslin again |"
he looked up at Iottie rather ex.
pectantly, hoping for some expression
OF regret (; but not word did she say.
A sudden pallor had replaced the flush
on her face, however. The heavy seal
ring that Mr.. Davenport had placed on
her finger most inopportunely slipped
OF Just here, fell from her lap, and
rolled along the step slowly. The new.
conner picked IL up, changed color as
his eyes fell upon 1t, but merely said,
as he handed it back.
"You have new ring, haven't you y
"Ye-yes."
He watched her rs she hastily push
ed II on again then said, rather indig.
nantly
"You hayen'ttold me whether you're
sorry I'm going or not"
"oi course I'm sorry, Mr.. Willard, F"
was the reply, in stiaed tones for Lot.
Tie was bending over another handful
Of pods,
d'oi course 7 Is that ALP Well,
that's the way with women. Aman be.
lieyes o woman will perhaps think
kindly OF him when he Is gone, will
perhaps regret his departure from her,
as he regrets It himself and she tells
him calmly, why 'of course, she Is
T3ttje WAS making sad work with the