The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-07-22
RALPH BENEDICT'S EYES.
BY Il. A. SMITH.

BY Il. A, SMITH.
"Take care Flora, take care. Yoj
are playing with edged tools. You ma,
offend Ralph forever"
"Ohend him, indeed Don't talk t.
me, Kate; tell you he is perfect
hateful. have hirted with him till IN,
head aches played with him, sang n
him, romped or been digniied, till my
wits we're fairly bothered how to Great,
new sensation ; and yet the wretch sits
staring at me rs if his eyes were made
for nothing but to see with
"Well, what are his eyes made for ?
"Sach eyes as his were made for Il
thousand things; great black ones,
with such long, silky lashes Why, he
could make no end of commotion il
the feminine fancy with his eyes alone
What are they made for? They are
made to say unutterable things, to lool
million varying emotions, to raisf
with feryor, g. cast down with modesty
to melt with feeling, or flash with pride
And, upon my word, / don't believe the
man has the slightest idea that they
were made for anything but the con
venience OF seeing. And to think that
am engaged 10 him !"
81 thought you could break the en-.
gagement."
Yes, and lose every penny OF my
property and bring tho whole family
about my ears. No, Uncle George
portioned off Glenvile 10 us if we took
it together if not, it was to go to some
distant relatives who live IN Philadel.
phia. SO, down comes my sharer of
this worlds goods, and, in most mat
ter -of.fact way, says, / think we had
better be married in the fall, Flora.
And I, like an idiot, said very well. ,"
"He is certainly very handsome,
FloraP"
eyes 80 is uncle's bust of Napoleon.
Looks like him, by-the-way, and one
has about as much animation as the
other. The most provoking thing
about him is, he will never do anything
that is not strictly proper and dignitied.
never saw him take glars OF water
without desire on my part to tip the
whole of it down his neck, and see him
Jump. Though for that matter, he
wouldns Jump il / did. | haven't done
harem scarem thing since he came
that he has not caught me in the act.
| never scramble over fence that he is
not on the other side with profound
bow for my especial benefit, and as
sure as dare to climb tree or under.
take the least bit of frolic, his most
magnificent m highness is the first object
to meet my eyes. Kate, l wonder II |
couldn't make him jealous? | mean to
try. Harry Vane came home yesterday
and is all ready to fall at my feet"
Harry Vane is Il brainlcss fop,
Flora"
"He knows how to use his eyes, even
if he is, and he.is the best fun i'll the
world"
And You would offend Ralph ?"
81 tell YOU | hate him " and Flora
dashed out of the room, leaving her
invalid,cousin and coniidanle aghast at
her sudden outburst.
In the parlor the merry beauty found
her betrothed, his large eyelids closed
over the useless eyes, and apparently
fast asleep.
"I wish could play some joke and
see if it would astonish him when he
awoke," she said.
"Not in the least, if knew it be-
forehand," said Ralph, lazily opening
his eyes.
"How dare you pretend to sleep ;"
cried Flora Indignantly 81 might
have talked secrets. q,
"Then I should not have listene'. "
ooh, of course not nothing half SO
naughty could occur to you," she SAID
rather sneeriDgly. =,
81 trust nothing dishonorable could. !"
was the quiet reply, though for mo-
ment his cheek crimsoned with vex'
alton.
81 aak your pardon, I did not mean mes,
to be so rude" said the frank little
penitent, holding out her hand.
He only bowed gracefully, and,
sr ratchipg away the rejected hand, she
threw herself down on the piano stool
and dashed off her pique in a stormy
polka. The polka went off into dream,
| like waltz and one of Beethoven's son'
atas followed; ; till, as the room grew
almost dark, the subduing influence be
came stronger, and, as the last note
died away, she began to sing, not as he
had heard her sing before in dashlne
opera airs her voice rose clear, but
subdued, in sad melodies, old ballads
and those longing airs OF "Auld Lang
Syne," 80 seldom heard nowadays,
The tea bell broke in upon the
pleasure, and the light dining-roon
found Ralph as dignifed and Flora al
saucy as il no music had stirred theil
hearts into new and strange com
munion.
Kate heard, day after day, with pam
of the marked coldness between kalpf
and Flera, and of her increasing flirfa
tion with Harry Vane.
At last the crash came.
81 am free
Flora threw back the door and rushed
in. with burning cheeks and flashing
eyes.
"I am free, Kate. My charming
cousin came to me one hour ago ant
asked an interview-a private one
which 1 granted, of course. He in
formed me that when he graduated as
physician, with his heart full OF tb
glory and responsibility Of his pre-
fession, he had come here trusting t
find wife who would be his companio
and true helpmate in the arduous hi
before him. He had hoped that m
liveliness was merely youthful spirit