The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-12-10

Ashurst a great deal, but Amy could
only guess what the looks meant.
Well?" she said, interrogatively, as
they met on the dOor-steps after tea.
Well, responded Phil.
"What do you think? Isn't she
pretty?"
"Pretty!" with an indignant inAec-
tion.
"Why, Phil, how can you help think
ing so?"
"'Pretty is not the word at all. She is
| superb-beautiful.
q thought you would think so," said
Amy, cheerfttlIy, but with little stric-
ture at her heart.
g Yes. She's not my style, of course;
| but she is woman in a thousand. No
wonder she has been such belle all her
life"
"Pm so glad you admire her. Now
you won't mind her being here, and
you'll be polite to her, won't you, Phil ?"
" Oh, yes; Pll do whatever you wish,
replied Phil, with a carelessncss which
was half affected.
"She's not Philips STYLE" whispered
Amy to her pillow that night, and fell
asleep with the talismanic sentence on
her lips.
''Alas how easily things so wrong!
| a word too much, kiss too long,
And there falIeth mist and binding rain,
And life is never the same again,
sings George Macdonald Things went
wrong" in little Amy's world during
| the next fortnight. Was it only the pre-
science of coming mists which darkened
the blue, and made the days sad? Was
it only foolish jealousy, or was it some
thing tangible? She made herself mis-
cradle over these questions. She scolded
herself, but scolding did no good the
wrupg, hurt feeling would not leave her.
And yet why was she hurt Was it not
natural and right that Philip should be
attentive to their guest, who had on him,
as on her, the claim of kindred blood
this guest who was so charming? For
herself too strongly Was it not the
very thing she had asked him to do?
Yes; but yet---but yet-~-but yet All
these reflections ended by deepening the
vague unhappiness. Night after night
she sat alone on the doorstep and
watched the boat glide off into the moon
light; Phil at the oars, Miss Ashurst with
the tiller ropes in her white hands.
Come with us" they always said; but
when she murmured an excuse, they
passed on cheerfully without her. Yes,
it had come to that: Philip went with
out her, and liked it Just as well The
wOrld---her world--had changed. Would
it ever be the same again?"
Philip was in temporary dazzle of
admiration; he neither reasoned nor re-
hected. But for Miss Ashurst no slight
est glimpse of the truth had crossed her
mind. She thought Amy a sweet, pretty
child, but shy, and busy with household
matters, as the only daughter of a widow
in poor circumstances must naturally be.
For Phil, he was charming; she liked
him best when alone--the truth being
that 4 slight uneasy consciousness made
him awkward when in company with the 1
old love, with whom he was somehow a
little off" and the new, with whom he
was not fairly con" SO Miss Ashurst
was not sorry when Amy refused to Join
in the moonlight rows, and knowing no
thing of what had gone before, it did not
strike her as unusual or make her ques-
ton. He and Amy were as brother and
sister, she reflected. So her eyes being
sealed by ignorance, and PhiPs blinded
as by sudden spell, Amy's pale cheeks
and woful looks passed unheeded, except
by one pair of eyes which were not
sealed, namely, her mothers.
Mrs. Mauran was a quiet person; but
her quiet concealed strength and power
reading character. Instinctively she
"toOk stock" of all persons with whom
she came in contact, and her instinct
rarely failed. a bitter experience had
taught her how easy things 90 wrong"
in this world of ours, and though she
"hated to meddle," and was sorry to lose
her bOarder, she resolved to appeal to
the sweetness and nobility which She felt
were the underlying stratum of Miss
Ashurst's nature. 1t was in this wise |
that she accomplished her purpose:
Miss Ashurst and Phil had been off on
a drive prolonged into late twilight. Tea !
was over Phil had stroled down to the !
village after the mall and Mrs. Mauran |
sat beside her guest in the shaded porch. !
"Where is Amy?" asked Miss Ash |
urst.
"Gone to bed with bad headache"
said Mrs. Mauran.
"a headache? | am so sorry! Isn't |
there something out of my medicine |
case which would relieve her?--pulsatil- |
la, perhaps, or iris" Miss Ashurst was |
devoted hOmeopath.
81 think there is something. Not out |
of your case, however," replied Mrs. |
Mauran, quietly.
What can you mean?" |
" My dear Miss Ashurst, may | speak :
frankly to you about something that is |
on my mind And will you not think |
me unkind or impertinent?'
" / amquite sure you could be neither"
@ | want to tell you little story which
concerns Phil and Amy"
"Phil and Amyw
q Yes They are second cousins, as
you know. PhiIs father was my most
intimate friend, and the children were
naturally brought up together. Last
spring Phil, who trusts me as if were
his mother, begged my leave to ask Amy
Miss Ashurt said nothing, only leaned
forward little and listened. q told
him that Amy was so young that he had
better wait few months before he said
anything. l wish | hadn't"
L" I don't know why. 1t might have
been better. Since that time Phil has
seen woman little older, far more
beautiful, than my little girl, richer in
all that life has to give, but not richer as
far as he is concerned, for she has no
love to give him, and Amy has. If she
had, if she could, l should not speak. If
| did not know that she is as true and as
good as she is beautiful, | should not
speak. As it is. 1 do"
" NV dear Mrs. MaUran thank you,
said Miss Ashurst, as last. " You were
right to speak. have made mischief,
but without knowing it. You are sure
of that, hope"
q / am sure of it."
{" Phil is a charming person. L like
him extremely, and of course | saw that
he-liked me. But / never thought of
it as a serious thing. A great many other
people have felt the same, and have got
ten over il"
" Phil will get over it also. He has
loved you but three weeks, and Amy
three years. 1t is glamour, which will
wear off,
Miss Ashurst smiled still, but less
brightly. 1t is not pleasant to be agreed
with so cordially in matters OF this kind
% Yes" she said; ait is, as you say,
glamour. 1t Will disappear as | disappear
And the sooner that disappearance takes
place the better l shall have letter