Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-07-22

nad TOLD DlSDy that the closer ne az
| hered to his own private family thu
better it would be for girl so young
and impulsive as Hattie. So was {
little annoyed when he told me hi
thought of taking his wife and daughtel
to. another of them charity con-
certs.
"You do very wrong, Bigby.'
said reproving1y. "Hattie will be sure
to attract idle attention, and I think
you'll regret it"
"Pooh, pooh! Mr.. Fithian," said
| the good natured father; 1--WE can't
keep her in glacs case you know
"Would to Heaven we could"
groaned, and went in search of her.
found her wild to go. We were in
the summer house, and those little octa-
gon shaped boxes force people into
close proximity. She had never been
so beautiful. In white dress, with a
tear in each of her soft blue eyes, she
was the embodiment of woruanly love-
illness.
"Please let me go!" she said with
her hands clasped entreatingly.
| moved toward her impelled by a
strange magnetism. I was dazzled,
confused, bewildered.
"Why do you ask me?" l stam'
mered. "Is my consent necessary to
your happiness?'
eyes, yes" she murmurmed; 81
could not enjoy it otherwise J" She
stopped and drew a long breath. ]
felt it or my check, and sweet rap
turous conjecture was suddenly con-
ceived in my heart. 1 sank back with
the conviction that l loved her. Then
l took her in my arms and kissed her,
and went rapidly out of the summer
house. But before I went home it was
arranged that she should go with me
to the concert, poor old Bigby giving
wondering but bland consent.
determined upon reaching my lodg
ing place; to send little note to Ger
trude, stating my inability to be with
her on the night of the festivity but
found upon my table note from her
1 opened it with languid interest; but
upon reading the first few lines I threw
it down and walked madly across the
room. Her note contained a request
that I would attend her to concert
oiyen for the benefit Of the St. John
Chapel. 1t would be Immediately
under the auspices Of the Reverend
Cavendish, she added, and that I must
be aware of its charitable intent and
purposes when she mentioned this name
to me.
This concert was the very one for
which Bigby had procured tickets, and
to which l had pledged myself to take
Hattie.
sank into chair and support a
dazed and bewildered brain with my
trembling hands. Whatever was to
be done must be done quickly, as the
night of the concert was close at hand,
and it was certainly out Of the question
that could go with either party.
With a sort of consciousness that the
task l was about to perform was
neither an easy nor delightful one,
1 seized pen and wrote thus to
Hattie:
My DEAR LITTLE HATTIE: In spite
of all our hopes and plans can't take
YOU to the concert: A big goblin has
stepped in and upset everything. |
can't tell you how inconsolable | am.
Go with your papa and mamma, but
look straight on the stage and don't
with your rare loneliness attract vulgar
attention. Yours jealousy,
AUGUSTUS ETHAN
Then with a heavy sigh, putting aside
this little missive, | wrote thus to Ger
trude:
MYDEAR GERTRUDE I find it quite
impossible to go with you on Thursday
evening. An unpleasant, but impera-
tive obstacle forbids.
Yours always,