Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-07-11
gus Anseles Aerald.
MARION MOORE.

It was a pretty picture as could be
imagined-the fair, graceful young
girl leaning upon the low wicket gate,
with an arcl: of roses blooming above
her like a framework. So at least
thought Mr.. John Morton, as, uncon-
sciously slackening his hasty steps,
not too soon to disturb her, he advan-
ced along the pretty suburban village
street. Soft, however, as was his step,
she heard him, and, starting from her
half-pensive attitude, courteously re-
turned his salutation.
~ would scarcely have eXpectedyo
up so early, REMARKED the young man
in the frank, pleasant way that was
natural to him. "Tempted out by your
flowers, suppose" he added, glanc-
ing around upon the little front gar
den, rich in blossom of every hue.
"Nothing tempted me-" she answer
ed, carelessly. al arose early because
it suited me to do so.n
A slight smile passed over Mr.. Nor
toms lip. 1t was so like Marion
Moore that willful little speech.
And Marion saw the smile and under
stood it perfectly; and she would not
have been Marion Moore had she not
|
With all her tender womanly affect
ions and really noble and generous
impulses, she was yet at times inclined
to be willful and capricious-a sort of
spoiled child, accustomed to be petted
and INDUCED by her family, and defer
red to and worshiped by her lovers.
But John Morton never deferred to
her in her humors and caprices; and
though she knew that for nearly two
years he had loved her, he was never
her humble slave, or allowed himself
to be made miserable and desparing
by her neglect or coldness-or at least
he never showed that he felt himself
so. And last evening at Mrs. Elliots
party, though she had purposely
sighted him, and fiirted with his ri
val, here he was this morning as
healthy and hearty and cheerful as
usual, and had even smiled with an
air of superiority at her wilful speech
as he might have done with a child,
Marion thought resentful.
"Were l as free as yourself to con-
suit inclination" he replied to that
same little speech, "I might not now
| be on my way to R. Imperative
business called me out before sunrise;
but remembering your mothers wish
to have her watch repaired in R,
have called on my way to the depot
to offer my services
81 don't know that mamma has
risen," said Marion, glancing back at
the pretty white house with its broad
verandah. "You might as we'll have
mentioned it to her last night"
"The letter requiring my presence
| in R-did not reach me till late. l
found it awaiting me upon my return
from Mrs. Elliot's
"There is Aunt Lottie in the varan-
dah," said the girl indifferently. "For
myself, l must gather flowers while
the dew is on them.n
And while Morton walked briskly
to the house, she took up a basket and
scissors and wandered about among
the flower-beds humming faint air
as she daintily gathered the blossoms,
and yet she was wondering all the
while how long John Morton would
be away.
He came back presently with little
package in his hand. Marion stood,
bolding in her white fingers tiny bo-
quet-a purple violet, a moss rose bud
and leaf OF a rose geranium. John
Morton's heart gave a quick throb.
Had he not, the evening previous,
heard her telling Mr.. Lorraine the
symbolical meaning of these very
flowers c"Think ofme"-'hope''-pref-
erence") as they stood flirting over
the boquet? And had she gathered
these blossoms for himself, now that
he was going away?
"Won't you tell me good-by?o ap-
| preaching to where she stood, in The
| shadow of the laurels. "I shall be
away for two whole weeks"
1.-TWO weeks! You talk as if that
were long time," said the girl quite
lightly.
''It will appear long to me-"
She glanced up and colored as she
met his eyes. 1t was seldom that she
saw that look in them.
"Won't you give me something to
remind me of you while absent?o he
pleaded; ia f1ower-those now in your
hand?"
"The remembrance is scarcely
worth having which needs tangible
tokeD,n she answered, in the same
careless tone.
"Marion you know what L meanW
This time she did not dare to meet his
eyes. "Will you give me these flow
ers? unless, nhe added, "they are in
tended for some one elSe.n
"And suppose they are so?'
"Then have only this to say-give
them to me-or to any other that you
may choosen
The girls color went and came; but
she never lifted her eyes from the flow
ers which she now slowly picked to
pieces, leaf by leaf,-and still the
young man stood, with his grave eyes
fixed upon her, and his hand half ex-
tended.
All at once a feeling of his manhood
came over John Morton. Should he
allow himself to be thus trified with
in his deepest and most sacred feel
ings? Should he submit, as for months
past he had submitted, to be checked
and thwarted, and yet still held on as
it were by this girl, who knew how he
loved her?
"Marion, nhe said-and his voice had
tone which warned her that he was
in earnest-"if you refuse me this re-
quest it is the last l shall ever make
of you. l know that you understand
me-" he added, in low firm voice;
land l will take your compliance or
refusal as definite and final between
us.n
1t was scarcely the proper way of
coming to the point" or of winning
a favorable answer-at least from Ma
rion Moore; but John Morton, in his
straightforward honesty and sincerity,
was but little acquainted with the
fnesse which most lovers find it nec-
essary to make use of on occasions