The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-08-14
GhtGRteIlfatnGer.
HEART AND HAND.

80 Alma; sorry became you hay
.r,rycd as noble heart as ever ihr9pOeO
-urry because you have trlIlfd WIN 1lI'
ere, pure love, such as II Is gwen 10 p'
frg women 10 win ,.,--
But, Aunt Mercy you don't know
l,w cXacting and lisagreeabIe Leon hat
hrromc'
nlpwhat manner pray Y
asaolling me all the time
,scoldug? for whatY
wal moi exactly .colding, but fndinI
run in hi. uuiet way. | don't know bu
,anII have borne it better If he hat
'rep into n rage, and given me rGa
.wg.lns, hut when he commences, Alma
J,sr't1,n ] know there is u catalogue o
G"Ir. AMI shortcomings as long as M
Tmn follow. The fact is, Aunt Mercy
LwuIIari, Is too good for me. He Ough
IN ind saint, and ] am afraid | am mucl
"But. Alma, you have not told me now
hc cause Of your last quarrel, your rnp'
ured englgtmcnt. -.
al hardly know myself"
Alma You cannot mean that you
have taken such a step without grave
81 WA walking home last evening from
Mary Williams Valentine party. Leon
.rnt me beautiful bouquet in the morn
I'M. aud carried it to the party. was
dancing with Warren Simpson, when
.,me chance remark about flowers
brought my bouquet into notice, and
Warren asked Tor a flower, OF course !
gave him one, and Leon chose to imagine
that gave it with manner that might
lead him to attach sigitcance to the
ult. OF course there was lecture wait
inc for me a. we came home, One word
lcl to another, till finally Told him that
Twas weary OF his continual fault finding,
and he had better look further for u wife,
wh,cul combine all the PROJECTIONS OF
a saint with the patience otan angel. As
lormc. Twas aware that could never as
pirc to the character.
Alma. ALMA! And you part SOP
"Yr.. We were just at home, and he
balcmc farewell on the steps, and went
,wy. | won't be bound down so strictly
Ia guard every word and look. | am sure
innocent lIirtatons now and then NFe not
me' hiicous crimes, but | have to be
called tn account for every one. am
glai Ia he free again
Aud before the remOnstrance she saw in
Aunt Mcrcys face could be uttered, the
aiIIml little beauty sped away to her own
room.
gGal OF course she was glad" So
HE said to herself hundred timeS that
lay, wondering little herself at dull
rc,lIcs, pain In her heart that would
ND, h. driven back. As the day faded in
Ia the early twilight Of February even
ing, she dressed herself carefully, saying
in whispers to her heart. lie will come
back tonight, and and perhaps, II he is
real sorry he will make up again.
So the blue poplin he admired was put
On, the pretty lace he loved nestled
against the white throat, and when all
cl.c was donned with an especial care,
Alma bcthought her Of her bouquet, She
Ind thrown it pcttishly into corner in
her anger of the preceding evening, but
perhaps there was one flower yet unladed
that she could put in amongst the folds
oi her hair Perhaps one Of the scarlet
gcraniums he loved 10 sec among the
glossy, jetty brnids was yet bright enough
for ornament. Rather slowly the young
girl went to the corner where the flowers
lay upon the floor, and, lifting them, sat
down to search for one fresh one. Not
one was there, hut, as the faded leaves
lclI from the bare stems, she saw that
there was something glittcring tied secure.
ly in the heart OF the bouquet. Won.
,lcring, she united the jewel and slipped
it upon her Ingurc. II was ring OF
quaint dcyiCe-twO hearts Of pure gold,
Joined by turquoise forgct.me-nOt, in
the heart Of which nestled q sparkling
diamond. Something rs clear and bright
rs the diamond CLEANED, for moment,
On Almas check, rs she softly pressed her
lips to the jewel. "Dear Leon, how much
he loves me! Oh, II could be all he
wishes, and keep down this haSty temper
Of mine" Already the quarrel had be-.
come matter Of deep regret, and the
warm little heart was ready for recon.
ciliation, when the tea bell put m end to
Almas day dreaming.
She was aspOiled little autythis warm
hearted, quick tempered Alma CrOftS,
mothCrless from her infancy, tho idol Of
a loving father, the belle Of her native
town, with whom no one could be angry
spite Of her thousand Caprices. From the
time when Aunt Mercy gave her the
Coming OUT party, and thus introduced
her to society, Alma had been the center
Of attraction among her large circle Of
friends. Her piquant beauty, perfect
brunette in the ietty, glossy hair and
great black eyes, her complexion rivaled
that Of the blondes, and her tiny, grace
full little figure was as full Of life as that
Of a iairy. The object Of admiration, and
the recipient Of attention from number
Of gentlemen whom shc was accustomed
to meet In society. Alma almost uncon.
sciouNlly grew coquettiSh in manner, dis
tribnting her smiles and favOrs freely,
accepting many offerings which one more
sensitive about encouraging attention
would have declined. Thatshc was vain,
gid,ly and CoquettiSh all could see, but
only few read the promise Of nOblcr and
better impulses under thiswOrldly surface.
leon Harris was one Of the few who
could penetrate the crust, and read some.
thing Of the warm, true heart beneath,
that only needed some strong motive 10
wake II to life. lie, with his grave, re.
served nature, seemed strangely unfit to
mate with this butterfly, but, with the
inconsistency Of love, he gave his whole
heart into her capriciOus keeping, hoping
that an answering love would rOtise the
noblcr portion Of her nature. But he was
too eaget for the change that could only
be wrought gradually. Accustomed to
80 much adulation and attention, Alma
found it difficult TO give up the unmean-
ing ciyilitics so long given to her She
loved Leon truly. recognizing all the no.
Die, high attributes Of his nature, but she
wa' worried into pettish resistance by his
Too often attempts to mould her into the
quiet, reserved woman he wished to see
her
Two loving hearts, united by the at
traction Of opposites, Leon and Alma
needed only patience to become each what
The other most desired. Time, the great
la'hioncr, would have laid his finger on
each heart, tearing away something Of the
cold reserve Of the one and the gay vanity
oil the other. But they were young and
inpatient and while the one wished to
wrench the other suddenly and fOrcihly
from all associations and habits the pthef
hnngered Lor some words Of ntnisn or lini.