The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1875-03-04
Il shall go inside, | am get

--Mrs. what's her name?" why
did not Percy offer? One whispered
word might have set all things to rights.
"Saw her moment ago in there"
The great flesh arm in its broadcloth
covering was thrust out, and Helen laid
the tips of her white-gloved fingers upon
- One must conform to the proprieties,
even though all ones future has just
crumpled to pieces under ones very eyes.
X
can never cease thanking heaven, my
dear child, for the escape you have had
in Percy Lennox's fckelness [ have
heard about him at last, and have done
nothing else but rejoice ever since that
your little Irritation came to nothing seri-
Gus. They say he is leading shocking
life-quite out of our set, thank good
nessl Indeedssh has become quite unpre-
sentable, lives somewhere in the east end
Balls Court, | think they call it, fancy
what place-writes for a low paper, and
drinks and does all sorts of dreadful things.
His poor old uncle is quite in despair.
He said to me himself, "Why did not
Miss Stuart marry him?" How glad /
am she did not! They do say that he
had an attack of delirium tremens, and is
i'll with that or something else now. He
is completely lost, you see; and l must
say | never was so deceived in a young
man. [ really was fond of Percy, but of
course one must cut him now," ETC. So
ran the tenor of certain letter held by
Captain Stuart one morning in the first
week of October
The person to whom it was addressed,
half-sitting, half kneeling on the floor at
his feet, her beautiful face hidden on his
knees, and her whole figure shaking with
ill-repressed sobs
Come, Helen, Helen, don't weep SO, !"
said her brother soothingly "What is it
you want to do, and when did this reach
you?"
"Three days ago" answered poor Helen
through her tears, "and then | told papa
all just as | have told you, and begged
him to let me come up to town and see
you. At first he was angry with Percy
and would 'nt-after he saw how unhappy
[ was, he was very kind, and said he
would come himself, only you know his
rheumatism prevented him. And oh,
Harry, Harry, it is all my doing! He
said | had ruined him, and / have!"
"a man must be absurdly weak, to let
any girl ruin him. | thought Lennox
had better stuff in him" said her brother;
though, indeed" he added, with frater-
nal testiness, II never should have dream
ed that you had no more sense, Helen,
than to listen to the envious tongues of a
pack Of old women There don't cry,
dear girl! 1t is sad; but we will bring
him back-only what am to do? Go to
him! can not very well; for you see he
has avoided me so markedly, was offend
ed, and we had few words-not on
your account, but his own folly-and the
fact is, we don't speak now. Shall |
write?"
"No, Harry; let me. [ want to send
only one line, just to ask him to come
here And-and if he does, you will let
me see him won't you?"
"Do you know how much such an act
compromises you, Helen?"
"Yes."
"And my father is willing?"
"Yes, Harry, he knows that II love
Percy, and he loves me so much that he
no longer withholds his consent"
The girls cheeks were crimson now;
but her eyes looked up simply and fear
lessly and to the plain honesty of those
beaming eyes, Harry Stuart answered as
plainly:
"Sit down and write your letter-only
don't write it ten yards long"
1t was an unlucky proviso, for it made
Helen so nervous and timid, that when,
after at least score of attempts, her let
ter was written, it contained only these
words.
"Dear Mr.. Lennox:-Will you come
and see me? | am staying with Harry,
and should like to see you very much.
Harry sends his love-
HELEN STUART"
Percy Lennox little knew how many
tear blotted letters, ending more or less
affectionately, had been torn up before
that curt little epistle was despatched, OF
what loving, yomanly heart was beating
for his presence. Had it been otherwise
his answer might have been different.
40, Balls Court, Il G.
My Dear Miss Stuart: Thank you for
your kind note and invitation, the latter
of which, however, | do not feel as liberty
to accept for reasons for which l have no
doubt you and your brother will fully un
derstand. / am yours faithfully.
PERCY LENNoX."
Harry Stuart was a man, and got into 4
passion; Helen was woman and under
stood. But her wisdom cost her great
hollows under her beautiful eyes. In the
end she got her own way entirely; even
Harry was coaxed to feelsome compassion
for the feeble, shaky handwriting, so un
like Percy's usually bold, caligraphy, which
contained these stern words.
4 n
1t was damp, cherries day, and Percy
Lennox was sitting alone in his dismal lit
tie sitting room. The fire smouldered
dimly in rusty crate Uttered with ashes
and scraps of paper; and a chill rivel
breeze blew in at the open window, and
rustled the leaves of a melancholy elm
which grew in the court below. The table
was Uttered with lot of untidy lookin Q
manuscripts and piles of cigar ashes, and
the little horsehair sofa bore the simple
decoration of bedroom pillow not en-
tirely without holes, and bearing the recent
imprint of head Indeed, the occupant
of the room, white and thin from recent
illness, and leaning back in a rusty arm
chair, looked more fit to have his head on
the same pillow than anywhere else
The handsome face with the severe
Greek outline, about which Belgravian
damsels used to rage, looked sadly worn
and haggard now; great purple rings were
round the blue eyes, and two deep fur
rows on the broad, pale forehead, bearing
witness to the treble course of sickness,
dissipation and trouble The tall, soldier
ly figure was bent wearily forward, and
though Percy's hands and linen were still
spotlessly nice and clean, his coat looked
worn and shabby, and the bright, auburn
curls struggled over his forehead in a very
different fashion from their old "West
End" regularity. He had pen in his
hand, but he was not writing-only gazing
with bitter, sorrowful earnestness at the
little, neatly written note received on the