Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-02-19

tWlnkllng black eyes and scanty black
hair, which she nearly covered with false
braids and curls. I cannot recall the
memory of that spinster without feel
ing of aversion for the whole class. 1t
seemed as though she heard and saw
everything that was said and done. She
did not refrain from commenting on it
either, generally with the remark: j
overheard bands soon discovered
she had interested herself in my affairs.
i must be allowed the vanity of say
ing that from the first of our acquaint-
ance Miss Mason showed marked pref
erence for me. I was young, bashful and
unused to society; consequently it did
not take her long to have me madly in
love with her. This Miss Hunt seemed
to take as a personal insult to herself.
Whether she consideredhero own personal
attractions superior to Miss Mason's
cannot say. now believe that Miss
Mason was really attached to me once.
| never recollect her showing me the
least indifference until an unfortunate
affair occurred which, with Miss Hunts
assistance, began to highly color my own
actions. L heard Miss Mason say one
day she was very partial to-tube-roses,
and, although | could i'll afford to make
presents, purchased small bouquet of
them for her and carried them triumph
antly home. In the hall / met Milly
Wilson, the invalid niece of the landlady.
L pitied her for the dreary life she led,
and when / saw her look wistfully at my
flowers stopped to show them to her.
"'How lovely! They are my favorites
too. Their odor revives me like draught
of rich wine
" She bent her pale, sorrowful face over
them, when, yielding to sudden i'm
pulse of pity, ! told her they were hers.
"' Really, Mr.. Wentworth; but'-hesi-
tatingly-' were they not purchased for
some one else?
"'I purchased them for a fair and
lovely lady, | said gallantly; and am
sure fair lady has them.'
"She thanked me with such look of
pleasure on her face | felt repaid for the
sacrifice. | did not then know what a
terrible sacrifice ! had really made. AS
| turned to go upstairs cast my eye up
ward and perceived the fragile form of
Miss Hunt accidentally leaning over the
baluster. l remarked to myself, You
old catp and went on.up to my room. /
did not see Miss Mason until evening,
when, entering the parlor, found her
patiently listening to old Griggs, the
widower. She deigned nae a freezing
nod. After sauntering round the room
for some time without attracting her fur
ther notice, | retreated to the sitting
room, where Milly Wilson was winding
zephyrs. | began to assist her, and we
were thus sociably employed when Miss
Hunt happened to look in. Soon after,
Miss Mason did the same.
After that / could scarcely get civil
word out of the latter. l maneuvered
many times to get a chance to ask the
reason for her GOODNESS, and explain it
away if it was jealousy of poor Milly,
but Miss Hunt was always in the way.
She seemed to be on the lookout for me
as soon as I entered the house, and never
relaxed her surveillance until the street
door banged after me. Often then if l
would glance back could see her head
protruding from some window. So |
hired buggy one day, determined to
force an opportunity. But Miss Mason
was not at home. | was going to drive
off alone when Milly Wilson's pale, wist-
full face looked out from the sitting
room. I could not resist the temptation
to bestow pleasure where knew it would
be appreciated, 30 invited her to ride.
The next day had the unspeakable an
guish to see Miss Mason drive away with
old Griggs. I,,f Fe
"That was but the beginning of Sc
ries of events that drove me into fever
of jealousy. She f1irted with this one
and that one. Where she had been all
affability and sweetness once, she was
freezing haughtiness or insolent disdain.
| sat or the jagged edges of jealousy and
hot pf
she might take it into her head to marry
one of the fools she was flirting with.
In this unhappy state of mind St. Valen-
tines Day drew near A happy thought
struck me. l could end my misery and
had poetic talent of which / was am
bitiously proud. would write Miss Ma
son declaration of my real feelings for
her, and hint at miscOnstructiOn and mis-
representations in such way she could
not help knowing whom it was from. If
she scornfully rejected it, it would pass
as a valentine. If she accepted it, |
would be in glory. satisfied myself
proceeded to write avery dissimilar one
to Miss Hunt / am fortunate enough to
possess the latter"
locking small drawer, drew out letter
which he passed to me. On the cover
was written 'sMiss Della Mason" on
the inside were the following llnes
Delia-spinster, hapless maid
Spying, tattling, ancient jade, III
II Mischief making, sharp-nosed shrew,
Naught's too mean for you to do.
False ofteeth and false of hair,
Parody of all that's fair;
Prying, peaking. nosing round,
Listening at the slightest sound.
Envy, hate for youth you feel, &,
Seek It's harm with frantic zeal;
Fortune-fouted crook-nosed jade.
Men despise you, poor old maid!
"By some egregious blunder," con-
tinued Tom, when |. had finished its
perusal, 81 got that poetry into Miss
Masons envelope, and. it came back to
me that same day with ner compli-
ments!"
Protestations, explanations, and ver-
bal declarations were all OF no avail the
fair ones temper was up and she would
listen to nothing. To add to my misery
Miss Hunt showed my soft effusion OF
love, which she had received, to the
boarders, and they all pretended to be-
lieve had made no mistake. One line
of it shall never forget. T 1t was If
you could read this heart of mine Old
Griggs was the first one heard quote it..
He placed his pudgy old fist under his
thorax and, rolling his eyes upward, re-
peated it in burlesque-tragic style that
made me feel murderous.
"After that | never entered the house
nor sat down to a meal that some one
did not have it over Still / was plucky
enough not to give up the fight, and
wrote Miss Mason letter, in which
did myself and Miss Hunt ample justice.
She wrote back that she might forgive
me the blunder had made, but never,
never while reason remained could she
| foro;vo mo tha yar,>atr,t;or cf c,,nh