The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1875-07-23
RALPH BENEDICT's EYES.
BY L. 4, SMITH.

| BY L. 4. SMITH.
Take care Flora, take care. You
are playing with edged tools. You may
offend Ralph forever"
"Offend him, indeed Don't talk to
me, Kate; tell you he is perfectly
hateful. have firted with him till my
head aches played with him, sang at
him, rOmped or been dignifed, till my
wits were fairly bothered how to create
a new sensation and yet the wretch sits
| staring at me as if his eyes were made
for nothing but to see WITH
| Well, what are his eyes made for ?''
"SGch eyes as his were made for a
thousand things; great black ones,
with such long, silky lashes Why, he
could make no end of commotion in
the feminine fancy with his eyes alone
What are they made for ? They are
made TO say unutterable things, to look
| a million varying emotions, to raise
/ with fervor, cast down with modesty,
/ to melt with feeling, or flash with pride.
And, upon my word, don't believe the
| man has the slightest idea that they
were made for anything but the con
venience Of seeing. And to think that
am engaged 10 him "
' thought you could break the en-
gagement"
" Yes, and lose every penny of my
property and bring the whole family
about my ears. No, Uncle George
portioned off Glenville 10 US if we took
it together if not, it was to go to some
distant relatives who live IN Philadel-
phia. So, down comes my sharer of
this worlds goods, and, In a most mat
ter-of-fact way, says, I think We had
better be married in the fall, Flora
And I, like an idiot, said very well. ,"
"He is certainly very handsome,
Flora ?"
g Yes so is uncle's bust of Napoleon.
Looks like him, by-the-way, and one
has about as much animation as the
other. The most provoking thing
about him is, he will never do anything
that is not strictly proper and dignifed.
never saw him take q glaes of water
without desire on my part to tip the
whole of it down his neck, and see him
Jump. Though for that matter, he
wou1dn't Jump If did. I haven't done
a harem- -scarem thing since he came
that he has not caught me in the act.
never scramble over q fence that he is
not on the other side with a profound
bow for my especial benefit, and as
sure as I dare to climb tree or under
take the least bit of a frOEc, his most
magnificent highness is the first object
to meet my ey es. Kate, l wonder If L
couldn't make him Jealous? 1 mean to
try. Harry Vane came home yesterday
and is all ready to fall at nay feet"
q" Harry VRne is a brainless fOp,
Flcra."
He knows how to use his eyes, even
if he is, and he is the best fun in the
world"
And you would offend Ralph ?"
"I tell you I hate him !" and Flora
dashed out of the room, leaving her
invalid cousin and confdante aghast at
her sudden outburst
In the parlor the merry beauty found
her betrothed, his large eyelids closed
over the useless eyes, and apparently
fast asleep.
CT wish could play some joke and
see if it would astOnish him when he
awoke," she said.
Not In the least, if 1 knew it be-
forehand," said Ralph, 1azily opening
his eyes.
How dare you pretend to sleep?"
| cried Flora Indignantly; "I might
have talked secrets"
"Then I should not have Iistene2. "
Oh, of course not nothing half so
naughty could occur to you," she said
rather sneeriDgly.
I" trust nothing dishonOrable could.
was the quiet reply, though for a mo-
ment his cheek crimsoned with vex-
alton.
81 ask your pardon, I did not mean
to be so rude" said the frank little
penitent, holding out her hand.
He only bowed gracefully, and,
ST atchiDg away the rejected hand, she
| threw herself down on the piano stool
and dashed off her pique in a stormy
| polka. The polka went off into dream
like waltz ; and one of Beethoven's SON
atas followed till, as the room grew
almost dark, the subduing influence be-
came stronger, and, as the last note
died away, she began to sing, not as he
| had heard her sing before In dashing
opera airs her voice rose clear, but
| subdued, in sad melodies, old ballads,
and those longing airs of ''Auld Lang
Syne," so seldom heard nova days.
| The tea bell broke IN upon the
pleasure, and the light dining room
| found Ralph as oigDiied and Flora as
saUcy as if no music had stirred their
/ hearts into a new and strange com
munion.
Kate heard, day after day, with pain,
| of the marked coldness between Ralph
and Flora, and of her increasing firta-
/ ton with Harry ' Fan6.
| At last the crash came,
I am free -
Flora threw back the door and rushed
/ ID, with burning cheeks and flashing
| eyes.
81 am free, Kate. My charming
cousin came to me one hour ago and
asked an Interview private one
which I granted, of course. He in
formed me that when he graduated as a
physician, with his heart full of the
glory and responsibility of his pro-
fession, he had come here trusting to
find a wife who would be his companion
and true helpmate in the arduous life
before him. He had hoped that my
hveliAess was merely youthful spirits,