Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-11-05

eTyO00 Calls me so.
"How lovely she isI' was her soliloquy
| as she went downstairs. wonder
what Phil will think of her? He will be
surprised, I'm sure; but he must admire
her-he can't help it'
She watched the expression of his eyes
| at tea-time, but it told her nothing Phil
scarcely spoke. He looked at Miss Ashurst
great deal, but Amy could only guess
| what the looks meant
Well ?" she said, interrogatively, as
they met on the door-steps after tea.
"Well." responded Phil.
"What do you think? Isn't she pref.
typ"
''Pretty" with an indignant infection.
"Why, Phil, how can you help think
ing sos''
Pretty is not the word at all. She is
superb-beautiful.
"I thought you would think so,' said
Amy, cheerfully, butwith a little structure
at her heart
Eyes. She's not my style, of course;
but she IS woman in thousand. No
wonder she has been such belle all her
life"
"pm so glad you admire her. Now
you won't mind her being here, and you'll
be polite to her. won't you, Phil?"
ooh, yes, I'll do whatever you wish, !"
replied Phil, with carelessness which
was half affected.
"She's not Philips STYLE" whispered
Amy to her pillow that night, and fell
| asleep with the talismanic sentence on her
lips.
Alas! how easily things go wrong!
| A word too much or kiss too long,
And there faleth mist and binding rain
| And life is never the same again.
sings George Macdonald. Things went
wrong in little Amys world during the
next fortnight. Was it only the preset
ence of coming mists which darkened the
blue, and made the days sad? Was it
| only foolish jealousy, or was it something
tangible? She made herself miserable
over these questions. She scolded herself;
but scolding did no good; the wrung,
hurt feeling would not leave her. And
yet why was she hurt? Was it not natu-
raj and right that Philip should be atten
tive to their guest, who had on him, as on
her, the claim of kindred blood-this
guest who was so charming? For Amy
never denied the charm; she felt it herself
too strongly. Was it not the very thing
She had asked him to do? Yes; but yet
but vet All these reflections ended
Night after night she sat alone on the
doorstep and watched the boat glide off
| into the moonlight, Phil at the oar, Miss
Ashurst with the tiller ropes in her white
hands. "Come with us,' they always
said; but when she murmured an excuse
they passed on cheerfully without her.
| Yes, it had come to that Philip went
without her and liked it just as we'll! The
world-her world-had changed. Would
| it ever be "the same again?"
Philip was in temporary dazzle of
admiration; he neither reasoned nor re-
Elected. But for Miss Ashurst, no slight
est glimpse Of the truth had crossed her
mind. She thought Amy sweet, pretty
child, but shy, and busy with household
matters, as the only daughter of a widow
in poor circumstances must naturally be.
For Phil, he was charming; she liked
him best when alOne-the truth being that
a slight uneasy consciousness made him
awkward when in company with the, old
love, with whom he was somehow little
"off," and the new, with whom he was
not fairly con-" So Miss Ashurst was
not sorry when Amy refused to join in the
moonlight rows, and, knowing nothing OF
what had gone before, it did not strike
her as unusual or make her question. lie
and Amy were as brother and sister, she
reflected. So her eyes beng sealed by
ignorance, and Phil's blinded as by sud
den spell, Amy's pale cheeks and woful
looks passed unheeded except by one
pair OF eyes which were not sealed,
namely, her mothers
Mrs Mauran was quiet person. but
her quiet concealed strength and power
of reading character Instinctively she
"took stock" of all persons with whom
she came into contact, and her instinct
rarely failed. A bitter experience had
taught her how "eaoily things go wrong"
in This world of ours, and though she
"hated to meddle," and was sorry to lose
her boarder, she resolved to appeal to the
sweetness and nobility which she felt
were the underlying stratum of Miss
Ashurst's nature It was in this wise
that she accomplished her purpose:
Miss Ashurst and Phil had been off on
drive prolonged into late twilight.
Tea was over. Phil had strolled down
to the village after the mail, and Mrs. Maui
ran sat beside her guest in the shaded
porch.
Where is Amy?" asked Miss Ash
urst.
leone to bed with bad headache"
said Mrs Mauran.
"a headache? I am so sorry! Isn't
there something out of my medicine-case
which would relieve her ?-pulsatilla, per-
haps or iris" Miss Ashurst was de-
voted homeopath.
81 think there is something. Not out
of your case, however," replied Mrs. Maui
ran, quietly.
"What can you mean?"
"'My dear Miss Ashurst, may speak
frankly to you about something that is on
my mindg And will you not think me
unkind or Impairment"
g am quite sure you will be neither"
~ want to tell you little story which
concerns Phil and Amy"
Phil and AMY"
Yes. They are second cousins, as you
know. Phil's father was my most inti-
mate friend, and the children were natu-
rally brought up together. Last spring
Phil, who trusts me as if | were his
mother, begged my leave to ask Amy to be
his wife" She paused moment. Miss
Ashurst said nothing, only leaned forward
little and listened. 81 told HIM that
Amy was so young that he had better wait
few months before he said anything. l
wish l hadn't"
"Why?"
81 don't know why. 1t might have
been better. Since that time Phil has
seen woman little older, far more beau
tiful than my little girl, richer IN all tnat
life has to give but not rlcher as laI as ne
il concerned. for she has no love to give
him and Amy has. If she had, If she
could. I should not speak. If / did not
know that she is as true and as good as
She is beautiful I should not speak. AS
it is, do.'
There was another pause.