The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-11-23
LINLY'S ENGAGEMENT

"Folds of the silk and cream colored
roses. You will have the hats Just alike,
then p asked Miss Lucinda Smith,
milliner.
"Just exactly alike. 1t will please
Hermione, and there is nothing like 80
we'll as to please my pretty ST. apmamma, -
answered Liply Thetford, lifting her sweet
eyes for sympathy to the precise counte,
nance of Miss Lucinda.
"Umph $50 you are very fond Of
her, Linlys"
"Yes, indeed She is my best friend
since papa died, aud being 30 near Of
an age we are constant companions. !
don't know what should do if it weren't t
for Hermione; Ryelands has changed SO
since papa's DEATH
"You have Mr.. ST Charles company
O great deal, hear"
A flash like sunrise dyed the beautiful
brunette face.
"Of course; he is Hermione's cousin,
and-and like brother to me-" an
swered Lin]y.. STOPPING over box of
silk violets to hide h r confusion.
"Umphl yes-well, it's all right, of
course" remarked Miss Lucinda, pinch
ing out brier leaf. and setting the rose
more firmly on its stem. "But didn't
it ever occur to you that folks would
talk ?''
"About whrt9" asked Linly, lifting
her clear hazel eyes to Miss Lucinda s
profile.
"His being at Ryelands so much 80
soon after your fathers death. Poor
man dead but six months; 1 should
think your stepmamma, as you call her,
would have more respect for his mem
ory than to-
"Than to what" asked Linly, her
bright eyes growing large and bright
with indignation. "Wuat have you to
say against ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS my
fathers wife, Miss Lucinda?"
"Say?-oh, say nothing. It's what
other people are talking about. But
must add that it is TRANCE you are SO
blind, Linly. Now 1 have kLown you
ever sipce you were ohild-used to
come to Ryaiands every spring to make
caps in your grandmother's day, and
your own mother always bought her
bonnets of me-and you were always
bright enough about other things. It's
strange you can't see"
"What 2" with thrill in the young
voice.
"Why, of course, your stepmother
married your father for his money, and
to have home and position. She was
was only district school teacher, down
in Marshfield, when he married her,
and everybody knew she did pretty well
for herself when she married DIR. Thet-
ford. But she was dead in love with
her cousin, Rupert ST. Charles, ard he
with her; but they were poor, and he
working his way so slowly through col
lege that she thought there wasn't much
chance there, and she gave him up for
your father. And now he's promising
young lawyer, and she mistress of Rye
lands, what is so likely? Lor, you amt
going to faint, are you, Linlyf'
Faint? No The day is warm,
and your store is close. 1t is foolish for
mo to stay here listening to this gossip.
I do not feel in the least indebted to you
for repeating it to me, Miss Lucinda.
My beautiful stepmother loved my father
dearly when she married him-fve years
of utter devotion to his interests, and
her crushing grief at his death, provedit
for me-nor do L believe she loved any
one else when she married him. And if
she chooses to marry Mr.. st. Charles
now, she is at liberty, for all in Circle
ville"; and bowling with the barest civil
ty to Miss Lucinda, Linly left the shop.
The cool air of the village street
cooled her burning cheeks; but how
her loyal young heart ached in her burn
ing bosom Not for worlds would she
have had Miss Lucinda confirmed in her
suspicious that she loved Rupert st.
Charles; but it was the cruel truth. He
was SO kind and fine in his nature, so
handsome and unspoiled by his rapid
success in life, DO wonder the girlish
heart worshiped him. She had never
believed that there was anything be-
tween the cousins but cousinly kindness
and freedom. But perhaps others knew
better; maybe she was "blind."