The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-06-16

She had turned quite away from me,
and was looking out of the window. l
could not see her face at all.
miss Huntingdon, said gravely,
with an emotion which | concealed as
well as was able, twill you answer
me q question truthfully?"
..Any question that a friend should
ask, will answer truthfully." She did
not turn toward me AS she spoke.
.Well, then, was II not you yourself
who threw this ring awayP"
Now she did turn, and looked me
frankly in the eyes.
.Truthfully, il was not y"
"Thank you-oh, thank youl"
Why did | furtively kiss the ring?
Why, il she had said "les," would /,
in turn, have thrown it passionately
away ALI the reader guesses.
TWAS perhaps fortnight after that
that sat alone AT my window watching
the sun set beyond the hills, white with
snow, but seeing it a one sees in a
dream. All my thoughts We're wander
ing toward happy hour last evening,
when DIR. Richardson had asked me 10
be his wife.
From thence the days fed by ike a
dream. They were so happy, but so
short-that was all that had TO COM
plain Of; and they too rapidly brought
near day that | longed for and yet
dreaded And--it is a sad confession
for the first time in my life looked at
myself often in the mirror. Ii seemed
as if | had suddenly grown almost pref
ty- There was a pink color in my
cheeks; my pale eyes had darkened and
frightened. One day--think how fool
ish!-I really leaned over and kissed
my own lips, it seemed so delightful to
be n little handsome that | felt grateful
to the mirror.
"Do not You wish were beautiful Pr
said, one afternoon, 10 Dr. Richard
son, with a wistful longing that he
should tell he thought me SO. Viewers
standing near the open door of the par
lor, just as he was taking leave.
Indeed l do not" he answered
frankly. al love you just as you are. =
That was pleasant, but not what |
wished 10 hear.
.But do not you wish | We're as
handsome as-as Miss Huntingdon, for
instance" persisted. Think how
, bright and laughing her brown eyes
arel And what a gypsy color rises in
her cheeks when she is excited She
looks afame semetimes.n
"She does, indeed" said Dr. Rich
ardson, smiling: "but | am not a sala-
mander. have no wish that YOU
should resemble her. Miss Hunting
don i too"
"Too excellent for this worldlr cried
that lady's laughing voice outside.
She had just entered the hall, and
stopped a moment at the parlor door.
I" Good afternoon, DIR. Richardson. +
the patient up stairs better to-day?
am on my way To see her. | shall not
, take YOU with me, Agnes, in order TO
, earn DIR. Richardson's good opinion
i over again-for orce he had good
, opinion Of me- She looked up at him
, sidewise and laughed. She was won
derfully pretty this aftenoon-all
, sparkle and glow.
There was an instant's, but only an
instant's, odd constraint in DIR. Richard
; sons manner; then he said, quite
! g1ayely. lyon have not forfeited nv
good opinion, Miss Huntingdon.
|, "Thc truth is, DR.. Richardson, (" said
: Miss Huntingdon, her face all lighted
with saucy, inward laughter he truth
. is. YOU owe me a debt Of gratitude
. deeper .han you ever can repay Tell
! me now frankly. If it We're not for me
! would you be at this moment the happy
man yos are?'
Frankly, would not"
DIR. Richardson was very serious
Even Miss Huntingdon seemed TO vail
some feeling under her gay manner.
was troubled.
"Why do you two talk IN riddles?' |
asked. ..Do not you both know that
, have no talent for guessing?n
"At least you shall not cultivate il
| Just now, DEAR said Miss Huntingdon.
!" DIR. Richardson will tell you when
am gone must 90 to your aunt. Ii
does her good to scold me-" She turn
! ed away and moved a step or two, and
then looked back with changed face.
" Agnes, - she said, wistfully, - would
YOU mind kissing me?''
"Mind kissing you? What a ques-
I, toni But are you not going away i'm
I mediately?"
!, "Oh, don't know. Perhaps had
better bid you good-bv now She
= kissed me twice. .Good-bv,r she
! said Absolutely the spark in her eyes
was quenched in dew. agnes" she
said, with an odd sort Of half-laughing
seriousness, - if you should ever come
\ to think that Ananias was a moral
! character in comparison with myself, il
! would be impossible for you to love me
/. any more, would il not? But let me
assure you, my dear, that some stories
are told with the best possible inten-
tions.m
Then she left us.
D ..Mhaf can che lllnan lear2r ak.