Mississippi Democrat. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1875-1???, 1876-06-10

Two offers ma daX!

Two offers IN a day!
w hat delight would be- the
ejaculation Of "A budding miss. all 10.
noccnt OF aught bat The "littlo iov
crs' Ofthe nursery tale, or the J,assc
belle, who has Jailed to bring the rO-
Iage admirers to the putnt during her
palmy days ot b,auty aud youth.
Bat Gwrnda Vaughan seemed
scarcely 10 endorse the exclamation
Ia Judge from the pe"pleXed fruwn
that contracted her brow, aud the
impatient pUut on her pretty lips.
Her heart had Warnod with sud
den bound when she opened the let
ter, with that familiar handwriting
on its envelope, aud when the ring
had fallen from the enclosure, itself
"a mute explanation of the purporI Of
the cpsllc.
The warm glow on her velvet
check gave her "a new and wonder
Ous beauty ~ she read the passionate
yet truthful and honest Outburst OF
love, aud pleading trust for lis re.
tuIu:
"tiwcuda. YOU know my heart
Won could not bc blind still less
could one 50 sweet and pure, iecclvo
in her turn Aui | cannot fear.
dearest, even though 'ccl how poor
are my claims on oua hke yuu. with
your rich gilt ut nature and lurtunc.
Still. | will can win wealth Ion
your sake, my beloved u will
double every cNor,iun; u will quick
en every talent. strengthen cNcry
power, Whcn feel that al - 'ot
vou my quccn--my bright darling
my peerless one. Only bij ~, hop,
Sammon me 1" Your presence. and
need ualght clse, my love, e. tpil nc
my GWyula j. all NY own.
EARNEST GowFR
Gwcnda bal pcrnscl this efFI,io,
again anu again, t,ll she wcll-uigh
bail IL prIn,ed on her heart 1t
hearts.
When she took u? another. that
was liar more bulky Ia its dimen-
sions, aud which was closed bv "a
pretcntious crest aud seal. that hprr
index of the position. ifnot wealth,
Of the owner; and when GWeuala
opened the envelope, "A sp.endcIiia
mond and emerald ring. enclosed ln a
small box, flashed across her daz.
zlcd eyes. The signature was harl.
~ needed to tell her that il came
from Sir Gore lluntley, "A man Of
nearly twice her aye, and with httlc
to recommend him save his rcnt.roll
ani title.
He know IL, So IT would appear,
for the letter contained but rather
magniloqucnt statement ot hi-
wealth, aud the settlement he was
ready To make, and the indulgence
he was ready To lavish on her whon
she was bis wife.
Gwenda lnvoluntarily sicksnod at
the overwecning confidence OF hia
tone. hut then no had twlec IN
many thousand as Earnest had hun
dreds per annum. She was young,
lovely, tenderly nurturcd.
She rose aud looked nj herself iu
her mirror. Was that iair face aud
form 10 be- hidden in a cottage, oh
scurd by the humble attire of
struggling though weil-born harris.
ter's witeY
She shrank from tho prospect.
She pictured To herself its reverse
Carriages, jewels dress, soclety,
operas, admiration nj her will. She
could not doubt longer; she could not
trust herself to consider longer tho
tempting touching words of love.
She took mp the simple, speaking
emblem of Earncst's sincere truth
abl affection, and with a lew brief
decisive words, rejected the man
she loved, aud babe him forget her
forever; aud then the diamond ring
was drawn ON her finger, aud she
penneda proud and measured as
ceptance of Sm Gore Huntley. n.
cold and loyeless a. his proposal
but still IL conveyed all he cared Ia
know--that the beautiful Gwenda
Vaughan would be his coveted and
admired bride.
Yes II was done; aud she told
herself that she had done we'll. And
her widowed mother congratulated
her on her prudence and her super
ority TO girlish folly, which invaria.
bly, led to repentance Ia the end.
(Cont'##ed om to.rtA page.)