American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-08-12

good-by's to say, divisions to make.
Mrs. Allen was intent on securing to
each person his or her own basket,
Kitty FELTON, was counting teaspoons,
Stephanie hunting for missing plate.
In the midst of these researches Stephen
came up with the children. He looked
weary, and put Nanny into her mothers
arms with an air of relief, disregard
ing the drowsy protest which she
uttered.
''What a lovely rose, Stephen!" said
some of the girls. "Where did you
find itp''
'In the road" replied Stephen.
Somebody had switched it off its stem
and left it to die, so we picked it up"
yes, and Mr.. FELTON, said it was
shame to treat flowers So" put in a lit
tie boy.
The Captain listened impassively, but
Milly gave half-pained glance at the
flower. ''That was just like you,
Stephen" she said, softly; and Stephen
frightened for the first time that day.
1t seemed to Stephen, looking back,
that his love for Milly begun when he
was boy of five and she baby in the
cradle. He could not recollect the time
when he did not prefer her to all other
girls. At school he was her knight, his
sled, his jackknife, his help, always at
her service. Stephen taught her to
skate, to row. 1t was he who brought
her the first maple-sugar, the first ar
butus; he who took her on sleigh-rides,
and walked home with her from church
and village tea parties. Milly absorbed
these services, not ungratefully, but as
a matter of course. She had been used
to them from her babyhood, and could
almost as well have dispensed with sun
or air out of her life; but sun and air
being never withdrawn, are rarely no.
ticed or alluded to. "Dear good old
Stephen" she called him. Now it is
not well for a man to lavish himself on
woman who thinks of him only as
dear old Stephen
And now Stephen was doomed to
stand by and see stranger appropriate
the object of this lifelong devotion.
He had sown, and another was to reap
of his labors. Day by day all that sum-
mer long the glamour grew and deep
ened. Captain Hallett's leave of alb
sence seemed of the most elastic de-
scription, permitting him to stay the
entire season at Baymouth. His morn
ings, his evenings, his moons, were spent
with Milly. Stephen sickened at the
gold-banded cap which met
his eyes whenever he entered the house,
and proved his rival in possession of
the field. Milly greeted Stephen kind
ly always; but there was sense of in
be felt himself third par
ty. Then he tried staying away; but
that was worst of all, for his love did
not notice his absence beyond care
less, "What ages it is since we saw
you, Stephen This state of affairs of
course set people to talking, but Milly
was blushingly indignant. cit was
hard" she declared, ss if a girl couldn't
have pleasant friend without having
such things said" But her pretty
poutings and protestings made little
difference, and it was generally under
stood that the affair, if not an absolute
amounted to San under
whatever that may mean.
At last the long, lovely summer came
to an end, as summers will. Scarlet
boughs famed in the forests, golden
rod burned along the brook-sides, the
birds flew, and with them Captain Hal
lett prepared for flight. His orders had
come to report in Galveston, Texas, and
his leave-taking was hurried. The last
was Milly's, and though no
one knew the exact situation of affairs,
il was taken for granted that another
year would bring orange blossoms and
a wedding.
Milly's own expectations were not so
definite. No definite promise had pass
ed between her and her lover; but she
trusted him, and waited brightly and
hopefully. Letters came and went;
the scarlet boughs burned into ashes
and fell to the ground in pale heaps;
then came snow and the winter, to be
in its turn scourged away by the whip
of the fierce New England spring.
Still Milly waited; but not so brightly
now, for the letters came less regularly
than at first. By-and-by they ceased
Weeks passed without a
word. Milly, with visions of yellow fe-
yer and Indians chasing each other
across her terrified brain, wrote and
wrote again; but no presage of the real
danger which threatened glanced over
her, till one day, opening the newspa-
per, this met her eyes:
At Galveston, Texas, by the Rev. Pierre
st. Cloud, assisted by the Rev. Thomas Dix,
Capt. Edward Hallet, u. s. A, and
Blanche Emily, only daughter of the late
Pierre st. Cloud, of Pilatka, Florida. No
cards.
Mrs. Graves up stairs heard no sound,
but when she went down Milly lay on
the sofa white and rigid, the newspa-
per still clasped in her cold fingers. 1t
was long before her senses came back.
Her mother famed with anger, but the
girl hushed her with a weary sob,
eve were never really engaged, you
know"
"Not engaged! Oh, Milly!"
But Milly turned her face to the wall
and said no more.
Baymouth was stirred to its depths
next day by the news that Capt. Hal
lett was married to Southern lady,
and that Milly Graves was down with