The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1876-03-30

ousstions, and feigned deep interest
in tile most abzsrHse of topics. But
even Cecilia cauia4i,t talk on fArever.
and presently, viii. a littfs Sigh OF
despair, she SE0sided into silence.
Now was the eventful moment OF my
destiny
cecilia - said. sofily.
She raised heT liquid brown eyes 90
mine.
ST want 10 eoDfide in vou Tonight
have l your permission 70 speak 2i
Certainly, Mr. Markham"
81 am very much IN love- Cecilia ;
in fact, my heart has long ago gO#e
out OF my possession into tnat of
stopped, with the fatal husky feel
ing in my throat. Cecilia was blush
ing divinelyl ! drew n1y chair clese
TO hers, with the sensation Of man
who had j1st pulled the string % q
cold showerbath,
"Who is the iady?" faltered Cecilia,
as II she did not know perfectly We'll
already.
ashsII I show yon her picture, ce-
ella? ?"
Miss Vernon Inclined her head al
most to the level of my shoulder, TO
look at the little carte dc TiSte / drew
from my pocket skillfully stole my
arm around her waist. a --
''See dearest J"
But to my horror and disnay. she
snatched her bsnd from ny clasp,
sprang up. and started away, like
some fair. asenging goddess.
How dare you insnit-me thus, Mr..
Markham p
'CeciIia what
"D8n'I presume 10 cal ms Cecilia,
sir said the indignant girl, bursting
into tears, and sweeping from the
room.
Is1t like ona paIsied. Waat had I
done? Why was the gracious mood
of NV enchantress thEs sniidenly
transformed to gall aud bitterness ?
Surely she would presently return
and apolOgizs for her cspricious exit /!
But she did not return; and after
waiting long in vain, I sne4ked out
of a side door, and crspt dejsctediy
home, my heart burning with wOa-
der and resentment. / had no mind
to meet the assembled family group,
so / admitted myself with my latcn
key, an stole noiseless!y up stairs,
where my lamp still barned-the
lamp 1 had lighted with such high
aud bounding hopes. -
I threw off my coat vici01sly; as /
did so the forgotten cIrde de Uisite
dropped from my pocket. l stopped
to pick it up. 1t was the portrait of
Bessie Armitage! Aud there on the
mantel, where in my needless haste
/ had left 1t, was the divine counte-
nance of my queen Cecilia! l had
shown her the wrong photograD1.
All was clear now Her iudIgna-
ton and resentment-the whole tam
gled web of mystery was unraveled
now. L caught up my hat to rush
back 70 her, but at that moment the
clock struck eleven! It was too late
now. All apology and explanation
must be deferred until the morrow.
And with a dlscontented spirit /
sought my couch.
Early the next morning L walked
over to the old Vernon mansion but,
expeditions as was, Trefoil had been
there before me. / met him coming
wnistIing down the walk, as self-p1s-
sessed as ever. 1
'GOod morning ~ | said, briefly
endeavoring to pass him bat he de.
tained me.
Congratulate me, my dear fellow;
1 am the happiest man in the world I!
Cecilia Vernon has jdst promised to
be my wife " L-.,.---r
l stared bIankly at him, and with
one or two uninteIliglble murmurs,
turned short round and walked home
again. My rival had improved the
propitious opportunity, and csught
Cecilia's heart in the rebound.
Well, so goes the world, aud L am
q bachelor yet. There s4jut one Ce-
ella, and she, alas is married to
Fitzhugh TreiOil.