The Van Buren press., 1876-04-29
MISCELLANY.
Refused and Refusing.

Church was coming out The con
gregation filed out solemnly, and one.
without the door, lapsed into socabilit,
and began to shake hands and make
friendly inquiries in regard to each others
health and the absence of certain mem
bers of the flock,
One person only did not pause That
was girl. rosy checked lass of seven
teen, who seemed for some reason flush.
ed and agitated. She hurried on unit
halt way down sweet green lane, wher,
she seated herself under great elm tree
and listened To the murmurng voices il
the distance with something very like !
tear in her eye.
- He'll surely come" sha said to her
self " Surely he'll never go away with
out saying good bye, though he has been
SO taken up with Matte Burt Of late. He
must pass this way going home, and !
know he II stop and speak"
Then she listened again, as though,
through the still October air, she could
distinguish Evan Ware Voice amidst the
rest.
He stood, a fine, handsome young fel.
low OF twenty, not yet too manly to blush,
receiving parting wishes aud injunetions
from old ladies and gentlemen, and hear
ty grips of the hand from the boys, aud
smiles from the girls, for every body
liked Evan Ware.
Then came the Gnal good byes, and
one or two motherly kisses, for Evan
was to start at dawn; aud away the boy
went, not down the green lane where
Lizzie Gale sat, but along another path,
down which tripped figure in bright
silk, with coquetlsl lace bonnet and
parasol, taking its way towards rustic
bridge that spanned little rvulet
He overlook her just as til little feet
rested on the bridge, and. quite out of
breath, called her 10y name.
Miss Burt please stop minute"
She paused then, and leaned over the
railing OF the bridge dipping the point
of her parasol into The water
Il sail for China 10 o-morrow," be said
Yes-you told me so. / hope you'll
like it, a5a8
II don't expectto like it. like home
better than the world.
Dear me W hat makes you go then 2
"You know why--at least you might
know. am an orphan. lhave no mon.
cy-no prospects. NV old sailor uuce
thinks there is an opening for me in Chi.
MA chance to make my fortune 1t is
very kind of him to do what he is doing,
and no one can tell how anxious am TO
be rlcn.
"Yes; not for the same reason
"Why, what is your rcason?"
The answer came with sort Of gasp
lone word" You"
"Me?" The girl laughed and tossed
her head.
YES; now it's out, l don't know
whether you care for me or not. Some
times you seem to and sometimes you
don't. But I--like--you-better than
anybody in the world--so much that if
you say may nope little bit to make
you like me as much, shall have an OBJ
ject to work for to make myself rich
and great, perhaps; and without that
hope l shan have any. There--its 8 out.
I've tried to say it dozen times before,
and couldn't 60 away not knowing
He paused and the girl stared at him.
{. You meant that for an offer Of your
hand and heart, suppose ?" she said
/" II so, I'll tell you what: consider it,
coming from you to me, piece ofimpu
dence.
| So. with her gay silk sweeping, and hei
parasol futtering, the rich farmers heir
ess sailed away, leaving her boy lover the
picture of despair and modification
So absorbed was he in his own insult
ed affections that he did not eyed notice
plainly dressed little figure that stole
over the bridge ten minutes after, unit
some one said: Evan"
Then he turned.
1t was Lizzie Gale, in her neat straw
bonnet, and with her prayer hook ant
pocket handkerchief in her haud.
You are going away to morrow
good bye!'
He took her offered hand.
"Good bye, Lizzie"
"Ihope you'll have pleasant voyage
and succeed
"Thank you; but everything goe,
wrong with me. l don't suppos you'll
ever see me back again '"
They shook hands again. He made nc
attempt to detain her. and she walked
away slowly and quietly, and never wipet
off the little tear that would trickIe dowi
her cheeks until she was sure that Evar
on the bridge could not see her.
The next day Evan Ware had left Far
mingdale for years, If not forever II
went mortified and unhappy ; but. strang
to say, as .huch in love as ever He wa
very young and very modest, and Matt
Burt uncalled for insult took upon it
self after day or two the form of plaiI
speaking.
'Of course it was piece of imperti
nence, and, of course, she couldn't thinl
of me, he said. Il was crazy to thinl
of it. But some day--some day | will
be rich, and have name of some kind u
Fortune making is very slow. Eval
was prosperous, but at first only moder
alely SO and months rolled by, and years
and he grew t, be a tall, broad shoul
dered man, with a great brown beard
before he was half rich enough to g
back to Farmirgdac.
The time came at last. however H
knew his success had become knew il
his native place; he knew also that Mis-
Burt had married and was widow; arc
when he left China it was with the ful