Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-05-10
LUCIA'S FOLLY.

y etAAN
watched Professor Lee go down tn,
path-"really the most provoking
sometimes I'm sure he's in love witt
me, ana going to tell me SO, and then
again, I'm sure I'm mistaken, ant
thai it's Dorahe's in love with, if he'l
In love with anybody. He's so bash
ful when he's with a woman that h,
dosen't dare say his souls his owl
anyway. I'm sure l don't see VIII,
he should be afraid of me? L Xix,
him, and if he could see two inches
ahead of his nose, he could see it,
Lucia heaved a little sigh, and sal
down at the piano, where half an hour
before she had been singing "Annie
Laurie for the professor.
81 wonder what he wanted to sec
Dora for?' she thought, as she thum.
med the keys in a low accompani.
ment to her thoughts. sit can't be
that he is in love with Dora, for he
must know she's engaged. And vet.
he's such an odd creature that it
wouldn't be at all strange if he was.
II he ever heard she was engaged,
he's probably forgotten it. 1 wonder
what he wrote her! 1t must be some
thing that he considers quite impor-
tant, for he wanted me to be sure and
give her the lettnr as soon 40 sha oot
home, and it took him half an hour TO
write it."
She got up, went to the table, and
took up the letter Professor Lee had
written to her sister.
81 wish / knew what was in it,"
she said, holding it up to the light.
"He looked as if he might be propos-
ing marriage. If / thought it was 9
proposal" .l.s
Lucia's face colored a little at the
thought which came into her mind
She laid the letter down and walked
to the window, and stood there fol
some time. By-and-by she turned.
came back to the table, and took Vi
the letter-a guilty look on her face
as she did it-and dropped it behin'
and an old carved cabinet which stoot
in one corner of the parlor.
"It's a mean thing to do" she salt
to herself, as she went back to tn
piano. ''but I've done it. If it was
proposal, it's just as well as it is, 70
Dora would never marry him; if
wasn't aproposal, it won't matte
very much, probably"
Two weeks after that, Dora cam
home from a visit to a friend, witt
the news that Professor Lee had re
signed his position as teacher of Ian
gnages in the academy at Wilbraham
and accepted an offer from a ne'
college at the West.
care you sure of it," asked Lucia
with an effort to hide all trace of agi
tation.
''Quite sure" answered Dora
''Helen Templeton told me, and sh
had her news from Professor Lee him
SELF"
when is he going?" Lucia trie'
hard to act unconcernedly, but, he
voice sounded unsteady.
Every soon," answered Dora
"'This week, l think"
And it was only two or thre
DAYS after that Dora came home wit
the announcement that the prefesso
had gone.
"Gone!" Lucia's face was pale a
she repeated the word. AT that mt
ment a tender hope died in be
heart.
Yes" answered Dora, she wei
this morning. l think he might hay
come to tell us goodbye"
Lucia got up without another wor
and went to her ROOM.
Poor Lucia!" Dora said. ISL
did care for him, after all"
Upstairs Lucia knelt down by h
winow and had a real woman's or.
She did not know till then how mut
she had cared for Professor Lee. 81
had always liked him, and had hope
that some day she might call him
a dearer name than that of professo
Now she knew that she low
him.
s'But it was all on one side," 81
sobbed. at must have been, or ]
never would have left me in this wa,
without so much as a word. But
did think he cared for me a little.
1t was two years after that wh'
Lucia came across the letter tn
Professor Lee had written that SUI
mer afternoon for Dora-that lett
which he had left with her to give h
sister, but which she had taken ca
her sister should not get.
She was moving the oak cabint
and found it lying where it had Fl
len when it dropped from her finger
A hot flush of shame died her face
sight of it. II wonder what is in it
she said, picking it up. ''Dora's ma
ried ana gone away, so there's
harm in reading it now. 1t was j,
as honorable in my reading then as
do what / did with it."
She opened it and read it throua
with a face that was very pale befo
she finished it.