The star of Pascagoula. [volume] (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1873-1878, 1877-08-17
Did he doubt that Flora loved him ?

,,ra lighted her Il candle from his own, an
ne lett her with blank dismay pictured upo
ne her face. There was no question but HI
ed matchmaking had succeeded. and sl
herself was in love with Clarence Ga
II coigne Another woman might hav
&c, played false at this unexpected crisis, an
ID deemed that all was fair in love, but Be
RAYMOND was of finer clay.
g You dearold go between" cried Flor
when Bell made her revelations, 9TH,
a Bishop Valentine himself couldn't hold
candle to you. It's too good to be true
Do ! love him ? Don't /? Confirmed il
a sentiment whose existence he had only
suspected before Mrs. Raymond's illness
is he ?" Well, ! must confess | hardly ex
pected such good fortune. He's so re
served, suppose, and--and-- Why he has
. never so much as kissed my hand,
or pressed it, though he has had plen,
ty of opportunity. Well, you can go tell
! him that the adage Faint heart never woa
fair lady is %Jisproved. I'll wait here"
Somebody knocked family at Mr.. Gas
coigne's study door. " Come in" he said
mistaking it for the maid.
Flora is waiting for you in the par
Tor" began Bell.
Waiting for me Flora ?" repeated
Mr.. G%ascoigne.
Yes. | have told her; sine is waiting
to confirm your hope, Mr.. Gascoigne.
She bids me say that the adage Faint
heart never won fair lady is disproved.
When you intimated to me the other
night that you loved her | suspected that
1t was not in vain, bnt | could not be GER
tain. you know. Now | know she loves
you with all her heart. ] am sure of it.
Don't let me keep you an instant: it
must seem like eternity to Flora. She
Is waiting for you in the parlor. CO.
Why do YOU hesitate ? Don't you be-
lieve me 2"
MIR. Gascoigne had risen, deathly pale
with a solemn, wounded look in his shin
nlng, eyes, and great circles growing be-
meath them his lips moved without
forming words, His whole attitude was
That OF one overcome with unexpected
happiness, it seemed to Bell, as he stead
led himself by grasping with trembling
hands the chair beside him.
You told Flora that | loved her?he
gasped. "You told her that / loved her ?"
why, yes | told her you had been
confirmed in a sentiment whose existence
you had only suspected before you were
thrown together so much by Aunt Milly's
illness repeated Bell.
And you say that Flora loves me?
You are sure of it ?"
am sure. Go and ask her :" and
Bell went slowly out but it was some
before Mr.. Gascoigne obeyed her.
lie is the oldest lover in the world"
Flora, later Nothing spooney
gushing about him. | suppose it
wouldn't be dignifed for a clergyman.
Why, he only kissed me twice, if you'll
believe it, Bell, and looked as solemn as
owl, and said he hoped he would
make me happy. Goodness! Pm happy
already, and told him so. Do you know, ,
Bell, never had an o~ut-and-out offer ,
before, though I'm twenty-seven." y
Miss Raymond offered thanks when
Gascolgne took his vacation to the !
White hills and Flora went home to ac
quaint her friends with her new prospects, ,
inc TO JON her lover, with her mother, :
II the mountain house later. Bells q
work was ended there was moth ;
ng more Tor her to do but to sit and )
'ount the cost Of matchmaking. In the -
meantime Flora wrote her friend long con. :,
letters from the mountains, :
"Such larks1 We do nothing but en-
oy ourselves. Who do you think we t
ound here but Observation-Disclosures il
ne heir of Pine Hill, Mr.. Chester CaIlen- I
Ter, at Haphzard. And such a swell a
lie danced with me five times at the hon t,
asst highland didn't the other women [.
Dok daggers One dared to say it was t,
ecause I'm engaged, and it's so safe %
lrtlng with engaged girls--all the fun L
none OF the danger Let them rave k
L weren't engaged--who knows 2.- ii
lllght fancy living at Pine Hill, with a h
etihue OF servants, driving in nv carriage, o!
nd cracking in my silks didn't tai ii
on, did |, that the stocks in which nv Il
w~asinvested have declined most he
lametully ? So Mr.. Discount, nv bnsi. h,
ass man, writes me-. But there's dear old be
larence--do you know he isn't a parti- of
jealous :" While a later date ran 81
nr; Calender andl are Just in from a be
IND up the mountain with a small par- Be
clarence went with some gentleman do
ST week camping out, and didn't care to
peat history. We got separated from H..
e Others, Mr.. Calender and /. and lot h.,
If way and we should have b9en there -"
wv, Tor all | know, if Clarence and a ~,
an hadn't come to our rescue with Ian. w.
IN and torches. Mr.. Calender is TAX. h,
3 my picture, in crayon-- | sometimes ~,
ally believe he is sweet on me in snita pu
Clarence. Mr.. C~&llender's eve are no.
and small, and his nustacbe ~is~.-welI app
non-colored, maybe but his figure vi
u manners are perfectly stunning. He tbe
Ways makes you feel as if you were the r..
, persono Of all the world whom he de- 1if'
hted to honor" h
the
And, after that, Bell heard no more bro
| a fortnight later Mr.. Gascoigne was bea
again, and settling to his parish Thi
les. He found Bell at twilight the chi,
after his return, with her sleepy-hoI- the
chair wheeled before the window Sur
CHING the stars come out in the even Nov
SKY, and listening to the crickets' Mas
song. IaLo
he asked, resting an ell ING
on the cushioned back of her seat rest,
penny for your thoughts" son
didn't hear you come in, Mr.. Gas bear
ne, ~ she said. II am thinking about mails
Flora! How did you leave YorI
shou
Haven't you heard % the
7 last letter is a month old. sets
nd nobody told you about her." tions
could tell me about her SO we'll ha We
n amL
:. ,Gascoigne laughed. "WelP Mr.. credr
nder, perhaps" Rrod
lr, Callenderl What are you talking bail j
t, Mr.. Gascoigne ?' II ~
lora and Nh. Calender" and -
hat of them % ia T
ley are marriad.-tbo =. mn
80, TESha r is all" justic