The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1877-12-20
HER FOLLY.

hah 4Sod6t
"Thero goes the most provoking
man in the whole countrylP said Lu-
cia Dare, as she stood ut the window
and watched the Professor Lee go
down the path-"really the most
provoking, Sometimes I'msure he's
in love with me, again, Pm sure Pm
mistaken, and that it's Dora he's in
love with, if he's in love with any
body. He's so bashful when he's
with a woman that he doesn't dare
say his SOULS his own anyway, Pm
sure l don't see why he should be
afraid of mel like him, and if he
could see two inches ahead of his
nose, he could see it"
Lucia hcaved little sigh, and sat
down at the piano, where half an
hour before she had been singing
"Annie Laurie" for the professor.
~ wonder what he wanted to see
Dora for2" she thought, as she thrum-
med the keys in low accompani-
ment to her thoughts. at can't be
that he is in love with Dora, for he
must know that she's engaged. And
yet, he's such an old creature that it
.wouldn'tbe at all strange If he was.
If he ever heard she was engaged,
he's probably forgotten it. I.Sonder
what he wrote to her? 1t must be
something that he considers quite
important, for he wanted me to be
sure and give her the letter as soon
as she got home, and it took him
half an hour to write it."
She got up, and 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
ale looked as if he might be propos-
ing marriage. If l thought it was q
proposal"
Lucia's face colored q little at the
thought which came into her mind,
She laid the letter down and walked
to the window, and stood there for
some time. By-and-by she turned,
came back to the table, and took up
the letter-a guilty look on her face,
as she did it-and dropped it behind
an old carved cabinet which stood in
one corner of the parlor.
"It's a mean thing to do," she said
to herself as she went back to the
piano, but I've done it. If it was a
proposal, it's just as well as it is, for
Dora would never marry him; if it
wasn't a proposal it won't matter
much, probably"
Two weeks after that Dora came
home from visit to friend, with
tho news that Professor Lee had re-
signed his position as teacher Of Ian
guages in heaCademy at Wilbraham,
and accepted an offer from a new
college at the West.
"Arc you sure it'sso?" asked Lucia,
with an effort to hide all traces Of
agitation,
"Quito sure" answered DOra.--
"ITclon Tcmploton told me, and she
had tho news from Professor Lee
himself"
"Whon is he going2" Lucic tried
hard to act unconccrnly, but her
voice sounded unsteady.
"Vcry soon," answered Dora,-
"This week, l think"
And it was only two or three days
after that that Dora came homo with
tho announcement that the professor
had gone,
"Goner Lucia's face was pale as
she repeated the word. AT that mo-
mont a tender hope died in her heart
"YOs," answered Dora, "hc went
this morning, / think ho might
have come to tell us good.by,"
Lucia got up without another word
and went TO her room.
"Poor Lucial" Dora said "she did
caro- for him, after ALL.
Upstairs Lucia knolt down by her
window and had u real womap's cry