The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-12-05

oAOuA0 eHtHA 90A WOutd COAuCAuc IL
with my views. Your every mot
speaks of ease and ffRxury.
There was sparkle ALMOST of cnnten
in the great beautiful eyes ss India tn
Cd them upon Clair.
Is Are you of Mr.. Bisworth's ospinit
Mr.. Cornell2 Is there no good thihSg
life worth exerting ones self, even
the sweat Of the brow, to obtain%
" Most assuredly there is, Miss era,
ford. know of one citadel, in stormiE
which | would be willing to spend m
life if at the end / might secure an Ell
trance and die within its walls"
There was no mistaking the delicat
meaning of the young artists remarl
India stirred uneasily in her seat, an
Frank RsS;1UiiI 7s4 locked up inquiringly.
India, my love, hers Is EIerttIr {
you. l would give FL to see the con
tents. Rather think / know the hand
writing, oh, pet2" chatted fipe-looking
elegantly dressed lady of middle. age, ad
vancing toward the trio on the piAzza.
perhaps you do Aunty. mr.. Cor
nell, my aunt, Mrs. Patterson" Anc
taking advantage of the little pleasant
ness passing between her aunt and Mr.
Cornell, India turned away and hastily
tore open her letter. Clair Cornell no
ticed the action, and a deeper flushing
of the dusky red in the girls oval cheeks
did not escape his quick eye, nor was b,
slow to supect that the missive was ont
of the heart, when he caught glimpse o.
sudden pallor and wild, hunted look il
the wondrous eyes that reminded him of q
frightened gazelle's.
81 declared India Crawford, I'm hall
inclined to be envious?" exclaimed her
cousin, Myrtle Rathbone. dancing up
to where the young girl stood, folding
up a closely written sheet of letter paper,
and looking absent mindedly out to sea.
CHATS your seventh letter this week?
What do those fellows find to write about?
l am curiosity personifed."
''Seventh ?" mimicked her escort, a
dapper youth of seventeen or eighteen
years of age, ascending the long fight
of steps with very red face and short
breath, burdened as he was by shells,
pebbles, and wonderful wreaths and
baskets of sea and cliff moss resembling,
as Frank Ellsworth gravely informed
India in an undertone, a "diminutive
pack mule" which indeed he was for the
occasion.
Seventh! why to my certain knowl-
edge it makes a round dozen. Isn't that
so, Miss India?"
''Undoubtedly, if you say so, Mr.. Jack
son" replied the young lady addressed in
calm, easy manner that well beftted
her oriental style of beauty. "Where is
Florence, Myrtlep
"Here, Queen India, at thy service
Am favored above all thy maids of
honor?" laughed the new conner, our
friend Florence, of the beach, joining
the party and casting many an inquisi-
tive glance in Clairs direction. 81
might have added courtiers ALSO" she
whispered. Gle is as handsome as a
prince, India; when did the new star join
your train?"
"'Don't, Florence you may be over
heard" But there was no rigor or
displeasure in midas face as she
made the evidently wished for presenta-
ton.
Clair Cornell watched her with admir-
ing eyes. "As generous as beautiful p
was his silent comment; "and she can
well afford to be-"
He was amused to see the pretty i'm
perlous, yet unconscious way in which
she led her companions by her will. The
girls seemed to adore her, and as for the
gentleman-well! At that point in his
thoughts Clair whistled quietly to himself
and wondered and wondered.
Days heightened into weeks, and the
aspect of affairs between India and her
two admirers grew serious. The young
girl evidently tried to conceal her prefer
ence, if she had any, for either and yet
there was no dohubt of her perfect con-
tentment in Clair's society. Her very
innocence in the matter of showing her
favor made the bright smile that always
greeted Clair Cornell's approach ten
times more bewitching to him. And
still even he was puzzled. Beyond this
little sign of pleasure India never suffered
herself to go. She seemed like wrath
to Clair, in that, after having laid seige,
and, as he thought, aimed well his guns
and fred an effective broadside, he ven
tured in the flush of enthusiasm to take
possession of nearer ground, the lovely In
dia, without even an appearance of de-
fance, smiled rarer, sweeter smile from
a still greater distance, and our hero, oil
ing his lips, and more madly in love than
ever, was compelled TO begin the work
all over again, only to meet the same de-
feat at every trial.
Frank BiswOrth's tactics were of diff
ferent order. He laid no plans, but dashed
recklessly on in his wooing, elated to the
seventh heaven if the young queen of
beauty deigned to bestow smile or suffer
him to lead her over the rocks in their
seaside rambles, living on the memory of
such favors, and never giving a seconds
thought, poor fellow to the possibility of
breakers ahead.
Clair Cornell was fully aware of what
he was doing. Avowed old bachelor as
he had been, he found himself for the
first time swayed by woman's will, and
gracefully did he bow at the shrine of
love; gracefully and daringly, resolved to
win or perish in the attempt.
One afternoon in July, coming in from
a grabbing expedition with several other
gentlemen, Clair missed India from the
group of girls gathered in knot on the
shady piazza, chattering like magpies
over some marvel of feminine handiwork,
and, unheeding the gratuitous informa-
ton that "India had strayed off to the
beach, as usual, without word to any
body, and that Frank Ellsworth had gone
in search of her." the young man set his
lips together, and with determined air
strobe off in the direction Of the seashore
He chose, almost mechanically, path
he had often travelled with India as a
companion, and which led to her favor
lite retreat high among the rocks, where
nature had carved q commodious arm
chair for the reception Of visitors, who
were also afforded from this position the
finest sea view on the beach. One glance
at the quiet figure in the chair and then,
satisfied that India was alone, Clair
stood for moment in contemplation of
the scene before him. ROBBED in soft,