The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-29

Grace, how can you be so absurd?
heard you telling Mr.. Austin that you
could dress ON three hundred year.
Now that comes exceedingly well from
a girl who pays about that for one cos
tuner
" said that could do it; not that l
did, said Miss Lyon, and so l could.
| am quite sure, before my kind old great
aunt mentioned me so significantly IN
her will, did dress on less than that,
and managed to look presentable enough
to make her say had talent for cos
tuning and should have the means to IN
dulge it. Well, she very graciously fur
nished the means and of course I've du-
tifully carried out her wishes in regard
to their disposition; but think look
much as before. My clothes are much
richer, but half of the time l don't like
their set as well as when made them
myself" ......
How did you like Mr. Austin?"
Oh, very well. At least he enter
tanned me-"
You might see him quite as often as
you wished if you'd let me divulge the
little secret l know about you. Ii he
knew you were a great heiress he'd come
to see you soon enough, and you could
merely be entertained by him and need
not know him afterward. Come, let me
tell Mrs. Glenn-do remove this rigid
inhibition; it's absurd"
shall not think of such q thing,
Miss Lyon said. Now mind you don't
break faith with me in this. You don't
know how hurt and angry SHALL be.
My money will bring plenty of toadies
and men of that class around me when
come out in New York next winter, and
| do want little immunity from them
now. It's disgusting to think of how
much more Importance will be attached
to me then, when in reality l am not
changed whit am quite the same as
when | was poor, and it makes me an
CRY to think l shall be treated differ
emily"
Two evenings after this Mr. Lucian
Austin called to see Miss Lyon. His rea-
son for doing this was identical with Miss
Lyons for liking him-he found that she
entertained him. They talked at first in
the formal and conventional way that
Miss Lyon initiated when she entered the
room, but almost insensibly they glided
into the easy tone that had characterized
their first interview, and presently Mr..
Austin said:
"By the way, Miss Lyon, when you
were good enough to say you would take
the offer when rendered my heart and
hand, the other day, you didn't know
some of the liabilities of the situation,
and l find it my duty now to inform you
of these"
"Wait moment, Mr.. Austin. I &C
cepted you on the old-fashioned princi,
ple-for yourself alone. Exterior con-
ditions are what | have nothing to do
with"
Very well; but you'll allow me to try
to entertain you by some passing remarks
about myself. You don't know, perhaps,
that my profession is engineering, and il
may not concern you to be told that it
takes me sometimes to the most barren
wastes conceivable. Last year l was for
three months in the deep wilderness of
Tennessee. l was building a railroad
there, and slept in cabin in the woods,
and had absolutely no one to talk to.
True, the weather was divine, and the
| DloOIh VI bAC VIII uOW6TS anu Inc SODHS
of the birds were something bewildel.
ing. used often to long for some sym
pathetic companionship, but l fervently
thanked Heaven that had never mar
ried any woman that would have had tC
ask to share that solitude with me.
could imagine well that, instead of a sym
pathetic companionship our time would
be filled with desolate reproaches and
regrets"
How can you tell that?" Miss Lyon
said, a soft, meditative look coming ovel
her face. D." You might, if you had mar.
red woman who loved you, have been
very happy in that solitary place
Happy! l should think so. Why,
could have been as happy as the day was
long; but / am thinking of her. OF
course she would have pinned for the
places and people of her old life, and
could not have blamed her if she did.
| could only have blamed myself wretch.
eddy, and both of US would have been
horribly unhappy"
"That's not my idea of the old.fash.
Toned marriage-marriage as it ought to
be, said Miss Lyon.
"When take you out to spend your
honeymoon in some dismal swamp of a
place, you're going to be as sunshiny and
contented as possible, ar'n't your" Mr..
Austin asked, with a smile.
"Of course am" said Grace. "But |
wonder what my sweetheart would say
to all these plans of ours if he could
hear them," she went on in different
tone.
Mr.. Austin looked suddenly surprised:
ooh, l say" he said, suddenly, 81 never
thought of that before. You're engaged,
are you?"
81 should say was" said Miss Lyon,
every much indeed, thank you. This
is my engagement ring; isn't it swell af-
fair?" and she held out lovely LETT
hand, with a slim, gold circle on its
third finger. Mr.. Austin had observed
this solitary ring before, and had taken
it as a confirmation of his theory that
Miss Lyon was poor. 81 like engage.
ment rings to have some significance in
them, Grace went on, "and this one is
beautifully symbolical of the slimness of
the chance of our ever getting married.
Poor jack you, who bear your bachelor
hood with such blandness would wonder
how he chafes under his; but he has a
mother and two sisters on his hands and
| ~, l.