The Republican journal., 1877-03-29

MichaelsOn laughed.
''Up pom my word. Merle, you're too bad
Y on an old married man. wife and babie
snug and happy al home, and going il 81
deep with every pretty face you fancy.
Harry knocked the slender column 0
ashes of his cigar with scientific precision
MOI SO bad, old fellow. just remem
Der it all amounts To nothing, and Jus
forget there is 4 wife and babies in tn,
background
lin agreed only | wouldn't do it
By 1he-b>, yonder comes Miss Cunning
ham. Yes, She bowed 10 and exchanged
4 word with Mrs. RyNe. She,is graceful
Merle"
Harry answered enthusiastically
Isn't She | tell YOU She interests mt
amazingly. She was the first lady me
coming up from the train the day I ar
rived, and felt strangely attracted then
Laura shall introduce me, ol
-'Such an idea, Mrs. R>yt, Why II,
one wears such horribly thick wells as lot
do am sure there are very few face,
among Us that would better bear unN eli
ing such Il lovely complexion :"
Mrs RNVe smiled at Gussir Cunning
hams candid compliment.
}, Besides" GuSSie continued. = I've
heard how piqued Il number of gentle
lntn are because of that veil, Mr. Harry
Merle particularly. You know Mr.. Merle
don't You! l.Aura's adlnirer, hetrollcC
ior all know t. the contrary"
\ sudden white pallor rrept across Mrs
kNNeS face; but she aNerted her head 81
suddenly that Gussie did not set it.
Hes 4 real handsome stylish fellow
We think. There. Mrs. RIVE, have sue
ctrded III pinning that spray OF cltmati>
properly Thanl, You, Yes. we like him
amazingly. Laura seems perfectly en-
rap1ured with him"
AIl>. RIVE toNed with hel gilt handled
fam
And Mr.. - Mr. Merle. Non said his
name was, was piqned because Wore 4
Veil =
GusSie laughed.
so Laura said He wants an intro
duction to You. III give it if You say So
\ little flush OF Mrs Ryve's eyes. then
her answer:
Thank you. No, Miss Cunningham,
only came for quiet and a habit Of obser-
Vation natural to me. don't at all care
ion society"
,.Al right :" Gllssie returned good-na-
Iuredly. Although why YOU ever came
10 the Branch for quiet, | can't tell"
Mr.. Merle stood before his little look
ing glass. carefully arranging his hair,
and giving sundrN finishing touches to his
immalculate lawn tic, handsome, gay
looking fellow, wearing his thirty five
years very lightly, with few worse faults
than considerable vanity, and an insatia-
bic thirst for flirting with every new, pret-
ty face. Not that he did not love Florence
dearly, and truly he did, only it was 50
GOOD to do Il little flirting occasionally.
This time Mrs RyVe was the chief at
traction, before whose mysterious grace
even Laura Cunningham paled. Several
attempts al an introduction had failed,
each failure but adding renewed Zest To
the chase, until in positive despair, Hal'-
T., had sent her the most elegant basket
OF flowers containing 4 tiny note that
told illS keen admiration, and begging i
reply.
And there. had come Il dainty little
back handed notelet accepting the deli
cate offering. and assuring Nh Merle OF
Mrs. RlNr's gratetulness and apprtciution
Then Harry had written again, and i'll
Il weeks time, half a dozen bouquets had
found their way 10 the SeNtrcs vase in
Mrs. RNNtS room and is many ardent
letters To their place in her PORTFOLIO
But never an interS Jew. With all his
pleading to "ooh III the face he knew
was 50 sweet and kind" with all his
Al .I1.A "A
touch the hand thar sent such welcome
letters he had mol been able 10 obtain
the promise OF an interview, until nov
lNo hours before the time appointed in
IN open letter that lay on his dressing
c;tse-Square sheet OF ttm9y, cross barred
note bearing several lines Of Mr.. Ryyt'4
odd, pretty back hand.
He had read il rapturou5IN, over and
over; and now as he looked npatlenIly
1T his watch, he read it again, and the
hali familiarity, hall AhNne3a u1 the Ian
,fuaGt delighted him.
Dear hlr. Merle: have been thinking lelhaJ,-
| .tIn cruel iii longer withholding lnysc1 from one
Mho has been 50 kind If yuu really wish 10 zee
and willing 10 run the risk OF disappoint-
nent. when y"n lind am NOT al all the ideal wo
man paint me. ! Will be al the small summer
II by any possibility others should be i'll The vcin
ty, which think the hops will preclude you will
knew me by toilet Of white, and tullr veil on
my head aud face, and around my neck
Now it was nine, and from his room
Harry heard the m0nntonouS tuning. Of
the band.
''She could not have chosen Il more
suspicious time There are hops Ill the
United States, Howiand's and here at the
Ocean. Everybody IS sure to he at one
or the other, and wiz! have a delightful
walk with her on the sands; then there
will come few days CT rides, and walks
and dances, and enjoyment generally, and
then-the end of it all: and home 10 Flo
and the babies, and the office"
A sigh-hs better natures tribute to
the wife he loved, and yet was acting 50
unworthily toward-and then he went to
the brilliant scenes around the ballroom,
and the piazza, and the clerks office, to
await the wished for hour of ten.
At twenty minutes OF it his patience
was exhausted and he started forth down
Ocean avenue, now quite deserted save
by parties Fastening in full dress to the
great lighted ballroom.
Down past the Pavilion, the Central.
Jaushs he hurried, yet knowing perfectly
well he would be too soon then the BIC.
gloomy walls of the West End loomed up,
and the rows of far between summer
houses on the cliff, ended in the one Mrs.
RyVc had designated, just this side of the
curve in the avenue.
No one was in near vicinage, although
Harry saw several ladies promenading the
croquet lawn. Then ten, fifteen minutes
he waited in impatient eagerness, and
then his faith was rewarded by seeing heI
come down the tiaggings from the West
End, and cross the avenue opposite the
summer-hollse - tall, slender, sylph-like
in her trailing white dress. and misty
tulle veil wound SO gracefully, so artist
cally over her head and face, and around
her alabaster throat.
She paused slightly on the Threshold
Harry sprang to meet her.
Mrs. RyVe p
She bowed, 4 little neryousIy, and en-
tered.
But can / ever sufficiently thank YOU
for accedlng TO my request If You knew
how impatient | had been-hoW I have