The daily gazette., 1877-03-22
HOW TT WAS.

U
"Folds Of the silk and cream-colored
roses. You will have the hats just alike,
then?" asked Miss Lucinda Smith, milli-
ner.
"Just exactly alike. 1t will please Her.
mione, and there is nothing like so well
as to please my pretty step-mamma," an
swered Linly Thetford, lifting her sweet
eyes for sympathy to the precise counte-
nance of Miss Lucindn. '"
"umph-so you are very fond of her,
LiDlye" 70 =
"Yes indeed! She is my best friend
since poor papa died, and being so near
OF an age, we are constant companions. 1
don't know what should do if it weren't
for Hermione; Ryelands has changed so
since papa's death" 81 81.
"You have Mr.. st. Charles, company a
great deal, l hear" 49, ..''
A flash like sunrise dyed the beautiful
brunette face. --.----.
"Of course; he is Hermione's cousin,
and-and like brother to me-" answer
cd Linly, STOPPING over box of silk vio-
lets to hide her confusion. .il ..-....#
"Umph! yes-well, It's all right, of
course" remarked Miss Lucinda, pinch
ing out brier' leaf and setting the little
rose more firmly on its stem. "But did
MT it ever occur to you that folks would
talk?" ........
"About what?" asked Linly,- lifting
her clear hazel eyes to Miss Lucinda's
peofile.
"His being at Ryelanes so much, so
soon after your fathers death. Pror man
hftt osx Nt.a II 81. I'll
your step-mamma, as you call her, would
have more respect for his memory than to
49,
"Than to what?" asked Linly, her
bright orbs growing large and bright with
indignation. What have you to say
against Hermione-against my fathers
wife, Miss Lucinda" ...=
'sSay? o! say nothing. Its what
other people are talking about. But
must add that it is strange you are SO
blind, Linly. Now I've known you ever
since you was child--used to come to
Ryelands every spring to make caps in
your grandmother's day, and your own
mother always bought her bonnets OF me
and you always were bright enough
about other things. It's strange you can
not see."
"What?" with a thrill in the young
voice.
'Why, of course, your step-mother
married your father for his money, and
to have home and position. She was
only adistrict school teacher down in
Marshfeld when he married her, and ev-
erybody knew that she did pretty well
for herself when she married DIR: Thet-
ford. But she was dead in love with her
cousin, Rupert st. Charles. and he with
her; hut they were poor, and he working
his way so slowly through college that
she thought there wasn't much chance
there, and so gave him up for father. And
now he's promising young lawyer, and
she mistress of Ryelands, what is so like
"? Lor, you amt going to faint, are you,
Linly?"
"Faint? No! The day is warm and
your store is close. 1t is foolish for me
to stay here listening to this gossip. /
do not feel in the least indebted to you
for repeating it to me, Hiss Lucinda.
My beautiful step-mother loved my
father dearly when she married him-five
years of utter devotion to his interests,
and her crushing grief at his death,
proved it for me-nor do l believe she
loved any one else when she married him.
And if she choose to marry Mr.. ST.
Charles now, she is at liberty, for all in
Circleville," and bowling with the barest
civility to Miss Lucinda, Linly left the
shop.
The cool air of the village streets cool
ed her burning cheeks but how her
royal young heart ached in her bosom
Not for worlds would she have Miss Lu-
cinda confirmed in her suspicion that she
loved Rupert st. Charles but it was the
cruel truth. He was so kind and fine in
his nature, so handsome and so unspoiled
by his rapid success in life, no wonder
the girlish heart worshipped him. She
had never believed that there was any
thing between the cousins but cousinly
kindness and freedom. But perhaps
others knew better; maybe she was
blind"
A feeling of bitter desolation fell upon
her as she entered the broad gates of
Ryelands whence her beloved father,
whose pet she had always been, had been
carried scarcely half year before. She
loved Hermoine and had believed that
Hermoine loved her best of anything in
the world, but now it seemed as il she
had no home in any heart.
Mr.. st. Charles beautiful mare Sui
tana stood tied to a tree. For the first
time the sight gave Linly pain instead of
pleasure. She did not wish to meet him,
and she turned away frem the door and
took the garden path.
The grounds Of Ryelands were old and
fine. The doctors large practice and
open-hearted hospitality had formerly
kept much state there, but of late all was
very quiet.
She saw no one, and her path wound
among the shrubbery. but soon she
heard voices, and pausing to learn what
direction they were in, the following con-
versation forced itself upon her:
81 hardly know what to say"
"But, Hermoine. surely you trust
me?"
eyes; entirely. But, Rupert, wait a
year. My husband has been dead such
short time, and shrink from respon-
sible act"
II caanot wait year. You know
how lonely have been, and not that
| | love one woman with my whole soul
and che is free and I can at last tax e