Feliciana sentinel., 1877-08-25
was like an enchanted queen, Miny

CnOuSnCs
Chow beautifulw she cried; but eve
as the words left her lips the restless can
: flew through the air, picked the ros
A. from its stem, and sent it into the dust
road, q little whirlwind of broken leave
A. accompanying its fall.
: "What pityw she said, iuyoluutarj
ly.
Il cts only wild rose, you know h
, said surprised.
''But don't you like wild rosesp
"Oh, yes; but there are so MANY O
them that it is hardly worth while t,
waste sentiment on a single one 20 an,
the Captain showed his fine teeth in
smile which was the least bit cruel.
MillF sighed, and cast a regretful lool
behind. Her gentle nature felt for thu
, fair despoiled thing. But, after all, there
) were plenty of wild roses, as Captain
Hallett had said, and presently shs for.
got her sympathies and its cause. An.
other turning in the lane brought them
to the village outskirts and to Squire
Aliens gate, where the rest of the party
were waiting. There we're good-bys to
say, divisions to make. Mrs. Allen was
intent on securing to each person his or
her own basket. Kitty FELTON, was
counting teaspoons, stephanie hunting
fora missing plate. In the midst Of these
researches Stephen came mp with the
children. He looked weary, and put
Nanny into her mothers arms with an
air of relief, disregarding the dAowsy
protest which she uttered.
"What a lovely rose, Stephen" said
some of the girls. 'Wlere did yon find
it,"
"In the road, replied Stephen. "Some-
body had switched it off it's stem and
left it to die, SO we picked it up"
ayes, and Mr.. FELTON, said it was q
shame to treat flowers so," put in a little
boy.
The Captain listened impassively, but
N1illy gave half-pained glance at the
flower.
''That was just like you, Stephen" she !
said, softly; and Stephen frightened for |
the first time that day.
1t seemed to Stephen, looking back,
that his love for Milly had begun when
he was a boy of five and she baby in the |
cradle. He could not recollect the time
when he did not prefer her to all other girls.
At school he was her knight; his sled,
his jacknife, his help, always 1T her ser
vice. Stephen taught her to skate, to
row. 1t was he who brought her tho
first maple sugar, the first arbutus; he
who took her on sleigh-rides, and walk
cd home with her from church and viii
too /
not ungratefully, but as mat
ter of course. She had been used to them
from her babyho and could almost as
we'll have dispensed with sun or air out
Of her life; but sun and air being never |
are rarely noticed or all luded |
to. "Dear poor old stephen" she called
him. Now, it is not we'll for man to
lavish himself on a woman who thinks of {
lin only as "dear old stephen" =
And now stephen was doomed to stan d
~ and see stranger appropriate the e
'bject of this long devotion. He had +
own and another to reap of his labors. , ,
Day by day all that summer long the
glamour grew and deepened. Captain f
1allett's leave of absence seemed Of the :
most elastic description, permitting him y
o stay the entire season at Baymouth.
lis mornings, his evenings, his moons, f
we're spent with Milly. Stephen eicken- y
d at tho inevitable gold-banded cap +;
7hich met his eyes whenever he entered a
he house, and proved his rival in possess I
ion of the field. Milly greeted Stephen y
indy always; but there was a sense Of
he felt himself third par e
Y. Then he tried, staying away but Ct
1at was worst of all, for his love did not
office his absence beyond careless
What ages it is since we saw you, Ste o
hemp This state of affairs, Of course, Ii
1T people to talking, but Milly was h
lushingly indignant. sIt was hard" O
le declared, "if a girl could not have a u
easant friend without such things a,
i'd" But her pretty poutings end pro-
stings made little difference, and it was
understood that the affair, if :,
1t absolutely an engagement, amounted II
can understanding" whatever that -
ay mean. =,
At last the long, lovely simmer came =,
an end, as sommers will. Scarlet boughs
smed in the forests, golden rod bu rned y "
ong brook-sides, the birds few, and u
it'll them Captain Hallett prepared for A
ght. His orders had come to report in
slveston, Texas, and his e-takings
ere hurried. The last moment was ia
iliy's. and it was taken for granted -
at another year would bring orange &c
ossoms and wedding. Milly's own pt
pectations were not 80 defini te. No "
finite promise had passed between her =,
ID her lover; bnt she trusted him, and a.
aited brightfully and hopefully. Let lie
rs came and went ; the scarlet boughs es
armed into ashes and foil to tie grouud ~