The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-06-02

napneF III "ulcu conuucIYI myself
with that young lady. ~.
And SO matters went on till the night
before Christmas. All had been busy
tying pine wreaths, and making notices
in wax to decorate the dinIng-room,
where lowered in niche lofty Christ
mas tree-none of your toy-shop's made
up affairs, but genuine monarch ol The
woous; or. if it wasn't quite large enough
for that, We'll call it a prince, aud say
no more about it. Gay fags, colored
tapers, and shining balls weighed down
its branches. while piled up at it's loot
was a mound of packages of every size
and shape, duly labeled and ready tor
distribution.
No one had been buster than l, wind
ing twIne, uoing up parcels, and writing
addresses. under awful injunctions oil
secrecy. l mad contributed my mite TO
swell the mound Of gifts, as a tiny, odd.
ly-shaped box, bearing the name OF
Evelyn Somers, could testify. Why,
tnep, at midnight, did steal from my
| room along the wide entrles, aud tip
toe into the dining-hall? Simply be-
cause, while purchasing Con credit) q
gilt tor Evelyn, my truant fancy had
pleased herself by thinking how q GER
tain pearl bracelet and ear-Irops would
become the rounded arm and rosy ear
| tips OF Georgia Haight, and made such
| a pretty picture OF il that bought them
forthwith, and was now about TO Qe-
pesit them under the shade of the
Christmas tree. 1t was quite dark, the
| only light being that from tue embers OF
| the dying fire; and the niche was 30
much IN shadow tnat I could scarcely
lind place to deposit the jewel-case.
And in cropping about, l stumbled In
stumbling put out my hand to save my
self, and in SO dong seized another
hand III my own-sott, warm, small, and
unless my senses had turned traitors
aud liars, the hand of Georgia Haight.
That touch was the spark that fired the
magazine OF wishes, hopes, and fears
all the stronger for their long repression.
The little hand struggled moment in
mine, but clasped IL all the more firmly,
and drawing her toward the light, told,
| without Introduction or apology, all that
I had so long thought In secret. loved
the girl, so That grew eloquent. l fol-
got about Evelyn, and the voyage to Eu-
rope, and the yacht. Ii ever there was
a genuine, honest turning inside out OF
a human heart, that was one; aud Geor-
gia, atter one or two shiyers like a
| frightened bird, listened In that Sort OF
| silence that gives consent. l went back
| to my room with the knowledge that she
A lOHau mG. anu uI6dultu VI uCI OIL hlkub,
only to be plunged by The return OF NOR
ming into a disagrseable cold bath OF
| forgotten realities and unpalatable lacts
that soon brought me " my senses and
kept me all the morning pale and silent
as a ghost.
| Eyelyn-poor child-oouldRt. divine
the cause OF my sudden mOroseness, and
tried in vain to bring me back to socla-
bility and good temper. l was so. savage
with myself, and so thoroughly in love,
and so miserable that her hundred thou
sand looked very much smaller in my
eyes than it generally did; and am not
sure thatI wasn't guilty OF downright
lnoivility-for Evelyn at last burst INTO
tears, and sobbed out:
SO, MIR. Simcoe, how canyon be SO un-
kind? What have L done to offend you?
You will break my heart"
That brought me back to my senses,
and then came apologies, and tears, and
signs and sobs, and-WelI, dou't know.
/ how. but when we lett the conservatory,
Evelyn and | were what society, Witn
gentle sarcasm, calls "engaged." So
now that had attained what I had
so eagerly. intrigued for, was little
nearer distraction than before. I.had
never loved Evelyn, but 1 now almost
hated her; anu her caressing manners,
and innocent pro prietorship Of me were
so unenduraOle that, pleading an en-
gagement, lett her, and went out to try
aud collect my senses In the open air.
Ii Georgia should hear OF it-and she
must hear Of It--she must know, sooner
or later, had never seen her but in her
gentlest moods, but had an instructive
knowledge of the fire burning underneath
all that cold, sweet, gravity, and fairly
shrank WITHIN myself as l pictured to
myself her awtul-because just-indig.
i nation. had not word to offer in SELL
defense, and yet how could bear silent.
Iy to sink into her contempt, loving her
as diu? Thus thinking l turned cor.
ner somewhat suddenly; and before
could draw back or collect my thoughts,
I found myself face to face with her
The first glance at her pale, indignant
face and flaming eyes, told that she
knew all (though how l never knew)
land SO plainly was the reproach anC
accu sati0n that she scorned to speaB
written there, that, as il the words were
forced from me, exclaimed, inYolunta
rily:
20, Georgia, could not help itp'
The superb figure seemed to dilate
with scorn.
"Are you a man?' she demanded
coldly, And 80 completely was cowel
by conscience, and those flaming, pitt
less eyes, that, though had always be
llieyed that / belonged to the genus home
Il ielt at that moment by no means sure
of the fact.
georgia, I love you-'pon my soul
do" I commenced teebly, but she
sharply interrupted me:
"LoVe? Yes; believe that--as mucf
as you could. What your feeble sou
could grasp OF that mighty passion
what little there is Of earnestness, truti
or honesty in your nature you gave u
me. l believe that; only it is so yer.
small a portion, SO faint f4me, con
lrasted with your worship Of ease ant
wealth, that it makes the gift scarcely ;
desirable one."
"But listen to reason, Georgia. hav
nothing but my profession. lt would b.
, years before we could marry"
She laughed, scornfully.
, "We lnarryP become the wife of 9
: man who would sell me to the Sultan
were it for his interest? Be at ease, Mr
Simcoe; have no desire to rob Mis-
Somers OF her bridegroom"
Be at ease, indeed. Why, there was
malicious triumph in her handsom
eyes-a devil in the smile with whict
she turned away from me, that nigh
Il IL