Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-06-29

! do you think she foOut0g just fancy
what IL Is never to receive letter from
anyone except business man"
Now, Bessie, soont you write him once
in while9 There Is not particle of
harm In it, and assure you II will be a
real boon to the poor fellow. just imag-
inc him lying here on his back day after
day, and not thing to amuse him but
my companyl
OF course you'll say that you can have
nothing to write about to stranger.
But you'll soon find something, know:
I'll trust to your "woman's wit" Ask
him about his past life: begin that way
But therel I'll not give you any advice on
the subject: you understand writing let.
ters better than l do. So, good-by,
"fair coz" Pray acecdc to my request
Yours, ETC., PHILIP A.
BRooKsIDE, July 1, 1872.
My DEAREST BESSIE: I'm getting
iealousl Twice within week have you
written to George Hammond, and but
once TO me. Your letters to him are
long, l know, for l see him read them.
The correspondence is become something
desperatc-no wonder. He has just told
me that through your letters he has be-
come very deeply attached to you, and
that when / return home at the end of
another week he will come and plead his
cause personally. He asks my benedic-
tiOu. | am sure he has my most hearty
good wishes, and l do hope, Bessie dear,
you may be inclined to say Eyes"
Then, after you are married, you can
come out here and settle down near your
only remaining relative for the rest of
your natural existence. You smile and
shake your head, and say; 90 yes,
that will last till Philip marriesp But
l say that if see you and George Ham
mond united, it is all ask.
But l shall say no more. He can
plead better by word of mouth than by
paper, Ihope. Ever your devoted
PHILIP.
To Miss BESSIE LINTON
A week later, Bessie Linton, fair and
young, spite of her thirty years, waited at
the Applethorpe station in her pony
carriage for her cousin and his friend.
She was possessed by so many emotions
that she hardly knew whether she most
wished or most dreaded seeing the visit.
ors. That she was herself deeply inter
|
pretend to deny even to herself; yet just
at the last she dreaded seeing him. Ii
seemed to bring everything so near.
The whistle sounded round the bend
and in another moment the dreaded
hoped-for train arrived. There alighteC
from it a number of passengers, but nonC
that Bessie recognized at all. Present.,
there came toward her gentleman will
full beard and mustache, holding ou
his hand and exclaiming: "Cousin Bes
sic, don't you know me?"
Why, Philip Aubrey! No, l didn't
Why, where" and she hestated
half-second-" where has my PhiliI
gomez"
"Hes here, alive and hearty, and tn
/ same old scapegrace, am afraid"
) Then, seeing the look of inquiry ant
J suspense on her face, he added with con
, siderable embarrassment: George didn'
: come just yet. I'll tell you all about i
? when we get home"
She was forced to be satisfied, but
, nameless feeling of something" mad
/ the drive rather silent one, although
/ each tried spasmodically to start con
versation. Tea over, Philip drew Bessi
out into the garden, and, sitting down il
E rustic seat, said: Bessie, come an
5 sit down; want to talk to you" Sim
/ ply, traightforwardly as of old, sh
) came.
t "Bessie, DEAR" said Philip, II hav
D something to say, and don't know hoy
: to say it. But guess the only way is +
D tell the truth at once. There is no sucl
t person as George Hammond"
. | DocoiaIo hoart. blOod cfpnnpH for Huh n
= seemed half an hour. and then she articu
: lated, slowly: Then who wrote thos
e letters, Philip"
= I did," he answered, sadly.
9 She started away from him as if h
n had been serpent. She walked up an
+ down like Gagged animal. At last he
n scorn burst forth: You, Philip Aubrey
C yOui You have dared to laugh me t
C scorn, have you? You have dared t
C presume that because l am what tn
n world calls an old maid, l am f
o mark for the arrows of the would-b
witss Philip Aubrey, all have to wis
s is, that your actions may recoil upo
It yourself" She would have said more
d but her feelings overcame her entirely
N and sitting down she covered her fac
}, with her hand, the tears trickling throug
d her fingers.
Il 80 Bessie! Besslel they have. Bi
y terly have repented of my ruse. Blu
It I know if you will hear me you will nc
: judge me harshly."
i She drew herself up, and, throwing a
g possible scorn into her face, said: "GC
and if there remains in your body on
y vestige of feeling belonging to a gentle
o man, never let me look upon your fac
j again"
e Like stricken cur he went from he
o presence. He knew her too well; b
C knew that, once reused as she now was
years could not efface her impression
He knew she would listen to no apology
no word of any kind; so the only thin
left for him to do, as she had eXpresse
|. it, was to "leave her presence"
: AS soon as he was fairly gone Bessi
[ rose, went into the house, locked hersel
v in her own room and struggled with hei
/ self. She did not even pretend to hel
e self that her trouble was not hard
[ bear. What did life hold for her now
r She had not even the cousin on whoI
v her affections had so long been centere
!. as her one living relation.
n "Oh, if he had only diedl If he ha
+. only died before he deceived me thi
Y wayp she moaned, 81 think ! shoul
a have borne it more easily. 1t cannC
n be called the thoughtless trick of a boy
1 he is too old, and has carried it on to
r long and planned it all too systematic
s ally for that"
. Three hours after she came from he
V vigil pale and silent, but conquerol
e A little card stuck in the drawing ROOF
n mirror told her that Philip had starte
@ for New York on his way to his Wester
s home again.
:, 81 declare, Ophelia, Bessie Linton
l awful queer about Philip Aubrey. Las
t night says to her, says l: Bessie, hea
y Philip Aubrey's home lis her First sh
turned mighty red, and then as white a
S a sheet, and she seemed kind a.chokiI
like; but in a moment she says: So h
@ was, Mrs. Dartle, but he found som
!, pressing business that took him back
r great deal sooner than he expected
| =