The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1877-08-24
"Waiting for me Flora ?" repeated

u4Es OhSCO1Sucs
} Yes. 1 have told her; she is waitin,
She bids me say that the adage 'Fain
heart never won fair lady is disproved
!, When you intimated to me the Othel
night that you loved her suspected thai
it was not in vain, bnt / could not be GER
tain. you know. Now know she loves
you with all her heart. ] am sure of it
Don't let me keep you an instant; il
must seem like eternity to Flora. She
is waiting for you in the parlor. Go
Why do you hesitate Don't you be-
lieve me ."
Mr.. Gascoigne had risen, deathly pale
with solemn, wounded look in his shin
ming eyes, and great circles growing be-
meath them his lips moved without
forming words. His whole attitude was
that of one overcome with unexpected
happiness, it seemed to Bell, as he stead
Jed himself by grasping with trembling
hands the chair beside him.
you told Flora that l loved her ? he
gasped. "You told her that I loved her ?''
"Why, yes 1 told her you had been
confirmed in q sentiment whose existence
you had only suspected before you were
thrown together SO much by Aunt Milly's
| Illness" repeated Bell.
"And you say that Flora loves me
You are sure of it T'
O. am sure. Go and ask her ;" and
Bell went slowly out but it was some
time before Mr.. Gascoigne obeyed her.
HE is the oldest lover in the world" F"
confessed Flora, later Nothing spooney
or gushing about him. / suppose it
wouldn't be digni6ed for a clergyman.
Why, he only kissed me twice, if you'll
believe it, Bell, and looked as solemn as
an owl, and said he hoped he would
make me happy. Goodnessl Pm happy
already, and told him 50. Do you know,
Bell, never had an out-and-out offer
before, though I'm twenty-seven."
Miss Raymond offered thanks when
Mr.. Gascoigne took his vacation to the
White Hills and Flora went home to &C
quaint her friends with her new prospects,
and to join her lover, with her mother,
at the mountain house later. Bells
summer work was ended there was moth
ing more for her to do but 10 sit and
count the cost of match making. In the
meantime Flora wrote her friend long con-
fidential letters from the mountainb
"Such larks We do nothing but en-
ioy ourselves. Who do you think we
found here but his-high-and- -mightiness
the heir of Pine Hill, Mr.. Cheste Callen-
der, Sf Haphzard. And such a swell
He danced with me five times at the hop
last highland didn'b the other women
look daggers One dared to say it was
because I'm engaged, and it's 80 safe
flirting with engaged girls---all the fun
and none of the danger Let them rave
If weren't engaged-who knows ?.I
might fancy living at Pine Hill, with a
retinue of servants, driving in nv carriage,
and cracking in my silks didn't tell
you, did /, that the stocks in which my
money wasinvested have declined most
shameiully So Mr.. Discount, my bust
ness man, writes me. But there's dear old
Clarence---do you know he isn't parti-
Gle jealous ?' While a later date ran
"Mr. Calender and are Just in from a
climb up the mountain with a small par
ty. Clarence went with some gentleman
last weak camping out, and didn't care to
repeat history. We got separated from
the others, Mr.. Calender and /, and lost
our way; and we should have baen there
now, for all / know, if Clarence and
man hadn't come to our rescue with Ian
tern and torches. Mr.. Calender is tax
ing my picture, in crayon--I sometimes
really believe he is sweet on me, in spite
of Clarence. Mr.. C&llender's eyes are
lemon-colored, maybe but his figure
and manners are perfectly stunning. He
always makes you feel as if you were the
one person of all the world whom he de-
lighted TO honor"
And, after that, Bell heard no more,
and fortnight later Mr.. Gascoigne was
az home again, and settling to his parish
duties. He found Bell at twilight the
day after his return, with her sleepy-hOl-
low chair wheeled before the window,
watching the stars come out in the even
ing sky, and listening to the crickets
sing song.
"Star-gazingH" ?" he asked, resting an ell
bow on the cushioned back of her seat.
A penny for your thoughts"
g didn't hear you come in, Mr.. Gas
coigne," she said. II am thinking about
about Flora! How did you leave
her?'
"Flora? Haven't you heard ?"
MY last letter is month old.
And nobody told you about herr"
"Who could tell me about her 80 well
as yourself7"
Mr.. Gascoigne laughed. "Welr Mr.
Calender, perhaps"
"Mr. CallenGerl What are YOU talking
about, Mr.. Gascoigne ?'
"Flora and Mr.. Calender"
"What of them ?"
"They are married-that is ALL"
married Flora married to Mr.. Cal
lender Is it trueP Oh, Mr.. Gascoigne!
How could she be so wicked Oh oh |
oh !" and she staggered to her feet and |
held out both arms, not knowing what |
she did.
Wicked ?" echoed the young rector,
4 l.
them firmly--''I don't know about that. |
1t isn't wicked to marry the man you love |
best,even at the risk of breaking an
others heart, is it9 And then my heart
is in excellent condition assure you
Flora hasn't been able to effect a flaw
1t was all a mistake, you know, from
first to last Flora knows it now her>elf.
My dear Miss PeIl, you rather Overdid
the match making business did you not
And IL was weak and quixOlic | grant
you it was unpardanable, | admit, now
that look back upon it But il the girl
really loved me il had unwittingly won
her heart; if you had led her to believe,
thanks to my own stupidity, that had
been such a blockhead as to coDfess my
love for her to you why, it was only
right that | should abide by my own awk-
ward mistake. | must have been miracu-
Iously obscure that night, Bell, and you
must be the least coueeited woman in the
world or you would have understood
that loved you and not Flora"
"O-h," said Bell, with little sigh.
9 wish had understood +"
at isn't too late, is it? If you had
what should you have said,
Bell ?"
II should have said yes"
"My dear Bell" wrote Mrs Calender
o Mrs. Gascoigne on her wedding morn
ng," allow me to congratulate you on I
your talent for matchmaking" I
He Had Been in the War.
An old soldier, who went through the :
var of the rebellion, doing duty at Antie- !