Ellsworth American., 1877-07-26

/ she might bless her stars If he preferred
( her, If he had no inconvenent scrupes
{ about marrying a rich woman.
4 The summer weather was tine at Haph-
azard. aud il Mr.. Gsscoigne begged the
ladies to visit some poor or invalid parish
oner in his company. il usually ended by
I Flora going with him alone, Bell having
( found some urgent duty TO detain her At
4 home at the last minute; and Flora devel-
| oped quite a talent for cheering the sick
room and dispensing luXuries 10 the needy;
/ il was a role of which she relished this
novelty amazingly.
You were plainly intended for a clergy
mans wife" blundered Mr. Gascoigne, in
| a monet of grateful enthusiasm: and then
he colored. and added. hastily. THE
! lame, halt aud blind are all singing your
praises.
What a discord it must be-" returned
Flora. Il think | should prefer a SOLO
rhe claims OF the parish. however. were
not 80 exactng but he could devote some
leisure To the poets. sitting in the vine.
covered arbor, while Bell aud Flora worked
and li>tened-except when Bell remcm-
bered she had omitted 10 leave orders
for the grocer. or had neglected some I'M
portant household affair, and excused her
self for long half hour, begging them 10
60 on with the reading. Aud when she re-
turned. she was always pleased TO fiud that
the book had been closed for the noncs.
Ii he had not been reading, then OF course
he had been doing what he liked better
And he would say, I've have been waiting
for you, Miss Beil"-he had fallen into the
( habit OF calling her "Mss Bell during
these familiar s'gHccs
Il sha'n't dare 10 run away. II am go-
ing TO spoil your pleasure SO, she replied.
You certainly do spoil it when you
leave u. he would galiantly retort.
II they went for au afternoons picnic TO
the top of Chrome Cliff. with their supper
packed in a hamper. Bell fell 10 sketchng
a bend of the river, with the willows DIP
ping above il and swallows >kimming low,
and Flora and Mr. Glscoignc were natur-
ally left to their own devices. lfthcy went
ouI for an evenings ettcrtaInmcni-whic
even llaphazard afforded at times when
simmer guests were plenty Bell remen-
bcred the iatch-key A. soon as they were
beyond the gate, or She had left a window
open where burglars and showers might
enter. or she never failed of some valid eX-
cu.e for nIIin. behind. for rcfu~ing Mr..
G4-coignc's arm--eithcr both hands were
necessary TO keep her skirts from the mud.
or the country sidewalk was too narrow
for three abreast. And vet there Wa
nothing obyious or awkward in Miss Ray
moni'S schcmiug. II all came about a.
naturally as II fore-oriaincd; and II Mr..
Ga>colgne was sometimes little veNci
that he could not be trusted TO find the
latch-key close the window, or fetch the
umbrella. Flora would say. ''lt's Bells
way; she Wa, just - at Madame Buhl's-
always you'd walk upon herself
II had never been Bells way. however.
to iiugcr In the vesiibule after church; but
4
Mrs. Ross about her rheumatism. aud
Martha Meeks about her grandson fishing
AZ the Labrador. And by that time the
Reverend Clarence had put of the gown
aud made hl, way 70 the church door
where Flora welcomed him; and Bell
nodded and begged they would walk on,
And let her ovcrtake taem; The treasurer
had proved sarfulod~, sud the sexton had
set h,s heart upon showing her the head
stone he had got up 10 ms hr>t wife. IL
She found them sitting alone In the en-
orasure of the open window. studying the
CONSIDERATIONS. she moved softly away.
W no could tell:-lt might be the decisive
moment.
Il 80 happened thaijust at this time Mrs.
! Raymond fen i'll. Flora proposed going
home, but Bell stoutly vetoed the PROPOSE
ton. 1T Will be 50 lonesom" for Mr.. Gas
cOigne. she said. And Aunt Mily Will
be up again soon. No; do you stay. and
pour the tea table, and play al housekeep-
ing, and make II 4 little Ike home for the
poor fellow.
seems 70 me you are very anxIous
about his welfare. said Flora, but staid
a. she wa> bidden. poured hi tea, whlled
away hi leisure hours. beat him at chess,
{ visited his sick, listened to his views. slied
the place OF the absent soprano. in his
| choir. aud borrowed his old sermons for
/ private reading. while Bell spent her time
/ administering hourly doses, concoctng
gruei' and daintles 10 tempt the appetite.
and waiting in IA darkened room by day,
after broken nights. Perhaps il was the
effect OF overtaxed nerves and depressed
/ spirits, o. perhaps Miss Raymond had mis-
understood her interest IN Mr. Gascoigne,
/ but as she left her patient doing one
/ night, and paused moment, leaning out
the hail window To commune with the
/ evening star and the last tender efiulgeuce
/ OF sunset, the sight of Flora and Mr.. Gas
coigne pelting each other with roses in
the garden below snote her with sense
OF something alien and cruel. Her ab-
sence did not affect their enjoyment; they
had forgotten her In the delight OF being
| together; and tor the first time selfish
sorrow stirred IN her heart and filled her
eyes with sudden tears. Did she crudge
| them their happnes,:' she asked herself.
Was not success enough for herr"
When Flora had gone TO her room that
night, Bell knocked at the door and went
in.
Haven't you anything TO tell me Z" she
! asked. Has nothing happened?"
What should happen, you dear Old
sleepy owl, you? Oh yes; broke your
Indian china bowl. A sin confes sed is
half redressed. We meet. but we miss
you; we linger to caress you-at least
do. Blythe way, I'm afraid the Reverend
Clarence is getting horribly bored with
me-
What impossible nonsense. Flora!"
Was love teaching Flora to prevaricate.
The following night. as Bell was going
softly down to the kitchen for mustard. the
door OF Mr.. Gascolgne's study opened.
and the draught blew out her candle as he
closed it and came forward.
You keep late vigils. Mr.. Gascoigne,"
she exclaimed, 1t has just struck twelve"
The truth is he explained, 1--we