The Van Buren press., 1877-12-04

MISCELLANY.
THE LILACS.


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They hung, heavy planes of purple
over the little gateway, in that brigh
atternoon-the LIST of June A charita
BILE breeze swept one bunch Of the scent
ee bloom bit aside, just out of the reac
of little brown hand that had momen
ago ruthlessly stripped it Of halt its bios
SONS. But the owner of the hand hat
already turned about with toss of he
black curls, and firt OF her pink calic,
dress, that scared the butterflies, and be
fore the branch SWING back. she was has
tenng up the trim garden path. and fling
ing back sharp speech over her Shout
der at a sunburnt young fellow who. Will
a vexed light in his eyes, stoed in tn,
gateway, watching her.
Oh, it don't matter what I think
Indeed, don't think at all You may
take whom you like to the next Ma,
dance-you won't take ME-"
1t was such pretty shoulder ovel
which these words were cast, and there
was such rosy flush of anger on The
round cheek, half yelled in curls, that i,
was no wonder that John Armitage took
two or three steps in pursuit of the
speaker; but he stopped. drew himself
up with sudken pride, and said one re
proachiul word.
Nancy ~
The one addressed, wavered a little in
her retreat. Then resumed it with &C.
CELEBRATED CELEBRITY
Will you stop and listen to me 7" the
young man queried, bis rising indigna
ton somewhat modifying his tone of ap.
peal Es
Mo-" and the pink calico swept the
myrtles on either side Of the walk faster
yet.
Very well p was the angry response
as he who had pleaded turned toward the
gate. " But, mark my words; you'll be
sorry for this before these bushes here
brushing the low spray sharply aside
:" are out of bloom Now, good bye"
Nancy, peeping from behind curtain,
after his retreating figure, cried Per
haps the soliloquy will tell whv
well, it's over between us now, any
way, It's bis fault too. He'd no bust
ness to take any one else to the May
dance, when couldn't go. l shouldn't
wonder if he's going down to Sarah An.
derson's now. They Ii be engaged next
thing, and she'll crow over me finely.
He'll try to make me jealous" here
Nancy had spasm of crying. "See If
! won't make him jealous first
The way she would do it became ap.
parent the newt affAr" aa.-, ---L~., a. ~osru
in jaunty blue suit that set off well her
creamy complexion, lark curls, and tint
cd checks, she started for the village.
The dainty blue silk parasol was lowered
little as she came to pretentious block
of bulldogs opposite the hotel, upon one
of which hung the sign, "Dr, Miles
Gray. Office hours from to 4 a. M,
from to p m" But the face of the
building was blank, and the Office cur
tains lowered; 40, with an impatient ex
clamation under her breath, Nancy went
to the post office, where, getting no let
ter, turned discontcntedly home.
The Fates forbade her. She had not
accomplished quarter of the distance,
before the light roll of wheels made her
turn her head and start perceptibly. In
a moment later, young DR.. Gray, whose
natty top buggy was the envy of all men.
and whose fascinating smile had won the
hearts of all the women, had drawn up
his horse at her side, had leaped to the
ground, and had asked, eagerly:
" Miss Evans, can have the pleasure
of driving you homer
The color frightened in Nancy's
cheeks, the light in her eyes, as she as
scented with charming smile; and in a
moment more they were slowly bowling
along the road, and the blue ribbons
were blown against the doctors broad
cloth.
Dr. Gray was young, handsome, not
deficient in brains, with pocket money
enough to keep him from being tragical
ly in earnest in his profession, and very
much in love with the coquettish bit of
womanhood by his side. AS for Nancy,
she was little bit afraid Of the gray
eyes that coulo be quizzical as we'll as ad
miring, and of the smile that sometimes
curled the corners of the black mustache.
But Nancy was minus lover, just then,
and the doctor was catch, and she chat
tered and laughed as the bay horse skip
ped along.
The farm house came in sight too
soon, and the doctor stopped midway in
his SPEECH to inquire:
Won't you take longer rider It's
such beautiful afternoon y
Nancy demurred, as in duty bound.
"I-don't know. l guess it must be
most tea time"
The doctor laughed, and held his watch
before her 1t was precisely four.
"Oh, well, then" began Nancy, some
what confused. I" But aren't these your
office hours?'
Confound my hours!' commented
the doctor to himself Aloud he said
81" I'm sometimes obliged to break into
my hours I'm going now to see "a
patient at the outskirts of the town.
so they drove on.
The "patent" could hardly have been
in a critical state. The doctor, leaning
back in the carriage. let the reins lie
loosely on the horses back as they paced
slowly through shady-wood roads, smell.
ling of pines, while the warm breeze
tluttered light curls across Nancy's arch
black eyes, and the blne silk parasol had
to be held up TO keep the sun from her
. 4 l.