The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1878-08-08
THE STORY OIL LIFE

Hbiiss Cameron"
LsOnie Cameron, iaZiiy leaking out
Of b8y-windOw upon garden tiam-
ing with autumn tints and sunset
glow, lifting pair OF soft, dark eyes
| TO Mrs. TOllman's face. 1t was an
anxious face Just at that moment, and
being unusually full OF happy content,
the anxiety was very apparent to
LeOnie. So after her first careless
glance, size Strengthened herself in
her low chair and said, quietly, yet
with every appearance Of interest
"What's the matter ,"
An awkward pause followed that
question.
Mrs. TOIlman fidgeted under the in
quiring glance Of the dark eyes, clear
ed her throat twice, and finally said,
with nervous emphasis
"JOhn Furber."
Miss Cameron's face seemed TO
freeze. 1t was a very beautiful face,
with pride for q leading expression.
Sweetness lurked in the mouth, intel
lect beamed from the radiant dark
eyes, but pride shadOwed all. 1t car
ried the small head gracefully erect,
il swept the folds OF the rich dresses
with regal motion. Il touched the
small patrician hands and was evil
dent in the well-mOdulsted tones of
the refined voice.
sfThere,D Mrs. TOllman said, de-
spaIringly, "I've made you mad al
ready, and haven't said anything"
81 am not mad" LeOnie answered,
and there certainly lurked q smile in
her mouth at the good woman's con-
sternatiOn. "But you have not told
what troubles you"
"Ips-it's John, Miss Cameron"
and then rapidly, as il the words were
forced by fear of her own inability
To finish hoE self NPPoiAt~l S---l-Y -
hurried on. "He's my nephew, miss,
as you know, though his father is
rich man, very rich and John is above
his mothers place in her life. She's
dead and John was spoiled somewhere
between the year she died and two
years ago. i dOu't know where he
took to bad ways. He was brought
up as an idler upon his fathers mOn-
ey, and from idleness to drinking,
gambling and bad ways is an easy
road. His fatbef is q hard man and
he thrust him out nearly year ago
and disinherited him, He came here,
for love him, Tve nothing else to
to love my husband and children.
are in the graveyard, 50 L love John"
There was piteOus pleading in the
WOman's face, but LeOnie's was blank,
save for an air of polite interest.
"He was more desperate when he
came here, but I've cOaXed him up a
little. But-but-O Miss Cameron,
you know what l want to say. You
are beautiful, rich-a lady far above
me in education and position, and on
ly staying here for country quiet. I've
no right to find fault, but-but-dOn'U
fiirt with John, He is in trouble, de-
spondent, disinherited, and he's fall
ling in love with you as fast as he can
L believe il you play with him he will
kill himself body and soul"
Fairly out of breath with her own
earnest utterance, Mrs. TOllmRn paus-
ed, looking pleadingly in LeOnie
CsmerOn's face. The expression of
polite interest never Wavered, as the
young lady said:
II L understand you Alright, you
wish me to ignore your nephew. 1t is
not so easy, as he is in your house, SO
/ had better leave it.n
"GOOdness !' cried the widow,
aghast at this Interpretation OF her
words. I never meant that. Where
can you find another bOaTding-plaee
Gear here? ?p
81 can return TO London"
"pve put my foot in it. John will
never forgive me-" said Mrs. TOllman
disconsolstely.
But there was no sympathy in
LeOnie's face, and she turned away at
last, perplexed and more anxious than
ever. And LeOnie, sinking back in
her chair again, looked at the sunset
clouds and vsriegated foliage, and
thought perhaps IL was time 10 return
to London.
She had come to s., weary
with a round offashionsble life, tired
of flsttery, dancing, flirting, and she
had found rest and quiet under Mrs.
TOllman's mOtherly care. She was
rich, richer far than the landlady had
any idea Of; but she had no near
relatives, only a second cousin TO keep
her lonely home and play prOpriety.
Society constituted itself her ANA
teur guardian, and laying back in her
cushioned chair, in the sunset glow,
she wondered indOlentIy what society
would say about John Furber. 1t
would grant him a rare perfection of
manly beauty of face and form, and
forgive the evident traces of dissipa-
tiOn, il it was only known that he
was the son OF a rich man, and had
been educated an idler by profession.
But in what holy horror it would
turn away with uplifted hands when
4 . l.
ted, with no home but room in the
house OF widowed aunt eking cut
her narrow income by taking buard-
ers. 1t would smile at his biting sar-
cssms, his brilliant conversation, his
cynical sneers, il he Was reinstated in
his fathers favor, but how rude these
would be in poor man.
Leonie, from thinking of sOcietyis
opinion, quite uncOnsciOusly glided
into considering her own This dark.
broWed man had made q fair portion
Of her summer pleasures for three
months, and had been her cavalier in
many country walks, drives and sails,
and quoted poetry under trees, sung
IN superb baritone upon the muir
muring water, looked into her eyes
on q moOnlit porch, and whispered
dellcately-worded flattery. No more
than many another man bad done.
A beauty and rich, Miss Cameron
had looked upon more than one
languishiug suitOr, and forgotten him
when her amusement Wearied her
Scarcely fiirt, for she encouraged no
/ downright lOve-msking, but a besuti-
| ful, fascinating woman who wound
ed hearts with merely careless grace.
Musing in the sunset it was i'm