The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1878-02-20

door, with note on q silver sal
! YER.
! Mr.. Coleman took it rather ab.
stractedly, for notes were Of such
common occurrence with him, and,
besides, be was already impatient
to be in the dry details Of SOME
projected improvement in one OF
his big, fourishing factories-an
improvement that would be ap-
preciated by the hundreds of girl
operatives he employed.
So he took the note rather in
differently until he saw the name
subscribed in full-"May E. Dean"
Just a little look Of surprise
came into his eyes, and there was
just the mcrest possible accelera-
tion in bis steady pulses not
enough to make a perceptible
tremor in his hands-as be read
the communication
DEAR Mr.. CoLEMAN,-l have
no doubt but that you will be
very much astonished when you
find I have taken the liberty of
writing to you ; but what I want:
ed to say I thought l had better
write. Please do not be angry
with me for venturing as | have
done. | am not sure that | am
doing right in telling you all l
do; but [ have thought it over
and over, and have come to the
conclusion that I will. Of course
you know how poor mamma and
I are-how she has to sew, and
how | have been employed in
Mrs. Emmett's family with the
children from nine till three !; but
she has discharged me and sent
the children to a regular school,
and, Mr. Coleman, [ cannot i'm
agine what is to become Of me un-
less YOU will have me-"
He paused point blank, and read
the long sentence over again, g
curious expression coming into
his eyes and a smile creeping un-
der his moustache.
"Unless I will have her! Can
it be possible. she has really cared
for me-cares for me enough to
lay aside all conventionalities, and
so gracefully, sensibly offer me
her precious solf?"
His eyes were tenderly solemn,
yet triumphantly happy, as he
went on, touched to the heart by
her artlessness-
II know [ am very, very bold
in daring to ask such q favor of
you. l am almost sure you will
be vexed and refuse me; but | do
not mean any harm. [ must not
let dear mamma be weighted with
me, and I know you are very good
and kind and indeed, I will try
hard to please you in every way
Please, Mr.. Coleman, let me come
will you not2 But, ifyou would
rather not have me, do not be
afraid of hurting my feelings By
saying so. Unless you really 40
want me l would rather you said
no than take me JUST because l
have ventured to ask. Ifyou will
write to me just word I will be
very much obliged.
Yours,
MAY E. DEAN"
There were more suspicious OF
emotions in Howland Coleman's
| eyes than had been there for many
a long year as he folded up the let
ter, and put it in his pocket.
There was no thought of the
projected improvemcntin in the huge
silk mills now-no thought of the
details his very soul loved te
struggle with.
He walked up and down the
library, bis eyes on the floor, hi:
head dropped, his hands clasped
behind him: thinking of thf
strange revelation the letter held
trying to imagine the fushos that
had tinged Mays fair cheeks whcr
she wrote it, and being alarming
lv conscious that his heart was a
last unsealcd, and that May Dean'
little hand had been the instru
ment to accomplish that magica
feat.
He knew that, although all th'
love Of his mature manhood wen
out to this little blue-eyed CIR