The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-02-13

possessed one of those uafortunate
countenances which cannot bear tears,
and, unlike those Of childhood, they
did not dry ike the summer dew,
and leave no trsce behind on ber in
nocent cheeks A weeping maiden
is supposed To be very interesting;
but maiden who has wept is gener
ally quite the reverse-,' least a. far
as looks are csnceraed EFz,betn
had ~ need to lo,k in the mirror u
make herself aware lhs, il vas i'm
possible for her 70 appear in society
that evening. Her eyes were fear.
fully red aud swollen Her nose was
twice lis natnralsize, and ariisticaIly
spotted with bright scarlet. Even
her lips were swpllen, and her brow
covered with red marks To be sure
this highly unpl5 5Asant state Of az
fairs would grow beautifully less 10
time, but not in sny great degree un-
til the small houf Of the night; and
SO all she could Do was TO send her
regrets, and fed very sorry over
them. 1t would Sbave been such q
pleasure, such a (elief. to spend one
evening away from that gloomy
room, aud in pleasant society and
certainly Mr.. Wtson was pleasant. if
the others were q bt 80 very agreeable
/, was foolish to weep; it did not
pay at all. and sHe would never do
so any more.
The next mor9ing Mr. Wilson's
door was closed, but Miss Brown
came in to have I little chat.
I'VE had such . lovely time in
Mr.. Wilson's roon last night,' she
said. Hes splendid man; and
I've no doubt bot that be would
have invited you If be had been more
aequainted with you. We looked at
his picture, which is beautiful of
course, as all hi. pictures are; then
we had q little collation., perfectly
charming, il was 30 dsintily served
After that Mr.. Harrison read aloud,
and We talked aud laughed in the
most informal mauner-got nicely ae-
quainted, ell of us and here we've
been in the building together, some
of US, over seven years, and hardly
bowed to each other before Mr..
Wilson was devoted to Tilly Clapp
all the evening. Well, Tilly is pref
ty; but | should think he'd look
higher for q wife. He took her to
concert the other evening, they say"
Indeed said Elizabeth; and, for
some reason or other, she was
strangely disturbed that be should
have been so attentive to Miss Clapp.
and she commenced to think about
Mr.. Wilson a good deal more than
she cared to. What was be to herr"
she thought. To be sure, his smile
was very bright when they met. as
if he were pleased to see her; and be
had sometimes gone out Of his way
to do her some trifing service, though
they had exchanged very few words.
Probably be pitied her lonely condi-
ton, he seemed such kind-hearted
man.
The next time they met be regard
ed her reproschfulfs, sud bowed IN
rather more distant manner than usu-
al; and Elizabeth, though she had
always felt strange shyness in his
presence, she could hardly tell why,
looked straight into his eyes, which
were unconsciously full of pleading,
and made what be considered, at
least. to be the prettiest apology i'm
aginable. After that they were con-
tinually happening to meet in the
street, and Mr.. Wilson would ae-
company her home. Then one night
be asked her to go to concert with
him. and Elizabeth accepted the in
vitation, looking more like q princess
than a half-s,arved music-teaener, in
her old black silk dress, with TRIM
mines of some rare old lace which
had belonged TO her mother. Eliza
beth knew bow to wear old lace, and
attracted SO much attention by her
beauty aud her style that her escort
was decidedly proud of her. Life
was growing a good deal brighter to
Elizabeth, 10 spite of her failure in
singing.
The days wore on, and St yslen.
tines Day came-s bright, spark
ling day, all snow and sunshine and
blue skies. In the morning Elizabeth
sang an old madrigal, dainty and
delicate as dropping dew-love in
springtime quantity but so happily
expressed-not because it was St
Valentines Day. she had forgotten
that, but because she was in the
mood. And Mr. Wilson, who had
opened his door to listen. when it was
fnished brought little bo9uet of
violets to her as thanks. Then she
went on her dreary round of lesson
giving with light heart, not reach.
ing her room until dusk When she
had lighted the gas, and removed
her things, her eye chsneed to fall
Oh letter which the posimsn had
slipped under the door, and on open
ing il, it proved to be valentine.
Elizabeth was fairly overcome
with surprise and bewilderment. Il
was very gay affair, covered with
huge swollen roses and corpulent
bees; and the scroll containing the
written matter was gingerly held be-
tween the thumbs and fingers of the
two immense Cupids, whose out
spread wings covered nearly the
whole page.
(" sseet Liz.te-Will you wait for
toe, and be my wife
Your true Valentine,
= WITSoS