The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-12-26

pretty speeches. On withered lips ar
dent love is a burlesque; besides ou'
aristocracy DOES not believe in any emo
tion whatever. Passion is Ignored BY
the ton-a marriage Of affection is RI
diculous" 3D..
Liunie looked at him curiously. Was
he satiricul, diplomatic, or simply YER
bose !? What did the queer twinkle in
his jolly blue eyes mean? He went on
i need wife. I have chosen lady
who is young, good looking, dutiful and
would make my home pleasant. The
day she becomes my wife / shall settle
upon her, Internationally, one>half my
fortune. What do you say, Linnie?'
~ taltered the girl. pink from the
bands of her dark hair to the rufflc OF
the simple tulle that circled her pretty
throat. -
4 have chosen you, Miss Linnie,' xas
the business like rejoinder.
You wish to buy me p she inquired,
paIipg with sudden anger. q.
Mr.. Gilmour laughed in, his jolly
fashion, being neither hurt nor offend
ed. -.
1t is the mode nowadays for hearts
to be bought and sold. Is there one
, pure and perfect love marriage in CEN
tury, my girl? I should be kind to you
always, Linnie. In our case, there
should. be no pretty pathetic romance
of the icicie freezing the rose and all
that sort of nonsense. Think it over
think it over, child. Twill speak to your
aunt, and you can, desids-to-morrow
evening. if not too soon.' p.
And the hour had come and her de-
cision was not made, and her aunt was
furious. ''.r. $751;.
You have not made up your mind
yet, you say 2-and Mr.. Gilmonr ex-
pected an answer Immediately. l sup
pose you mean to refuse him. quavered
Mrs. CARL, 'and I must 20 On living
this sort of life, starving and freezing,
as long as stay in this cold, uugrate-
full world, which won't be long After
all I've done for you,, Linhie, how can
you be so cruel-so positively wicked !
Don't aupty.' returned Liunie, faint.
ly, her delicate form quivering as if
from blow, aud another scalding tear
dropped into the heart of the lily.
You thankless and unreasonable crea-
ture,', snapped Mrs, Carll. Did 7 not
take you when you were an orphaned,
half starved baby and bring you up as
my own ? Have not clothed and edu.
Gated yon and given you a home?
The bene6cent woman uttered these
questions glibbly, as she ought, for she
had asEed them every day for the last
twenty years. y 3 --'~LS : . -
Liuuie was silent and her heart was
bitter.
The most common servant would
scarcely have cared for the sort Of life
L;unie had led with the capricious Mrs.
CARL.
Yet like all noble souls Linnie had
exaggerated every deed of real kind
ness, and in her gratitude@forsot the
petty wrongs, the senseless tyranny and
the unjust burden of responsibility im-
posed upon her young life.
What have not done for you, Me-
linda? Are you deaf that you stand
there Ikea stone idiot and never an
swer Will you marry Mr.. G:lmour, or
will you refuse him and let your poor
old sick aunt lie here and die of despair
and povertyP ,
And then the sobs began to come, and
she pleaded as only such woman for
such a cause can plead.
%, be merciful, my dear child. 1t
will save my life. and it will be bless
ing to you. Mr.. Gilmour is an excep>
tiouably fine man, and once his wife you
would want for nothing .1
And thus she persuaded and expostu-
lated, until the girl almost yielded.
Surely Erie Warford has nothing to
do in causing you to hesitate
Everything, answered Linnie.
melinda, am ashamed of you cried
her relative, reused into fpry of sham
dismay. 'Hava you no sclf'respect that
you still care for one who has treated
you 80 infamously?' -
He may be dead, aunty.'
Dead What silly lunatic you arc
to be sure Erie may have q rich grand
father, whom he will find it profitable
to please in marrying. But it is pro-
foundly evident to me that when the
young man left you he did not intend
to return. He is just the sort OF man
to amuse himself in a Irritation of this
kind. For gracious sake don't let Mr.
Gilmour suspect anything Of it,
The girl turned, her dark eyes a6re
and her delicate cheeks afame.
L shall tell Mr.. Gilmour,' she EN-
pbatically declared; and then if he still
desires me for wife, will marry him.
She had scarcely uttered her sudder
decision when her elderly suitor came.
The gentleman looked curiousl J
doubtful and anxious. Perhaps his ole
heart was not an iciclc after all !!
Then I can never hope that you vii
love me p. he observed, after listenin!
to what Linuie had to tell him of Erl
Warford.