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

utleu, t1fs was stu ouo fDootVo
Should she reply 10 IL ss all! AM
what should she say if she did so
She would dream over it. and thel
perhaps she would be less bewilder
ed. In the morning they met on LII
stairs, and be came towards her witt
the same cordial, uubesilAtisg cir a
ever; but Elizabeth dared na. look ul
ct Tin, and o,wed as coldiy as POS
sible Aud, When be would hav.
detained hrr, she pleaded base. s.c
rsu ay as fast As ever che cUuid
Ali that day she avoided him, snc
the next also, though be seemed
more than usually anxious to see her
and looked very reprosehful and sad
when she pretended not TO zee The
hand which be held ou: TO her il
greeting. Elizabeth cried all night
then she wrote him this letter =
Dear Dir. WIlsoa-I reeeiyed
your note of the fourteenth and
though | am deeply sensible Of the
honor conferred upon me when YOU
ask me to become your wife, can
n 1t accept the position.
Yours very truly,
"ELIZABEFa Acton"
TLeL shs went more incousolably
than ever. And, when she saw him
coming up the street, out of her lit
tie attic window, she wished. oh
she wished with all her heart tha,
she hadn't sent that letter, 10 spite
of the piuk Cupids, sad the "swee.es,
Lizzie" and everything.
Two or three more days passed,
aud she hardly saw him at all. He
always kept his door closed now.
And once or twice when she met
him 10 lhe hall be seemed to regard
her with look which expressed as
much If woIee as anything else
bat then she only glsrced at him,
and she could hardly tell how be
looked.
Sunday came, and she went to
church trying to forget her troubles
in her devotions 1t was a balmy,
spring-like day. The sky was blue
as summer Spsrrows were chat
tering in the ee-boughs, and the
breeze was cheering, as if it brought
news of May. She crossed the CON-
mon on her way home, and was
walking very slowly, when sbs heard
footsteps close behind her, and Mr..
Wilson suddenly appeared at her
side, begging TO be allowed to walk
with her q little way. She bowed
her permission rather stifiy, and
walked along with down-cast eyes.
He was silent for few moments,
then, after a while, be begsu-
Miss Acton, cannot accept your
refusal. There is some strange mis-
take about it-some cruel mystery.
am going to ask you to marry me
myself now. Before, some one must
have asked you for me. l cannot
possibly understand it, but did not
write to you"
Elizabeth's face flushed crimson,
and then grew deadly pale. Whst Q
fool she had made of herself.
"You did not send me that vAlen.
tine ~ she said. "How very strange.
Your name was signed 70 it. l can
not imagine what it all means"
my whole name, or only nv ini-
tials?n be inquired. But never
mind that now. / cannot wait until
you tell me whether you Will consent
TO be nv wife"
Elizabeth was silent, but her ap.
pearance was not discouraging, and
before they reached home be bad wen
a faint and tremulo1s. but highly r..
vorable, answer from the lady of bis
love.
"Do let me see that remarkable val
entine 80 be said to her that night,
when they were wondering over the
mystery.
She produced it, displaying the
lovely Cupid with merry laugh.
How could you have believed for
oue moment. Elizabeth, that i could
send YOU 9 thing like this ?"
Elizabeth colored deeply. "Wha;
else could I think. with your name
written there in plain black and
white? / know no other F. Wilson.
And who would dare to use your
name 10 such Q wsy2 Then vhs,
could the motive be 2"
"Stsy, Elizabeth ~ be exclaimed,
breaking into a sudden ct of laugh
ter. "a new light has dswned upon
me. Why didn't think of it before!
Why, the errsnd-boy's name is F.
Wilson, too and his devotion to you
has long been . standing joke in the
The mystery Is solved"
as 1t possible ?n said Elizabeth.
Il never knew his last name. / al
ways called him Fred. / have no
ticed that there was something on
bis mind for 9 day or two; and be
has regarded me In the most sheepish
"Poor fellow, I suppose be is in q
dreadful condition. Butcher up,
Elizabeth his age is only fourteen ;
and he is likely TO recover from bis
passion in 9 time Hereafter / shall
pay him an extra fee for every srrsnd
be goes for me. He's . valuable
youth though. / have been strange
" blind to bis worth until now. II
bis absurd valentine hadn't made you
cruel, and me desperate, l don't know
when l should have found courage to
speak my mind, dearest, you were 30
shy and reserved"
a TAraasala's Bs9e.