The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-04-22

and rosy-hued as before she saw Willard
Hammond, Unless
And with the perverseness Of woman
kind-at least, some womsnkind-Gussie's
eyes sparkled, and her cheeks glowed, and
the dimples came in her chin, and she felt
dreadfully miserable to think Of that
"no !"
And Mr.. Hammond heard and saw with
Jealous pain, and forthwith began an
easy conversation with Farmer Green
dale.
IL need not say how j regret breaking
the pleasant connections | have had here
among you, but it is, of course, impossi-
ble7 that such life should last forever,
delightful though It'll Besides, impera-
tive summons from my cousin in Boston
one of the rrettiest, NEST bewitehing
little ladies you can imagine, Miss Gassie
makes it double duty for me to CO."
Gussie smiled and said "indeed," as
camly as though he had announced his ia
tention of riding over the farm, while she
experienced hot and cold thrills at thought
Of that cousin of his.
"Iie only said it to make me jealous,
and he shall not do it," Gussie said to her
self, and then, with woman's inconsisten-
cy, went deliberately at work thinking,
and fretting, and groaning, until by
Thursday morning she was almost the
ghost of herself.
Until this morning, this Thursday
morning, with damp, raw east wind, a
clouded, lowering sky, when Willard
Hammond was going, Gussie had not en-
tirely realized what it would be to her af-
ter he had gone, who had been the very
sunshine of her life SC many blessed weeks.
But now, with all the hustle and excite
ment Of getting him off, and now, when
his trunk stood strapped in the hallway,
and she had taken peep in the room he
had occupied, and that made her feel as
if there had been funeral in the house,
now knowing it was the last time she
would eyer see his overcoat hanging on
the hall-raek ), or hear bis tread on the
stairs, Gussie came to a terrible reahza-
tion of what she had done, how she bad
crushed all the light, and warmth, and
beauty, out of her life, and all because
she was an Unborn little coquette.
And that CITY cousin of his! 'Gussie
wanted to choke her, whoever, wherever,
whatever she was, that she dare be so
much to Willard Hammond, whom she
loved, for all she had SO cruelty refused
him-and, shall it be confessed, with
mot doubt that he would renew his
= offer.
Would he renew it? Gussie sprang
from the window where she was watching
one of the farm-hands Harvesting up the
horses that were to take her darling away
from her.
Would he?
The thought sent brilliant flashes to the
sweet eyes that had been dim for SO many
weary hours, and, .and-now comes the
question, was it unmaidenly in herr
Gussie went into the stting-room where
Mr. Hammond was alone, waiting for the
horses.
He glanced up as she came shyly in,
looking very fair to see.
81 am still waiting, you see, Miss Gus
| sic. 1t is real good of you to come and
help me be patient"
"Miss Gussie" He never had called
her so until that other day, and he never
had addressed her more familiarly since.
"There is still some time, Mr.. Ham
mond-nearly half an hour yet. am sor-
ry you should be impatient to get away"
He laughed-not the free joyous laugh
she so loved to hear, but a cold, con
strained mirth.
SIT is rather strange, isn't it, after be-
ing in no hurry for SO long? What fine
: creature Cesar is -
Gussie knew he meant one of the two
) handsome horses he could see from the
window, and she knew, too, that there
was not any satisfaction in his farewell.
He had ceased to care for her-that was
evident, or he would certainly have taken
this golden opportunity-and it was her
own act that was recoiling in such fearful
violence at her heart.
She was trembling with nervous ex-
citement and jealous love and despair.
, She saw the carriage come bowling up to-
ward the front door; she knew
She only knew she loved him dearly,
dearly, and she must lose him by her own
, cruel act.
She could not endure it-this brave,
sweet, faulty girl, with her foolish little
head and her loving big heart; and So
do you blame her, | don't, not a bit--she
went tremblingly up to her rejected lover,
I L L L