The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-01-04

ltl0W IN UNDERSTANDING that tue attrac.,
IiiDn at the cottage was Rifles sweet
ace and enchanting ways. a. a
And Lattle. especially understood 1t;
and l should be p0rtraying her falsely
were l to say she did not feel very keen.
ly his admiration for Etie. Not that she
did not know 1t was ma ural enough, aud
proper enough; not that she was ex-
iaOtly Jealous, but-weil, there was a
keen pang At her heart at first, q vague
feeling of-sumethlng she hardly knew
what. sA-.
But not for long; Lettie Ridgeway was
Isensible, and for ali she feit tiie natural
womanIy bitterness OF always being un-
loved, unsought, though the sight OF the
Old beloved awoks feelings she hoped
never to haye cuff ,red; still Lettie made
the best OF it, and slubbornIy mtde up
her mind that she was actually, really,
h tpe,essly, an old maid, and that the one
man for wnvm she ever cared had come
" woU his BRIDE before her eyes.
Then began Mr.. Glenhan's extensive,
elaborate alterations IN the dear, old
fashioned house that had been his boy
hood's home, and Lettie found herself
constituted chief adviser IN all matters
| of furniture and decoration.
"IL is 80 natural he should want to
consult an old irisnd," Lettie said to
hersell; ''and SO kind 0I him 10 give me
the chance of selecting what / know
wou be in accordance with Ethe's
tasLes."
And 80 she tried honestly, eagerly to
believe she would be happy when Els
and Mr.. Glehham were married; ana al
odd between times sue would sew on
some da. MY little arLicle OF toilet ele-
| gance to beAutily Etie's wardrobe when
the time came for her to prepare for her
bridal.
And, with all her industry and sweet
patience of endurance, LetLie combined
admirable discretion and retcencf,
never once intimatinx to Ellie what EVIL
IDENTIFY her lover had not yet intimated;
never even discussing the question win
MIR. Glenham hlms elf. Bub she could
not help seeing, while Mr.. Glenham was
SO kind and considerate 70 Ettie, that
Ellie was disposed TO be little coquet-
tim, and to carry her filrtations with
Frank Howard further t4an was right
IN honest Lettie's opinion. But sue
didn't scoll tne glrl-Lsttle felt 80 sure
that if Frederic Glenham was uncon-
lcerned as to Efie's transparent mis-
cniet, she certainly ought to be.
So the days went on; the old-ash-
lIuned house had been transformed into
a very bower of beauty. There had been
wings added and lofty portlcos built,
ana great oriel windows put in, and a
mansard roof added, while not branch
of the scores Of years-old rose vlnos, or
Virginia creeper, or yellow woodbine,
that inte mingled their beauty and ira
GRANGE in perfect taugle Of riotous pro-
Iusion from ground 10 chimney, on one
entire side VI the house, was allowed to
be desecrated.
1t was all 80 exquisite, SO pure, so
| aIttI ct. n n
In the cool summer parlor, furnished in
bamboo and mating, TO the splendid,
dome-roofed conservatory, where tropi-
cal plants hourished, and cool ferns
waved, and fountains FLASHED.
/ And Mr. Glenham never said word,
and Etie boldly tllrted with Frank un-
der his very nose, one day, and next day
was all gay, attectlonaJe attention 70
Mr., Glenhaln-dntil LetLie was con-
strained to speak one day--one bright,
sunsniny day, wien everything was i'll
readiness at last at the pleasant new
home, one day when she and Mr.. Glen
ham had taken last critical survey OF
everything.
"And now, Frederic, l suppose you
will allow me 10 take my reward for all
my labor of love by asking you a pretty
plain question. Your casKet is ready
when shall you bring yeur jewel to il ?
DON'T be angry that ask, Frederic, but
for Efie's sake l would really like 20
know. You can not blame me-"
n MIR. Glenham laughed AT her evident
idea of having almost outraged the
proprietles.
mure little woman would have ventured
!, on such ground? so you want to know
! when my rare Jewel is to be installed in
her casket?"
y He looked at her so kindly-almost too
kindly, it occurred TO Lettie.
, "Because," be went on, 81 can not tell
|, you just now. Ii could have my way
! she should come to me without mo-
! meBps delay. But l suppose it is not
to be thought Of"
i How he loved Efiai How he must
. have yearDed for ner to want her at
once. Poor, true, brave little Lettie for
one tiny second suffered such fierce
Q pang OF some pain That was too pure to
a be jealousy. Then she laughed, deter.
mined to be happy about it.
"lndeed 1t is out OF the question, Fred.
eric! Why, there are da! s, and weeks,
\ and months Of preparatory work to be
4 done first. o, know Ettie would never
r give her consent to a hasty wedding"
He smiled, tnen frowned.
"Efie, always Etfie. Lettie, do YOU
know what perfect slave you are to
! that girll just as if care what Effie
. says or thinks! Lettie, my love, my
darling, we have waited too long t. lose
any more time. II you knew how |
G wanted you for my own dear wife,
+ And as he reached out TO take her to
4 his heart, Lettie stepped back, her face
e paler than ashes, her eyes iull OF almost
. deathly surprise.
"I-I-"
Then; as Mr.. Glenham took her in his
. arms, and lifted her solemn, amazed
= eyes, that were all oyerti>wing with
4 tears, she knew what sweet, strange
: mistake it had all been.
d "You thought it was Efie that ]
wanted? Lettie, will never forgive you
unless you tell me at once how mucG
@ you love me. Do you love me, deal
e Are you coming to me to be my owr
true, loving wife, LeLtieW
q They were 80 happy, so eXquisiteiy
Efiie told her after ~ ards how plainly
& she had seen dear ola Uncle Freds In
4 latuation for her dear old auntie.
"WAy, Frank anu 1 were perfectly de-
e lighted about 1T, Aunt Letlte--and-and
l1-yUu must be just as delighted overoui
Engagement, for we do love each other
n so aWiully much"
, And it is true, but an open question