The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1878-11-27

old and odd and rich and persistent.
You are a sensible young woman,
Miss Linnie," he said one day, "anj
therefore, l think, not pleased with
pretty speeches. On withered lips ar.
dent love is burlesque; besides oui
aristocracy does not believe in any
emotion whatever. Passion is ignored
by the tOn-a marriage Of affection is
ridiculous.
Lnnie looked at him curiously. Was
he satirical, diplomatic, or simply yer.
bosel What did the queer twinkle
mean in his jolly blue eyes2 He went
on:
I" need wife. 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 hail my
fortune. What do you say, Linnie ?"
"IP faltered the girl, pink from the
bands Of her dark hair to the ruffle Of
simple tulle that circled her pretty
throat.
81 have chosen you, Miss Linnie, u
was the business-like rejoinder.
"You wish to buy me ?" she inquired,
paling with sudden anger.
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? 1 should be kind to you
always, Linnie. In our case there
should be no pretty pathetic romance
of the icicle freezing the rose and all
that sort of nonsense. Think it over
think it over, child. I will speak to
your aunt, and you can decide-to-
morrow evening, if not too soon."
And the hour had come and her de
cision was not made, and her aunt was
furious.
"You have not made up your mind
yet, you say ?-and Mr.. Gilmour ex.
pected an answer immediately, 1 sup
pose you mean to refuse him." quavered
Mrs. CARL, "and l must go on living
this sort of life, starving and freezing,
as long as I stay in this cold, migrate
full world, which won't be long. After
all I've done for you, Linnie, how can
you be so cruel-so positively wicked p
Don't aunty," returned Linnie,
family, her delicate form quivering as if
from blow, and another scalding tear
dropped into the heart of the lily.
"You thankless and unreasonable
creature" snapped Mrs. CARL. Did
not take you when you were an or
phaned, half-starved baby and bring
you up as my own? Have I not clothed
and educated you and given you a
home?"
The benefcent woman uttered these
questions ghbly, as she ought, for she
had asked them every day for the last
twenty years.
Linnie was silent and her heart was
bitter.
The most common servant would
scarcely have cared for the sort of life
Linnie had led with the capricious Mrs.
CARL.
Yet, like all noble souls, Linnie had
exaggerated every deed of real kindness,
and in her gratitude forgot the petty
wrongs, the senseless tyranny, and the
unjust burden of responsibility imposed
upon her young life.
What have not done for you, Me.
linda ? Are you deaf that you stand
there like a stone idiot and never an
swer Will you marry Mr.. Gilmour, or
will you refuse him and let your poor
old sick aunt lie here and die of despair
and poverty ?"
And then the sobs began to come, and
she pleaded as only such a woman for
such cause can plead.
80, be mercifnl my dear child. 1t
will save my life, and it will be bless
ing to you. Mr.. Gilmour is an excep-
tionably fine man, and once his wife you
would want for nothing"
And thus she persuaded and expostu-
lated, until the girl almost yielded,
quite.
"Surely Erie Warford has nothing to
do in causing you to hesitate 2"
Everything" answered Linnie.
Melinda, I am ashamed of you,"
cried her relative, reused into fury of
sham dismay. Z" Have you no self
respect that you still care for one who
has treated you infamously ?"
He may be dead, aunty."
"Dead What silly lunatic you are
to be sure Erie may have rich grand
father, whom he will find it profitable to
please in marrying. But it is profound
ly' evident to me that when the young
man left you he did not intend to re-
turn. He is just the sort of man to
amuse himself in Irritation of this kind.
For gracious sake don't let Mr.. Gilmour
suspect anything of it"
The girl turned, her dark eyes afire
and her delicate cheeks afame.
ST shall tell Mr.. Gilmour," she en-
phatically declared "and then ii he still
desires me for wife, Twill marry him" T"
She had scarcely uttered her sudden
decision when her elderly suitor came.
The gentleman looked curiously doubt
ful and anxious. Perhaps his old heart
WAS not an icicle after all