The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-05-28
HER HEARTS SECRET,
BY ANNA SHIELDS.

.f Won refuse Duncan Holcroft you
ar. a complete idiot, Georgina Gilroy,
aud wash my hands Of Your affairs al
together
Mrs. Cassowin sails majestically from
the room. where Georgina' : heTrsf9e, re>
mains ner~ersly- elosping su& uheIasp-
ing her slender white fingers, and Won
dering why matrimony should be pos.
live duty in the code by which she has
been educated. She is only twenty-five,
slender. fair, and looking about sixteen,
with her waving golden hair and soft,
brown ewes. She has twelve hundred
dollars a year all her own, and why
can't she be allowed to live quiet life
unuolested.. .sE N,
three wears ago, she has been dragged
from a country parsonage in which her
father lived aud died, saving the little
fortune for G Georgina by close economy.
to her aunt's fashionable home, such as
her mother pined for throughout all OF
I -Geareipa' q ch ldhOod. :.
-AWhenI Iyos marry, I hope you will
return to your proper sphere Mrs:
Gilroy would say whenever she spoke OF
Georeipa's future; but she never needed
much in those days.
In the cosy study with her father,
her fluffy curls allsrufed by her yper-
1vous fDgefs as shcpoted over LstineS-
ercises, or studied history; in the plainly
furnished drawing-room at her own lit
tie cabinet piano, playing softly or
grandly as the mood seized her; IN the
free country, wandering here or there,
Georgina was utterly. entirely happy.
Her hours of martyraom were spent 10
her mothers room learning worsted
work, listening to the tales Of the faded
beauty of her former eopqussts, before
and her Georgiua of her noble self
sacrificing other always grew hot aud
angry before she threw herself away,
upon q country pafsoB. ~
Sitting IN Mrs. Cassowin's grand
drawing-room, waiting for Duncan Hol-
croft to come and propose to her, as her
aunt informed her he had requested per-
mission to do. Georgina, timid and gen.
tie felt her whole being rise in revolt
Wastise to be to her what it was to her
aunt. round of calling, shopping, par
ty going, party:giving. interviews Tlio
dress-makers and milliners! Gouid
she rot escape to some locality where
there were nobler aims aud desires
Where! s"
Mrs. Cassowiu had expostulated in
sain. Hitherto, Georgina had been
gently firm. But on this day eSeu bel e,
courage failed before her aunt's wrath
at the proposal to dismiss Duncan Ho',
croft.
He came across the wide drawing,
room as she sat thinking, his football
uuheard upon the soft carpet. tie was
|talk erect, handsome, past hfty, yet not
old: his ewes clear as boys, his iron
pray hnir curling and abundant, his
rray moustaci,e giving military air to
Els we'll cut features. Fanltsess ln at'
tire. courteous in manner, he al.o pos,
sessea half q million attractions 10 SOLO
investments. go. D.,
Rat all else seemed to him worthless
compared to the possession of the slen'
der, pale child who, half-buried in
deep arm chair, realized as yet nothing
of tho yearning love in TIE large, aafp
+eyss- Fixed upon her face.
Il was scarcely to be supposed tina
Duncan Holcroft, bachelor as he was vas
had travelled over siyty years OF III.
with untouched heart, bat ne had llvee
over all other love till this one came an'
conquered him, :,
II stirred his heart with q asiOk pain
when Georgino, looking up, Paled t to he
uips, whilssber eyes we're fahl ipf lea |,
and trouble. seeing him. She had pl
ways given. him frank, cordial greet
inc: and he ha1 hoped to win swee'e
tokens still from her soft eyes and swee
lip.. and instead he had lost what wa
Dii you not expect meF' he said
gently Y; you look startled.
i did not know you were here T a.ssR an