The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-01-17
HER HEARTS SECRET.


and wash my hands of your affairs al
together"
Mrs. Cassowin sails maj estically from
the room where Georgina, her niece, re-
mains nervously clasping and unclasp-
ing her slender white fingers. and won
derIDg why matrimony should be u pos
tive duty in the code by which she had
been educated. She is only twenty-five,
slender, fair, and looking about sixteen,
with her waving golden hair and soft,
brown eyes.
She has two hundred pounds a year.
all her own and why can't she be allowed
to 1--we quiet life unmoleste1.
Since her own parents died, about
three years ago, she had been dragged
from the country parsonage, in which
her father lived and died, saving the lit
tie fortune for Georgina by close econo-
my, to her aunt's fashionable home such
as her mother pinned for throughout all
Georgina's childhood.
"When you marry, hope you will
return to your proper sphere" Mrs.
Gilroy would say whenever she spoke of
Georgina's future but she never needed
much in those days.
Sitting in Mrs. Cassowin's grand
drawing-rosm, waiting for Duncan Hol-
croft to come and propose to her, as her
aunt informed her he had requested
permission to do, Georgina, timid and
gentle, felt her whole being rise In re-
volt.
Was life to be to her what it was to
her aunt, round Of calling, shopping,
party-golng, party giving, interviews
with dressmakers and milliners? Could
she not escape to some locality where
there wese nobler aims and Desires
Where?
Mrs. Cassowin had expostulated in
vain. Hitherto, Georgina had been
gently firm.
But on this day even her courage failed
before her aunts wrath at the proposal
to dismiss Duncan Holcroft.
He came across the vide drawing
room as she sat thinking, his football un-
heard upon the soft carpet.
He was tall, erect, handsome, past IF
ty, yet not old; his eyes clear as boys,
his iron-gray hair curly and abundant,
his gray moustache giving a military air
to his well-cut features.
Faultless in attire, courteous in man
ner, he also possessed half a million at
fractions in solid investments.
But all else seemed to him worthless
compared to the possession of the slen-
der, pale child, who half buried in deep
armchair, realized Us yet nothing OF the
yearning love in the large, dark eyes
fixed upon her.
1t was scarcely to be supposed that
Duncan Holcroft, bachelor as he was,
had travelled over fifty years of life with
untouched heart, but he had lived over
all other love till this one came and con-
quered him.
1t stirred his heart with sick pain,
when Georgina, looking up, palod to her
lips, while her eyes were full of fear and
trouble, seeing him.
She had always given him q frank,
cordial greeting, and he had hoped to
win sweeter tokens still from her soft
eyes and sweet lips, and instead he had
lost what was already given.
"Did you not expect me?" he said,
gently "you looked startled"
al did not know your were here, and
it did startle me to see you so close be-
side mew Georgina said, flaming
color shooting now over cheek and brow,
as she wished herself thousand miles
away.
He spoke to her gravely then, and
very, very gently, wooing her most ten
derby, consderate of hery outh, her timidi-
ty; and heartily ashamed, she could on
ly sob and SILVER.
"'Chid," he said at last, edo | dis
tress you? Am l so hateful to you
that"
But she interrupted him quickly:
"You are not so hateful to me-" she
said, lmpulsively. al like you ever
ever so much, only-oh, why do you
want to marry me!'
He could not keep back smile,
though his heart throbbed heavily with
pain.
al love you, DEAR" he said al love .
you far too well to wish to grieve you.
Shall we be friends still ?"
"Ob, if you WILL" she said, eagerly,
ignorant of the stab in every word, "1et
rs forget to-day"
AS if he could.
But he was a true gentleman, a sim
,ere. unselfsh lover, and he led her on
% talk OF other matters till the ashy pal
or left her cheeks and lips, and she was
ust her sweet shy self again.
Then he left her.
Left her to meet such wrath from Mrs.
Jassowin that she rose against Der bitter
peeches. &
"l will go TO grandfather Gilroy, !
ince you are so tired of me- Georgina
aid.
al would go bury yourself in that |
vretched little farm house at Fry Cor r
Iers you, who might lead the fashion /
lere, Duncan Holcroit's wife -
But even Fry Corners was preferable
o Georgina, 10 the prospec, Of leading :.
be fashion. :
She shivered at the thought, shy little
ountry flower, and accepted her aunt- ,
ngracious dismissal.
IL even seemed as if she threw off
urden as she stepped from her lnxur y
ous carriage al the station. u
Mrs. Cassowin, slightly remorsefui, :
7as at the last moment willing 10 re- !.
oke her decree OF Punishment, but I