Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-01-18
GALES and Sketfhes.
For the Journal
MY ROMANCE AND now 1T ENDED.
CONTINUED from yesterday
BY CONSTANCE STERLING.

Continued from yesterday
The next morning when ] went to the
breakfast table | found a twenty dollar
bill under nv plate, and a note from Andy
Astley--the money | knew. was from
father for the dress he had spoken about
the day before. Capt. Ashley requested
the pleasure of my company to the Army
and Navy ball to take place that day
week. l glanced up at mother.
ale called last night said that dear
woman, who knew felt for my sorrows.
land told him you were not feeling well
and had gone to bed. lie scrubbed oil
that note and asked me to give it to you.
felt refreshed by my night rest, and
though the wound in my heart still bled,
| could not resist the temptation of the
ball to be given bv the few Army and Ma
w officers in the town The end OF it
was that decided to go, bought my dress
and had Miss Simms, the village dress
maker, help me make il. | came into the
parlor the night | wore it to show it to
father. who ALWAYS liked to see chow |
looked" lie smiled quietly rs he sur
veyed me. $50 you concluded you'd 90,
after all, Ada ?' he said, well well,
shows your sense. Forget that young
idler and act as my daughter should.
There is that the hall door bell?'
1t was Capt. Andrew Ashley; a tall,
blonde, handsome fellow, with genial
manner and a merry, lght-hearled laugh.
Everybody liked him. | might have
learned To love him if it hadn't been for
Mark. whose dark eyes aud hair had com
pletely bewitched me.
Ready, Miss Lanscott?' said the Cap
tain as he. entered. 81 hope have not
kept you waiting"
After a few words with mother and
father, we set off, walking Everybody
walked to balls in Drebley) and meeting
Jack coming out OF Mr.. Spalding's gate
with Julia on his arm. We made mer-
ry party. In laughing and talking with
Julia, who was a lovely, JOYOUS hearted
girl, aud a "prme favorite' Go use Jack 5
expression) with Jack, | forgot for the
time being the lonely, dark eyed lover on
the little farm, and the dealhless vows of
eternal constancy we had pledged.
| know | looked well that night, and
the music. flowers, and dancing proved
too much for Captain Ashley, who formally
offered me his heart and sword (igura
lively speaking) with many a tender vow,
and many a pleading look of his violet
eyes. But | was firm in my refusal.
gave no reason for it except that
did not, never could love him lie
begged, however, that he might be al
lowed to continue his visits TO our house,
and win me il | was to be won. con
sented to his coming to the house as often
as he wished, but assured him that
should never change my views. The
rest of the evening passed slowly for Us
both, and when going home, the Captain
was SO sad and silent that Jack surmised
there was something wrong, and when
we met the next morning at breakfast ac-
cused me of rejecting his offer. | blushed
crimson of course. | could feel the hot
blood dyeing my face and neck. @ thai
tell-tale, blushing habit which could new
er be rid Of | could not deny the accu
sation. | simply sat silent, buttering ny
ham instead OF my bread and putting
cheese instead of sugar in my coffee
My father regarded me for several mo
ments very silently, and then spoke:
Ada, have you rejected Andrew Asst
ley?"
| murmured an almost unntelliglbe as
sent. and the blush faded away and fell
cold and miserable.
''And for the sake of your romantic fol.
" with that black headed French spend
thrift, | suppose' Ada, | am ashamed oi
you !"
Mother looked at me as if she felt pity
and establishment for my errors. and it
was more than | could endure. | sprang
up from the table and left the room.
Again in the solitude OF my own little
apartment did weep bitter tears. felt
thai ! was heroine. and had been cruelty
treated. Did they think that | could so
easily forget my darliug Marx, as to re-
turn the vows of love of another man
within a fortnight? II so, they did not
know me. would show them the stuff /
was made of.
But my life became very dreary and
monotonous. Capt. Ashley was ordered
back TO some fort ever so many miles
away, and left without so much as a
goodbye" for me--whom he had so pro-
fessed 10 love. 1t wounded me deeply.
but / tried to think it did not. Then Jack
never asked me to 90 anywhere with him,
but seemed to avoid me. Andrew Astley
had been his most particular friend, aud
he could not forgive my rejection of bis
suit Julia Spaulding absorbed Jack en-.
tirely after the Captain left Drebly and
saw him only at meals Parties and dance,
WIZ gwen III hlcuic1s uul no QUE al
home seemed to give thought to my 90
ing to them, and Jack invariably took
Julia. Worse than all father never spoke
to me except when necessity obliged hin
TO do so, and then only in the coolest and
most formal manner, while mother looked
"grieved to the heart Whenever nv
glance met hers. No one mentioned Capt
Astley's name, nor was the name of nv
beloved Que ever spoken in my home.
wonder il my family expected to drive me
by this treatment into the unmaidenlv ac
oil writing to Capt. Ashley and proposing
to him. Indeed, there were times when
felt wild enough to do it, So time wen
on and 1t was September. For nearly iiv,
months had | endured my dreary, monoto
nous lite. grew to hate Drebley. ant
to dislike even to walk on her streets.
staid IN my own room brooding over m,
troubles, and thinking of Mark, weeping
over the miserable parting we had had OF
the second day OF April How long i
seemed since that Observation-Disclosures
day My life might be very interestine
TO read about in a two volume novel. bu
1t was still dull to me in the reality. |
was the last week in September-a Thurs
day--that Susan, our-maid-of-all work
came nm tn my room, .pl t,I1 So, ~ 49,.