Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-07-09
"Of course, they come from Aunt

Why, I feel as rich as queen, Susan"
Aud that was all he heard, but he
was satisfied.
Dudley Manning went to the mop that
night, and so did the Armitage sisters.
Susan was as ladylike and graceful as
usual, but Edith was ravishingly beau
tiful in her pale blue robe.
"The stockings must match per-
fectly," thought Dudley, as he contrived
to get an introduction.
Every moment increased the attrac-
ton. Her loneliness made her quite
the star of the ballroom, but Dudley
scarcely allowed any one else to speak
to her, SO persistently did he hover
about the sisters.
The evening ghded like a dream
| flowers. music, motion, bright nothings,
looks more eloqueot than words-and
| Dudley went to bed that night hope
lessly in love.
Four weeks had gone. The Armit-
age sisters began to talk of leaving the
Cliffwood House for a visit to their
aunt.
As for Dudley Manning, he had long
ago Disguised the party or friends with
whom he came, by deserving them to
remain in "this dull little hole" as one
of them called it.
He was only waiting a favorable or
portunity now to propose when one
fateful morning he Joined the sisters
on the hotel piazza with an armful OF
new books.
"Three Of these are for you, Miss
| Edith" he said.
And he wrote her name, in his bold,
clear, characteristic hand, on the t1y-
leaves of each.
Susan, looking idly on as the other
two laughed and chatted, started sud-
denly, changed color. and left them.
She took the book she was examln-
ing with her, and presently she sent
message to Edith, saying that she
wanted her immediately.
Must you 60? Well, come back dl-
rectlv. and I shall wait for your said
Dudley; and, with a smiling assent,
she left him.
But she did not return, and the young
man wondered and waited for nearly
an hour.
At last came a card, with a penciled
message, and full Of bewilderment, he
read:
"Mlss Armitage hopes Mr.. Manning
will excuse her sister, rs she is partlcu-
larry engaged for the rest OF the day."
Dudley flushed as he tore up the
card, and walked away, bordering over
the strangeness Of the message.
At dinner Susan made her appear
ance alone; but when Dudley approach
her to inquire for her sister, she was al
most rude in the curtness Of her re-
plies to his questions.
Dudley's first impulse was to ask the
meaning of this changed behavior but
modification and rising anger con-
quered, and he turned away, with look
of equal hauteur.
Half an hour later his mood changed.
He sent note to Edith, begging for an
interview; but when she returned
ormal excuse he was furious with HIM
self for having written.
So all that evening he paced up and
down the piazza, in savage frame Of
mind, and finally decided to leave the
house next day, if Edith still refused to
see him.
Up stairs poor Edith was crying soft
ly, while Susan packed.
'Who could have supposed that they
came from him?" she was saying, for
the twentieth time.
Susan came over to her and stroked
her hair caressingly.
'Don't think of it, darling! Try to
forget it!' she said, soothingly.
'But, Susan, are you sure? Don't
YOU think there could be a mistake? So
many people write alike, you know"
said Edith, with an eager lmDlOrlng
look.
Susan shook her head.
"That writing is unmistakable, my
dear sister," she answered, sadly.
Edith threw herself back with fresh
burst of tears.
"But the dreadful part of the whole
affair is that he has been so dishonor-
able!" she exclaimed. ''To think how
he must have listened to our converse
ton, and pried into all our secrets! So
unmanly! so shameful! [ never want
to see him again.
II think I will put the-stockings in
parcel, and leave them to be delivered
to him. said Susan, presently.
Edith closed her eyes and groaned:
81 don't care what you do with them,
only don't tell me-"
Early the next morning Dudley was
awakened by the humping oftrunks out
side his door, In an instant he was up,
and dressing in frantic haste, for he had
comprehended that his neighbors were
leaving.
AS he emerged from his room and
rushed to the stairway, he caught g
vanishing glimpse of two gray travelling
dresses in the hall below One followed
the porter, the other turned toward the
hotel Warlor.
Dudley OWNED that this second fig
ure was Edith, and be seized his advan-
tage with mastery quickness.
In another moment he mad confront
ed her, had seized her hand, despite her
resistance, and was pouring out a tor
rent of words, half-angry, half-tender,
ending abruptly with:
Edith, love you. Will you marry
me?"
"Good morning, Mr.. Manning" inter-