The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-07-17
that he ought to be thankful for any
weather at ALL"
az think nearly every one prumbleS at


satisfied with party, or if anything
goes wrong in their business or in their
view O. politics, they grumble at the
weather. l don't believe that any two
lovers, or any form of government,
could stand six weeks of settled sum
shine"
Dion looked at this strange girl. She
had a metaphysical, dreamy look in her
eyes; there was no telling how she might
turn the commonest subject. He re-
membered that he had another engage
ment, and made his most graceful apollo
gies. Still he was wondering, all the
time he was away from Margery, what
she was thinking about him, and tor
menting himself with the memory OF
several good things that he might have
said, and did not say.
Perhaps that was the reason that he
called upon Margery the next day, and
the next, and SO on indefinitely. In a
month the handsome Dionysius was nc
longer at the general service; he was
devoted to Miss Haywood. Then peo-
pie began to talk. Some very good peo.
pie, professedly anxious to repress mali.
cious rumors, propagated them; and
though they declared them to be incredi-
BILE, still, unfortunately, they believed
them to be only too true.
1t is easy to profess Indifference to
such ill-naturcd talk, but people cannot
be Indifferent to the results of it. In
this case the rumors reached Margery's
aunt at Haywood, and she sent pre-
emptory order for her niece's return
home Immediately.
At this order Margery was very cross.
She did not want to go back into the
country, and she did think that, in some
way or other, Dion might have prevented
peoples remarks. And his little effort to
talk the matter over with her only made
her more angry; for her loving, anxious
heart was waiting to hear something
more sweetly personal than:
81 cannot imagine, Miss Haywood
what pleasure people find in gossip"
"You cannot?" snapped Margery
"Well, then, let me tell you that al
pleasures are short-lived except that oi
watching the mistakes of our friends
and comparing them with our own vir-
tues"
"WLere shall we meet again?"
q am no diviner." She was pale and
angry, but the tears were in her eyes
She knew that he loved her. Why could
he not-whv would he not-say so?
"Why?" She asked herself this ques.
ton all during the next summer. Fol
Dion. having discovered that Miss Hey.
wood was with her invalid aunt in 4
small village in the Pennsylvania noun.
tains, abandoned at once the delights OF
fashionable hops and drives, and de-
voted himself to Miss Haywood and
Miss Heywood's aunt.
1t was Il summer to date from all ol
life afterward. Such glorious mornings
by the trout streams! Such evenings in
the moon-lit hills! Such walks, and
talks, and rides! "a young man so
handsome-so very handsome-a young
man so clever and polite, and so respect.
full to age" Aunt Haywood had never
seen. Forty years before, she haC
had a lover, who went to sea and nevel
came back again, and she believed Dior
to be exactly like him. Yes, she wa:
ried, and had children, all her son!
old woman loved him, in her way, quit,
as much is the young one.
This fair and happy SUNNI er at lengtl
came to n close. Dion found the ladie
one morning in the midst of trunks anC
toilets. A sudden frost had set in, ant
Aunt Haywood missed the comforts q
and sorrowful, till after lunch, and thel
for walk with him. He had confes
sion to make, he said, if Miss Haywood
permitted it.
Miss Haywood thought he might hav
spoken without her permission. ITO,
much courtesy, too much courtesy" sh
whispered her own heart; but she signi
E.DI Ia, I.y. % l.
head and Il set, steadfast look in tn
water,
Miss Heywood-Margery-I wan
have made of my life and fortune
Hitherto have squandered them in tn
silliest of pursuits"
Margery began to tap her foot rest
lessly.
II have been so vain of my goo,
looks"
She looked half slyly and half admir-
ingly through her eyelashes at him.
And am sorry to say that, in orde
to do them justice, l have been very un
just to others. lam very deeply in debt
and"
deeply in debit" Was that what h
had to confess? She colored violently
and rose. Mr.. Harrington, your debt
do not concern me, unless-unless-"
"Iexpect you to pay themp | suppos
that is what you think mean, Miss Hey
wood. How can you misjudge me S
cruellyP beg pardon for presuming t
| imagine that you could feel any interes
either in the past or future of so worth
less a life as mine has hitherto been"
He rose to 90, and some dumb. evi
spirit possessed the girl. She longed t
smile, to speak, to detain him; but sh
could not permit herself to do it.
Goodbye, Margery-dear Marge,y
When | venture to speak to you again,
hope to be more deserving Of hearing.
He put out his hand, and she would nc
see it. Oh, it was hard that he woul
not understand the love and longing an
disappointment in her heart! She had
right to be angry with man so blind
and as she could not for very shame g
into good, womanly passion, she CAV
vent to her feelings in very unwomanl
exhibition of sarcastic indifference.
But when Dion had really gone, sll
fell with passionate sobbing upon I'll
ground, until the pines talked sougf
fully among themselves, and waile
back to her those melancholy tones the
learn / know not where.
Aunt Haywood was as broken-hearte
as her niece. She brooded on the loss ,
the gay, beautiful youth, with somethin
OF both a amOther's and lovers anguisl
and when, a week later, they heard til;
he had sailed for the coast of Africa
supercargo of "A friends ship. all the SUI
shine died out of the two lives at He,
wood Park.
A year later old Miss Haywood die
and Margery was left sole mistress of h,
person and fortune. There was son
rumors of strange will made by Mi
ueYWood in her last hour uh;ch