Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1879-11-19

tending to his ankle now"
I" Do you think he's married ?"
No he's too young for that, but perhaps
he was on his way to have two hearts made
one'"
That's the height of absurdity, why
didn't you say to be married?"
"There, that will do children, if you
have anything more to discuss you may
retire to your room," said Papa, coming
unobServedly into the hall.
BY a letter found on the stranger adj
dressed to the Rev. J. Manning Dure, my |
father, he was a stranger by name no more. |
For years at some remote time we had eX-
pected to see him, and now he had come |
SO suddenly in our midst the bursting of |
u bomb in the centre of quiet army |
camp.
He was Duglass Stapleton, -Nina's beau. |
we had always called him, under the mic
name Of Bertram; Nina had unconsciously |
given him this name. While reading one |
day she suddenly said: "Oh wouldn't it |
have been grand, if Mr. Stapleton had
called Duglass Bertram too, given him that |
for middle name, wouldn't his name have |
been beautiful ?" She exclaimed, her whole |
face frightening.
"Well Nine we'll call him Bertram for
your benefit, here after. When he comes
over, he's to tie your beau, so we will give
him your favorite name," said Janette,
Wouldn't it be odd now if Nine was to
marry Dugass-oh excuse me, Bertram
when he comes Mrs. Bertram Stapleton.
Hem! quite an arstocratc sound, isn't
it?"
1.-The idea do hush your clatter, Nett
dare say he's engaged by this time; per,
haps the next letter that comeswill announce
his marriage" said Nina, blushing.
Then you'd cry your eyes out, ell ?
Nine!'
"Me, ! never cry for anything, much less
the marriage of a stranger"
Two months after this conversation, he
came; "Nine's Bertram." Nett would
have it,-"husband expectant." Some
times she would go SO far as to say this
before him
Duglass was the only child of class
mate of Papa's in England, his native
home. When the degree of Divinitatis
Doctor was conferred on both, they separated
never to see each other again, but their love
always remained the same till death.
Mr.. Stapleton married the second daugh-
ter OF Lady Burl, whose park joined the
parsonage grounds.
She was a handsome intelligent woman
OF the majestic type, of small property.
The wealth she brought her clerical hus-
band, was her love for him; very deeply
he repaid it in his devotion to her.
Duglass possessed all Of his mothers
beauty, and all of his fathers intelligence.
Quick, shrewd and clever, no wonder he
was the pet of society.
Mrs. Stapeton died while Duglass was
yet child; after two years of home life
from that time until manhood had been
spent at Eton and Oxford, his vacations,
travelling with his grandma. Lady Bur,
Thus he had been gladly deprived of his
step-mother's society.
Father had come to America to open his
field Of labor married and settled down,
while Edward Stapleton was yet addressing
Anna Burl.
From time to time letters had passed
between them; wo knew there was but one
child in the Stapleton family, they knew
there were three of us. Beyond this, the
letters neverinterested either family, there
fore they wrote chiefly of themselves, and
their labor, more of the past than pres.
ent. Duglass had become anxious to
travel, through America and thus it was
E he came to Grey's Head on such q stormy
: night.
The accident had been very serious; dis.
, pite our utmost care a fever set in, and
days OF anxiety with US, days of suffering
with him, passed ere it could be abated.
, Nina was a faithful little watcher
jeanette forgot to plague her while Dug
lass was so i'll.
t Fresh breezy Spring bloomed into
4 summer ere Duglass was allowed to hobblC
, on his clutches out among the lndens or
, the lawns.
Often when out and Nina would be
coming to join Us, he would say: " IL ere
comes the bright face that nuttered abou
/. me in my lazy days"
v One day We were in the woods and espieC
$ Nina walking swiftly down the path to tn,
}. rocks; Janette cried
Don't go TO the lake, Bertrams no
r. there come to us"
Nina came up were jeanette and wer,
standing Duglass was in his invalid
i chair, and she had not seen him until sh,
It joined us; soon as she saw him, she started
p. and blushed wildly.
t " thought" she said, then stopped
, and looked ut jeanette who was enioyin
). the scene.
.e You thought that Bertram was here
,e and was disappointed" said Duglass.
9. No, | though you were in the house
seeing only the two standing here"
}" Who is Bertram, Miss Nett?" aske,
Duglass.
20 who? ask Nine, she can tell you if sh
Do would" cried Nett, with another burst q
IF laughter.
ID Hush, Nett, you certainly forget your
If self" l said
ID Nina had been looking first at me the
ar at Duglass, and after l had spoken h
NJ said:
:" 81 won't ask to-day, some other time
Is may NinaP"
10 did not see her answer in any way, fo
| wasn't looking at her Nett had to b
n controlled now, but think she did it in
Ie dumb way.
so Then we all sat down; Nina reading, til
rest talking, but Duglass watching Nina a
III the while.
Thus he would sit and listen to tn
clatter of "the Dominie's daughters
to tongues-as we were called.
le. There was always such a provokin
he amused smile in his face when our remark
in fell thick and fast, about Miss Mills r
diculous little bonnet or Mrs. Pittman in
Ito Misses hat, seasoned with what Mrs. S
and.so had to say about it, with heav
, n sprinkle of other small talk.
'as One day Nina suddenly exclaimed, "Ju
to think. Suppose Duglass-Mr. Stapleto
he ! mean"-here we all laughed and Ne
I'd, cried, "No Bertram."
ed Duglass looked bewildered, but was Il
lid first to recover.
"That is right Nine, call me Duglas
lie, you couldn't please me better. What w
it'll it you were going to say?"
She began slyly, "Suppose you were
the minister, We couldn't have the good tim
yht that we enjoy now. You'd always
red giving us lectures without end. Lectur
ght about novels, poetry, games and-Ol
will everything that woman loves Isn't
nice that all men are not ministers ~
self Bertram especially, Nine"