American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-09-06


fellow, if you like-whom we have not
seen for many years; knew our brother
in India-brings messages and presents
from him, etc. Harry will, of course,
ask him to stay with us then the way
will he open. Emily was always his
favorite sister; and, after "A few days,
he can become attentive to her; and, As
they will have II great deal to talk about,
he can sit by her side, speaking in a low
soft tone, and then ask her to play for
him. just As Harry goes on with the Wild
ow. Oh, it will be capital funph
Yes said Susie; if Emily does
not object. But, if Stephen is to be so
particular i'll his manner towards her
when she is in company, she will never
agree to it; for, although We all know
he is her brother, no one here will have
an idea of the kind
"Of course we would not for the world
compromise her. This little programme
is entirely for the home circle, for liar
rvs special benefit, We are to dine at
the Tilfords' this evening, and if he is rs
silly as usual about that pretty, empty
headed little woman, think l shall sue
coed in getting Emily to consent. shall
say nothing to her until l see the way
clear; all will depend on the events of a
few hours. l must confess 1 shall be
heartily glad to punish Harry. wish
he could have the heartache instead of
Emily"
A few days later and Mr.. Harcourt
was introduced to an early friend of his
wife and her sisters, a tall, handsome,
distinguished-lookin man, Mr.. William
A. Stephen. Mr.. Stephen was soon at
home in the family, telling his host that
he had always regarded the ladies as his
sisters.
81 have always" he said, ''kept up
a correspondence with them since ] left
England, which WAS when was quite a
boy. Since Emily's marriage her let
tiers have almost entirely ceased; but 1
have to thank her for many kind mes
sages and remcmbrances, so that knew
l was not forgotten. We used to be-"
he added, ssthe best of friends. Don't
You remember, Mrs. Harcourt, turning
to Emily, with smile, "that you
promised to keep house for meP''
EYES," she replied, returning his
smile, and almost blushing, for her hus-
band was looking at her very earnestly.
:" have the drawing of the house you
said you would build for me when you
were man, and Susie and Jenny were
to come and stay with u.s.
81 have never forgotten them!'' said
their guest, and half-srlppressed sigh
escaped him. 81 have thought of them
often and often, and iii my dreams those
dear old days come back to me; and
then you do not know-you can not
tell--how I longed for you all again!"
Mr.. Stephen said you alt, but Harry
fancied his look. and tones had world
of meaning in them as he turned to
Emily.
"Confound me,' soliloquized Harry,
"if L don't think he was ain old sweet
heart of MY wife's; he's more than half
in love with her now! If he isn't, why
doesn't he go out with the girls instead
of reading-mooning 1 call it-with herP
If 1 see much more of such goings on 1
shall give her bit of my mind. How
much longer does the fellow mean to
stay here? l was foolish to ask him at
all; but I thought Emily was a sensible
woman"
Several days passed and still Mr..
Stephens said nothing about leaving.
Two or three times, by his invitation,
Mrs. Harcourt had ridden and driven
out with him, notwithstanding Harry's
gloomy looks.
Of course he had often offered the
same attention to the widow; but that
was the other side of the question; that
was his affair; he had never asked him
self whether his devotion to another was
pleasant or agreeable to his wife.
81 won't have her riding all over the
country" he said to himself, "with a
fellow, just because he used to be her
old play-fellow. She is married wom-
an, and it does not look right. 1t would
be well enough for Susie or Jenny, but
not for Emily; and III put stop to it,
or my names not Harry. L wonder
what they were talking about when I
came into the room this morning? am
almost sure 1 saw him touching her
curls, eonfound his impudence!"
Harry forgot that he had a lock of the
pretty little widows hair in his vest
pocket.
Harry had a fine tenor voice, and of
late had devoted almost every evening
to practising new songs with Mrs. OAR
win; but having discovered that the la
dies of his family usually spent some
time in the music-room, while he was
absent, resolved to remain at home, to
be, as he thought, check on them.
Emily and Mr.. Stephen sang several
duets, the girls refusing to sing, except
in the choruses, assigning as reason
that his voice and their sisters seemed
made for each other.
All this was gall and NORWOOD to
Harry, who, sitting by, apparently en-
gagged in reading, was carefully watch
ing every word and look.
That his guest admired his wife was
plain enough; his manner was even
tender when he spoke to her; and it
seemed to Harry as if he hung upon her
81 didn't know Emily was SO pretty
said Harry, mentally. ''What n nice
color she has, I fancied she had lost
all her GOOD Looks. hut she Is ouita