West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-08-02

make very pleasant companion during
long winter evenings.
| "Now Eta, is that the best you have 10
say for such a man You had better think
twice before You try TO flirt with him -
Indeed, my mind is quite made up, and
intend. TO make him propose before re
q, IN home"
Time rolled on. Dame Rumor had il
that Horace Lester and Eta MAYFAIR We're
surely engaged; but Horace also paid at b.
tentlon TO Bertie, and continued TO divide
his time equally between the two. While
with Eta he was very gay, and sometimes
little sentimental; and she used To wonder
why he did not propose. Instead of the
Irritation she at first intended, she had
given him the warmest love of which her
shallow nature was capable With Berthe
Inc was always gentle and kind and by
and-by she too began To care more for hun
than she would have confessed She fought
against her love. thinking he was engaged
to her friend
Affairs were in this state when AN unex-
pected event cut the GOrdian knot
/ The whole party were out horseback
/ riding. Horace, as usual, divided his atten-
/ tions pretty evenly between Eta and Ber-
! tie. They Were laughing merrily, when
suddenly Berties horse took fright at some
object on the rearslde, reared and then
started ON a mad gallop. Horace whipped
up his horse and cndeavorcd To overtakc
her, but had not gone far before he saw
/ BERTHE fall to the ground, where she Law
! perfectly still. Springng from his horse,
he took her in his arms.
80 Berte! Speak to mel Say YOU are
not deadln
She opened her eyes for "A moment aud
smiled at him, then rclapsed into uncons-
ciousness
! BY this time the remainder of the party
had come up, Eta loud in her profession
of grief, May cried quietly.
''Oh, Horace, she is not dead, is she Z"
asked Albert.
'No, she is not dead, only stunned, re
Piled he. ''But we must ge; her home as
soon IA possible.
They succeeded in obtaining convey
ance from a neighboring house, and were
soon on their way back Mrs. Ray met
them at the door, greatly alarmed, having
seen them advancing at distance. They
conveyed Bertie 10 her room and summoned
n doctor, who said she would be quite well
in few days.
AS BERTHE was playing the invalid, next
morning, looking very lovely in her white
wrapper, the bell rang, and the servant an
nounceJ Mr.. Lester. AS Horace entered
and saw her looking so pale, he exclaimed
"Oh, BERTHE, my darling If you had
been killed what should have donel"
| Bertie looked surprised, and said
''Really, Mr. Lester, this is strange IAN
guage for you to use To me
'Bcrtic, Berthe ! Don't you know love
your"
Are you not engaged TO Etta2 ! was
under that impression.
Then let me say it was "A false one.
Miss Eta is not n lady would chose for
WIFE but you are my ideal of what wo-
man should be, darling, and if you viii be
my wife ! am sure you will never have
cause to regret il. Will you, Berticl"
| She did not answer him i'm words, but he
read IA favorable answer in her downcast
face, and scaled their bethrotha with
kiss.
| AT that moment Eta stood in the door
way she turned very pale, and then went
away as silently as she came
The next morning she received a tele-
graph To- the effect that her father was not
expected to live, and he desired her pre-
sence Immediately. OF course every one
was very sorry for her, but they were
in their hearts glad that something called
her away.
When summer had heightened into Au-
tumn, and the leaves were gold and brown,
there was double wedding in the pleasant
/ little church. Horace and Albert were the
grooms, and BERTHE and May the Brides
BERTHE never knew, until her wedding day,
that she was going to marry rich man.
In after years, when Horace and BERTHE
had grown gray in love and harmony, they
received letter from Eta, asking for
charity. Her father, on his deathbed, had
eXacted promise that she would marry
/ friend of his who was very wealthy, which
she did; and he, specializing largely both
with her wealth and his own, had lost all,
and then died leaving her penniless and
! friendless. Horace brought her to their
home, and both he and Bertic treated her
as sister until the end of her days, which
indeed were not many