Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-05-06
IFrom Harpers Bazarl
ADRIENNE'S STORY.


WAS never happy at Aunt Brownies,
ll5 there seemed no prospect that L
iould ever leave her. | had come out,
- 10 speak, as far as any one so repressed
could come out, but l might as well
have staid in. / only sat in corners,
talked with the chaperons, or listened
to some garrulous octogenarian. Aunt
Brownies interest in me, such as 1t was,
died natural death after my first sea-
son--it had always been weakly-and
the result was q sad deficiency in my
wardrobe. She had married off two
daughters without difficulty, but a niece,
it seemed, stuck closer than burr.
However, it was not my fault that | re-
manned unmarried. | had done my best
TO be fascinating. Though | hated the
idea of marrying for home or position,
yet was sure | should not find it hard
to lore one who was kind to me, if only
on account of the novelty. | was thirty
now, and not unused to hearing the
changes rllng upon the old maid, and the
beggars who shouldn't be choosers, by
my younger cousins, Susette and Anne.
But l had had one opportunity to change
for better or worse of which they had
never dreamed The son of Aunt
Brownies second husband, Cedric Browne,
had asked me to marry him, three years
before, MS we rode up the river III June
for the rosy laurel blooms to decorate the
house for Slsette's birthday fete. |
sometimes wondered what Aunt Browne
would have thought of the proceeding,
as she had set her heart upon marrying
ta |
him because | was taken unawares, be-
cause | was not interested enough to care
about frustrating Aunt Brownies plans;
perhaps | did not expect to be taken at
my word, but imagined it the proper
way to decline, in order to be importuned.
4 believe all my favorite heroines had
conducted ia this WISE However, we
rowed home through the sunset, our boat
heaped with the pink flowers. in silence.
"You look as ii you were laden with
sunset clouds, said Susette, who was
watching for us on the ore; but | am
certain that Cedric looked like thun-
der cloud
The next day was the fete. Every
bouy brought presents for Susette.
Cedric gave herm antiquenecklaceo OF tur-
quoIses; | was sure he had meant 1t for
NE We had supper out of doors, UNI
der the great pine trees, and dancing by
moonlight. That day | began TO regard
Cedric Browne attentively. | known
him under the same roof for weeks at a
time; / mad laughed and talked with
him, believing him foro-orGained to min
lister to Susette's happiness, "as mae
cessible as star i'll heaven" SO far rs |
was concerned. He had helped me with
Adelo's children, who had come to live
mt Aunt Brownies when their mother
died. But that he should regard me
with any tender emotions | had never
even dared to wish. In fact, | had
thought little about him till to-day. |
had never observed till to-day that his
ewes were rs tender us stars, that his
face was like that radiant countenanee of
Mozart in the music room, that his
smile was simply enchantment. 1t was
rather late to make these discoveries.
He did not leave us Mt once; it seemed
rs if he staid just long enough for me to
know all | had lost Since then he had
been with lis once again for whole
month: but little Walter was i'll with n
spinal affection that kept him on his
back, aud me by his side; and though
Cedric used to relieve me often by day
and by night, | could see from my win
dow. and from occasional glimpses into
the drawlng-room, that the balance OF
his time was spent IN Susette's company.
"Auut Susette's beau is goingto make
me kite, " Teddy confded to Walter one
day.
"Who's hep" asked Walter from his
bed.
"Why. Cedric, of course = Cedric
Browne. Bridget saws so herself, as II
that put the matter beyond dispute.
The next day, when Cedric came up
TO amuoe Walter with the affairs of
down stairs, that youth demanded: 81
say, are you really Aunt Susettes beau,
Cedric Adrienne's ever so nicer When
I'm Il man I'll marry Adrionne.
"Then you Il be luckier than |, said
Cedric, winding up top, and spinning
it on his palm.
It was year since then. | no longer
went out; | was fairly paSsce, Aunt
Browne had abandoned all hopes of me.
l was a good nurserymaid, cheap
governess, and an inexpensive companion