Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-02-25

upon my MOIu, COUSIN LuCliId, sal'
be, this looks good; You must liy,
like aldermen here =
But this isn't our dinner = gaspet
Lucllla, thinking of the pound anC
a-half of beefsteak and the the quarter
peck Of sweet potatoes on the kitchen
table below.
Whose is it, then 2 calmly demand.
ed Mr.. Burgoyne.
It's some mistake flltered poor
Lucilla.
No mistake at all, lady, grinned tht
waiter, who stood ready, with demask
napkin over his arm. to serve out the
oysters and pass around the bread. 'Or.
dered at the United States Hotel fol
Miss Carver
Then Lucilla introduced Matty, and
Matty, shrinking aud coloring. recog-
nized in our cousin from Omaha the
very gentleman with the diamond studs
and silky mustache who had restored
her scarf,and hadn't smiled at her mar.
ket basket.
And 1t was surprising how soon they
all became excellent friends, and for
got the lite embarrassing incident to
their first introduction.
When the grapes and bananas. and
velyety hotshouse peaches, were
brought on the table, and the bottle OF
champagne was opened, 1t transpired
that Mr.. Burgoyne was about to stay
in town on business for several weeks.
You will be our guest, will you not?
cried out Matty, eagerly, with a dasL. o.
rose color on either cheek, and great
dark eyes all luminous with pleasant
excitement.
But this invitation Mr.. BurgoynC
smillngly declined. He would see them
as often he could he would be a mos
frequent visitor at the cottage, they
might be assured, but his business for
bade his being a sojourncr there. AuC
he smiled to himself to see the pretty
little brunette's evident disappointment
at his words.
She IS getting reconciIed to cousin;
from OMAHA he thought.
Days and weeks crept on, Mr.
Burgoyne's tall figure haunted the little
cottage Ike a shadow, and pretty little
Matty grew to watch for his coming
with feveush intentness.
The mystery Of the hotel banquet
still remained unsoIved. Mine host o.
the United States Hotel, when guess
toned spon the subject. was as i'm
perturbably uncommdnicatiye as tht
sphinx itself, and at last Lucilla ant
Matty Carver were feigu to abandon
the fruitless quest.
But on the way to the concert
Matty be It remembered WAS to sing il
one Of the quartettes-a rnysterlou:
pasteboard box arrived from New Yorh
directed to Mss Matty Carver
What can it be? cried Matty, all il
a tremble.
You'll never know If you don't oper
it and see, said the more philosophical
Lucilla. Here, III cut the s;rings.'
And there, shrouded in innumerablt
layers of oiled silk and tissue paper
appeared an exquisite dress ofruby silk
with train Of glistening ruby satin,
and such lace on the bodice as our poor
little village maiden had only dreamed
Of, never seen; while a card, la;elleC
Miss Matty Carver, to wear at the
concert was laid among the scented
folds.
Matty was very pale, with red eyes
aud heavy lashes, when Mr.. BurgoynC
dropped casually in that afternoon.
Julius said she, I have found you
out
Found me out, eh:' said Mr.
Bargoyne, half.smiling. Am I SC
like a conundrum
1t was YOU that sent me that dress.
Because 1 knew you would look like
a princess in it, said julius, cody.
And It was y-u that ordered thC
dinner that first day you came?
DO you suppose wanted to eat u
your ribbon loops, and swallow you
crepelisse trills? retorted the gentle
man with a roguish twinkle IN his eyes
Ineyer, never will speak TO yo'
again as long as I liyev sobbed Matty
But by the heaven that is above u
vou shall . said the cousin from Omaha
resolutel, possessing himself OF botl
her little hands. You shall tell me
that You will promise TO so back to th'
West with me as my cherished BRIDE
Matty. my own darling, don't you turl
your rosebud face away from me; for
love you, and my life will be but half
life unless you pledge yourself to shar'
it with me-!
And almost before Matty knew it
she was engaged to her cousin from
Omaha.
And to think said Lucilla, half
laughing, hall-crying, that all thi
comes from unexpected company
Matty, 1 thought you said you hate'
cousins p
SO | did, said Matty, looking charm
ingly confused. 'But-but then Iy
changed my mind since"
The fountain of content must sprln'
up in the mind, and lie who has so httl
knowledge ofhuman nature as to see
happiness by changing anything but hi
own disposition will waste his lie Il
fruItless efforts, and multiply the gnei
which he proposes TO remove.