The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-05-12
ADRIENNES STORY.
THarper's Bazaar.1

was never happy at Aunt Brownies, but
there seemed no prospect that l should ever
leave her. l had come out, so to speak, as far
n anyone so repressed could come out but
might as well have staid in. / only sat in
corners, talked with the chsperons, or listen
ed to some garrulOus OctOgenarian. Aunt
Brownies interest in me, such as it was, died
a natural death after the first seasOn-it had
always been weakly-and the result was a
sad deficiency in my wardrobe. She had
married off two daughters without difficulty,
but a niece, it seemed, stuck closer than a
burr However, it was not my fault that 1
remained unmarried / had done my best
to be fascinating. Though / hated the idea
of marrying for a home or position, yet L
was sure / should not find it hard to
love one who was kind to me, if
only on account of the novelty. 1 was
thirty now, and not unused to hearing
changes rung upon the old maid, and the beg
gars who shouldn't be choosers, by my
younger cousins, Susette and Anne. But |
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, as we rowed up the river
in June for the rosy laurel blooms to deco
rate tue HOucc anu pldLLdS lOT OuStlJcS
birthday fete. / sometimes wondered
what Aunt Browne would have
thought of the proceeding, as she
had set her heart upon marrying Susette
to Cedric. Perhaps refused him because 1
was taken unawares, because | was net
enough interested to care about frustrating
Aunt Brownies plans; perhaps | did not ex-
pect to be taken at my word, but imagined
it the proper way to decline, in order to be
importuned. l believe all my favorite he
roines had conducted in this wise. However,
we rowed home through the sunset, our boat
heaped with the pink flowers, in silence
You look as if you were laden with sun
set Clouds said Susette, who was watching
for us on the shore; but l am certain that
Cedric looked like a thunder cloud.
The next day was the fete. Everybody
brought presents for Susette. Cedric gave
her an antique necklace of turquoises; i was
sure he had meant it for me. We had sup
per out of doors, under the great pine-trees,
and dancing by moonlight That day be-
gan to regard Cedric Browne attentively.
had known him under the same roof for
weeks at a time; L had laughed and talked
with him, believing him fore-ordsined to
minister to Susette's happiness, ''as inacees-
sible as star in Heaven" so far as L was
concerned. He had helped me with Adele's
children, who had come to live at Aunt
Brownies when their mother died But that
he should regard me with any tender emo
tions had never even dared to wish. In
fact had thought little about him till to-
day. had never observed till to-day that
his eyes were as tender as stars, that his face
was like that radient countenance of Mozart
in the MUSHROOM, that his smile was simply
enchantment. wasrather late to make these
discoveries. auH
He did not leave Us at once; 1t seemed as
if he staid Just long enough for me to know
all had lost. Since then he had been with
as for whole month; but little Walter was
i'll with spinal affection that kept him on
his back, and me by his side; and though Ce-
dric used to relieve me often by day and by
night, could see from my window, and from
occasional glimpses into the drawing-roOm,
that the balance of his time was spent in Su-
settles company.
"Aunt Susette's beau is going to make me
a kite" Teddy confded to Walter one day
who's her" asked Walter from his bed.
"Why, Cedric, of course-Cedric Browne.
Bridget says herself" as if that put the
matter beyond dispute.
The next day, when Cedric came up to
amuse Walter with the affairs down stairs
that youth demanded: IL say, are you veal
ly Aunt Susette's beau? Cedric, Adrienne's
ever so nicer. When I'm a man / shall
marry Adrienne." ~
Then you'll be luckier than /. /" said Cedric
winding up top, and spinning it on his
palm. Hr 800
It was year since then. l no longer