Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-06-17

wish / could tell you'll do wish
| could! | hate to have a secret ;
it burns, like money in my pocket.
It's an unnatural thing, anyway. One
wants sympathy; if it's gloomy secret,
somebody to he gloomy with; and if it's
glad one, somebody to be glad with |;
somebody to talk it over with, to make
much or little of it with, to conjecture
concerning it, its beginning and It's end =,
to dwell upon it and gloat over it; how
in the world is one going to enjoy any
thing all by ones selfi If I'm eating a
peach, | want somebody TO have part of
it, to know how luscious IL Is; and
wouldn't give a sixpence for coach and
four unless there were somebody by to
see me riding. So say to myself, what's
the use of knowing it if you're not TO
speak or look, or wink, If you're to be
no wiser than other people, and let no
body see that you areo And as for me,
am always blush.ng, and my tongue is
tripping, 'and I'm sure to be on the
point of betraying the whole thing by
something | say, and clapping my hand
on my mouth like silly child.
Still, although it's nervous and anx-
ious work, l can keep a secret if | try,
or else when he-I mean she-atleast |
mean shouldn't have been trusted with
it ifI couldn't. Some people are so i'm
portant with a secret, and go about as
If they knew enough to hang the rest of
the world. But | never am only long
TO tell it; and do so want to tell YOU
this one. But there-I promised |
wouldn't breathe it, and promise is q
promise, you know.
l suppose / wouldn't care half so
much to tell if it were only n common
place affair, if there were no romance
about it all. But there is. Some people
are so fond of romance-our Romaine
is; and | don't believe that ANYTHING
could have pleased her half so much
that happened in the regular. expected
way. Our Romaine always was so full
of iancies and ideals, and when there's
anything romantic going. it always falls
to her lot. Don't you think she's a
beautyP l do; so tall, so beautifully
made, so gracious, such hair-such soft
fragrant hair-such eyes like Jewels,
and her skin so like n tea-rose! / don't
believe any of those famous beauties
that you read about can hold candle TO
her-that | don't! / always wondered
why she didn't take some one of her
lovers, although / knew, too, or thought
did; for she was just as lovely ten
years ago, when she came home from
dreadful soldiers came, you recollect-
as she is to-day. She had been gone so
long-four years-that everything about
the place was just as sweet and strange
TO her as il il were a kingdom SIZE had
Just come into; and she was going
round, looking at this and exclaiming
Mt that, caressing the creatures which
knew her, every one of them, even to
the parrots-just rejoicing in every
thing; aud /, little six-year-old wor-
shipper, was following her in 9adora-
tion, with the peacock following me;
when all at once the lawn was crowded
with soldiers, and the yard was full OF
foragers, and the horses, Romaine's
own Gulnare, and mammals, were
oting, led away, and all the. cows
were lowing, and the pigs were squeal-
ing, and the fowl were cackling, as
thosc wretches took possession; and
some were building fires In the yard,
and the rest were swarminR into the
house. And they were in the china
closet, ravaging the store-room. were
In the bedrooms, in the wardrobes, ard
parcel OF them had poor mamma in A
corner, and had torn away her shawl
and one was 1ourishing her cap on the
point OF his bayonet, and Romaine lad
sprung into the midst of them. threaten
ing them with wild fury, when sud
denly a voice rang over the uproar. n
terrible commanding voice, somebody
strode through the throng, and seizine
by the shoulder first one and then an
other of the men who had cornered
mamma and Romaine. flung them on
this side and on that, and In one mo.
ment silence fell, and man by man they
skunk away, and presently they were
tumbling down the stairs, and march
ing out OF the hall by files; and the off.
Ger who had wrought the change--a tall,
slender young fellow of whom one could
see little but the eyes blazing like wild
fire, for the torn and dropping visor OF
his cap, and for the brown beard cover.
ing his brown face, and the smears OF
smoke and powder-put mammals shawl
about her shoulders, bowed low to
Romaine, and took me in his arms q mo-
ment and looked at me, and set me down
again. and was passing out, when Ro.
maine ran forward and caught his hand,
ana began to pour out torrent OF
thanks. He turned and smiled. "I de-
serve no thanks" he said. And
then, half hesitating n single in
slant, he raised Romaine's hand, that
still forgetfully held his, and pressed II
to his lips, and was gone. And curl
Gus old silver.set diamond on his hand,
whose stones made TRY crest, took nv