The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-06-04
dered from Charley's bright. impudent

and rogu1Shly Into his eyes.
.sWell." she said saucily, "what do
you think of me? Or haven't you decided
yet?"
Mckay colored clear to the roots of his
hair.
'sIll tell you what I think of you,o
continued Charley, taking hair-pln out
of her pocket, and deliberately button
ing her glove, "I think you're conceited!
Good by; am going for walk. !"
And with her parasol under her arm
she sauntered out, slamming the door
behind her.
Somehow, it seemed to Josephine that
Hugh was not quite so entertaining as
usual that afternoon, but she attributed
it to her cousins rudeness, and kindly
made allowance for him.
Chow old is she?" asked Hugh sud
denly. ssHow old is who?' said Miss
Page, in surprise. "Your cousin, stam-
mered Hugh, blushing.
"Oh, Charley why, let me see, said
Miss Page sweetly; 'she is only eighteen
quite childish-you must really excuse
her for her rudeness, will you not?"
And Just then Miss Josie looked SO
sweet and innocent and ladylike, that
Hugh suddenly remembered, for the
first time during his call, that he had
come to propose.
"Josie," he said, leaning forward and
taking her hand in a very practical way
indeed, st had almost forgotten that I
came this morning to ask you"
The window flew up with crash, and
Charley came tumbling into the room,
screaming at the top of her clear, sweet
voice:
"Oh! obi dear! oh, my! There's yell
low jacket biting me-stinging me, l
meani o, horror! murder! thaeUes! what
aviu do?"
"Where-where is it?" gasped jose
phine, for once startled out of her grace
full composure. '' Is it in your sleeve? :"
s'Worse than that!" groaned Charley.
ss It's-its in-here!" tugging bravely at
the fastening of her dress. SO, what
a0iu do? Won't somebody, please, to
take it out?"
Hugh evidently considered himself
somebody" just then, (what gentleman
would not under such circumstances p !,
for he arose with alacrity and advanced
to proffer his assistance; but to his sur
prise Miss Charley drew back with hot
cheeks and eyes that suddenly flashed
fire.
ST should think you had better sense!"
she said hotly. The ideal" And still
tightly grasping one particular fold in
her dress, she sailed out of the room,
leaving poor Hugh feeling more decided
ly sssnubbed" than he had ever before
felt in his life.
CATER all,' he thought, as Charley's
pretty, graceful form disappeared, 81
believe I won't ask Josephine this morn
ing-there's plenty of time-and-that
cousin of hers is deuced handsome
girl, by Jove!"
After that, each time he called, Charley
was present, and he was forced to post
pone his proposal from time to time.
The days glided into weeks, and the
weeks into months, until three had
passed, and still Charley was always in
the way with her aao1,chalance and impu-
dence, alternately teasing, shocking,
horrifying and fascinating poor Hugh,
until, sometimes, he scarcely knew
whether he was standing on his head or
feet.
Meanwhile, Josephine was just as cool
and easy, and self-possessed, and lady
like as ever, and Hugh thought every
time he saw her, how nice she would
look at the head of his table, during one
of his splendid dinner parties; and once
of comparing Josephine and Charley,
greatly to the disparagement of the lat
ter.
''How do you like Charley?" Josie
asked once, when they were alone.
ST don't like her at allr' he answered
promptly; he was in a very good humor
then, for Charley had been making some
very insulting remarks about his whis-
l. - 4171 H.
the prettiest color in the world. He had
found her in the drawing-room, when he
called that evening. and she had looked
sofa, that he had crossed the room and
taken her hand, almost before he
knew it.
Heavens" said Charley, laying down
her novel and favoring him with cool
stare, "How detest black whiskers!
Why don't you shave them of?-you look
like regular bearp'
And Hugh dropped her hand angrily
(he thought SO much of his whiskers,
poor fellow and went in search of Josie;
when he returned with that young lady.
Charley had vanished.
'sI'm sorry you don't like her!" mur-
INJURED Josie, in answer to his vehement
assertion, "But, of course she is wild
'sShe is firtp' interrupted Hugh,
with an angry red spot on either cheek.
Just see how many fellows are paying
her marked attentions, and how coolly
she receives them all! I pity the man
she marries from the depths of my heart!
"a sorry old time he will have of it!
She has no more heart than-than-my
camel
s'Yes-I knowl' faltered Josie, looking
little frightened. stBut if you will ex-
cuse me now, must go and take my
music lesson. You may amuse yourself
with my drawing until I return And
she retired from the room, wondering
why Mr.. Mckay should become SO ex-
cited over only Charley.
HUGH, left alone, began to feel little
bit ashamed of his sudden outburst of
temper. Suppose Josie should tell her
cousin what he had said! How badly
poor, little saucy Charley would feel ,and
OIL how she would hate him.
And only last night she had given him
a spray of heliotrope, and asked him
shyly, and actually with little blush
The had not known before that she could
blush) if he knew the language; and he
had thought, with strange, little thrill
in his heart, as he looked down into her
sweet, blushing, upturned face, that if he
could but once see q tear-drop glittering
on her lashes, he would believe that,
with all her wickedness, and coquetry
and wildness. she had heart hidden
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