American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-06-19

his ease ," said Nicholas, in his slow,
languid way. which always did seem to
make him taller and more broad
shouldered than ever. He was Il hand
some fellow, with his fresh color, his
white forehead, his grzzled hair curling
in tight rings like that of IN old Greek
head, his teeth cleaning from under
the dark muStache when he smiled. |
didn't see how she could help being at
tracted to him. being--being in love
with him, you know. How many
scars must he show ?' he drawleI.
Does she want you to wear your uni
form and your bandages all the time ?''
And then his eyes flashed. he thrust his
fingers through the gray rings, and
saw where bullet had plowcd its way
among them. THAT was my ticket to
four months of Inconsistencies in a
hospital he cried. And then hcpullcd
up the cuff from his white wrist, and
drew his fingers across an indcntation
there. ''That lost me my sword-arm. -"
he said. what more does she want
Shall L tell her a ball made this dimple
in my chin ? that | carry the Five
Wounds about me P | suppose if l took
off both arms and both legs every night
she would have me out of hand"
"No, she wouldn't, t." | said. "She
wouldn't have you unless you were n
tall, slender fellow whose eyelashes
were burned off, whose face was COW
cred to the eyes by the torn visor above
and by brown beard below, who kissed
her hand and wore an odd silyer-set
diamond crest on his-I saw it--and
whom she has set up in her shrine for
ever and ever. Why, Cousin Nicholas,
what is the matter with you ?' For he
had suddenly burst into the gayest and
most uproariorss laugh You had bet
ter tell me, SO that l can laugh, too"
said. feeling as though | ought to be an
cry, but deciding that l could not be
vexed with Cousin Nicholas. I've no
doubt she Ii think better of you when
ten her about your sears" said.
when you tell her about my
scarsr he exclaimed, so that started
and trembled. "Open your lips to her
about them, you blessed little chatter
box, and I'll kill you! If she won't care
for me without scars, she shan't care for
me at all"
"Weli, declare, never began.
g Just take me to mamma, if you
please. If Paul heard you speaking SO
to his"
Hang Paul! Hush! hushr' he said,
drawing my hand through his arm and
holding it. "You have made me hap
pier tonight than you ever can again"
~ think everybody has gone crazy!'
cried. And then, instead of taking
me to mamma, Cousin Nicholas's arm
slid round my waist, and he was whirl-
ing me round the room to the madden
ing waltz music in a way that mamma
"a - 4
cent. and that Romano declared took
her breath away. 81 should never have
thought it of yOu," she said.
dear mef' answered.; "you don't
suppose he's going to go signing like
furnace for you forever, when you"
"When l what?"
GIVE never had the chance to refuse
him once. ]. don't want to have 1t"
You're afraid you'd accept him,
MISS" exclaimed.
Al don't want to accept him."
You'd accept him quickly enough if
he was a slender young officer with his
face hidden bya bright brown beard
and smooches and smirches of powder,
IRVING his soldiers out of the house -
The first man that ever kissed your hand,
Miss Romano. with an old silver-set
diamond ring on his. You needn't
.hink l hadn't any eyes, if 1 wasn't
but six years old, or any memory. or
any faculty of putting two and two
together" ~
'.Oh, how can you be SO cruelr' she
cried, hiding her face in her hands.
I'm not cruel" said. '.It's you
hat are cruel, and silly too Cousin
Nicholas is worth dozen of that fell
ow that you set up for yourself to bow
iown to. Don't you suppose CousinNich-
1las would have driven the soldiers out, l
md have kissed your hand toog'
Nicholas. where bullets were fly
ngr'
YES, where bullets were flying, and
'iddled with them, besides. And YOU
lon't deserve him, that you don't, if
7ou are beautiful. But, oh! 1 do de-
,lare, Romaine, when you are so per-
ectly lovely, and he does love you so,
or you to"
How do you know he loves me so?
he never said it,
LAS if there were no other speech
han just SO many words! l can't see
low you can be so unfeeling."
IL never said 1 was unfeeling."
What? Really, Romano? Are you
n earnestP Do you really care for him,
ust littleP"
"I-I-I mean 1 could-maybe. But
but then, you know, dear, II can't
ak about it. l feel as if l were
if 1 were breaking
,ond-'
ITO that other fellow? Fiddlesticks'
,nds! You, twenty-seven years old, al
most an old maid, and as silly as that!
Vow, I'll tell you what, if you don't |
urn short corner, I'll see what can
10 myself; and when it's too late for !
-ou, you'll be eating your heart out
With envy and rage. There he comes
low, and m going out to see him and
meet him as he gave his horse to the
,room-it was only the next day after
frs. Chances ball.
1--we something to tell you," said, !
aking his arm and holding it, in a way |
o drive yexation to sRomaine's heart,
or knew she was looking at us behind
curtain somewhere.
..And I've something to show you my
ear child" he answered, and he |
umbled in a pocket moment, and
hen, opening his hand just a little way,
It me see a CLEAN of something spark
ng -diamonds-silver-s
. '.Nicholasr' 1 cried. And 1 stood !
looking him over from
cad to foot.
Ten years make great alterations
e hummed.
"But, Nicholas" /
"Hushi hushr' he said. ''Do YOU
elieve she has suspected?"
..Oh, never! Oh, make haste! On, do
o in, She's in the MUSHROOM, looking
ut behind the curtain And never
AS so impatient with anybody in my