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

tracted to him, being-being In love
with him, yon know. "How many scars
must he showp" he drawled. HDoes
she want you to wear your uniform and
your bandages all the timeP" And then
his eyes flashed, he thrust his fingers
through the gray rings, and l saw
where q bullet had piowed its way
among them. "That was my ticket TO
four months of Inconsistencies in II
hospital" he cried. And then he pulled
up the cuff from his right wrist, and
drew his fingers across an indentation
there: That lost me my sword-arm." !"
he said. What more does she wantP
Shall tell her ball made this dimple
in my chimp that l carry the five
wounds about mep / suppose If | took
of both arms and both legs every night,
she would have me out of hand"
mo. she wouldn't" said. "She
wouldn't have you unless you were tall
slender fellow whose eyelashes were
burned of, whose face was covered to
the eyes by a torn visor above and by
a brown beard below, who kissed her
hand, and wore an odd silver-set dia-
mond 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 youP" For he had sud-
denly burst into. the gayest and most
uproarious laugh. "You had better
tell me, so that I can laugh too, said,
feeling as though ] ought to be angry,
but deciding that could not be vexed
with Cousin Nicholas. GIVE no doubt
she'll think better of you when tell her
about your scars" said.
when you tell her about my scars ~
he exclaimed, so that l started and
trembled. "Open your lips to her about
them, you blessed little chatterbox. and
I'll kill you! If she won't care for me
without scars, she sha'n't care for me
Mt allm
Well. declare, never" began.
Just take me to mamma, if you please.
III Paul heard you speaking so TO his
Hang Paul! Hush hushp he said,
drawing my hand through his arm and
holding 1t. You have made me hap
pier to- night than you ever can again.
~ think everybody has gone crawl"
/ cried. And then, instead of his tax
ing me TO mamma, Cousin Nicholas
arm slid round my waist, and he was
whirling me round the room TO the mad
dening waltz music in a way that
mamma asserted afterward was utterly
inexcusable, and that Romano declared
took her breath away. ~ should never
have thought it of you, she said.
Dear me-" i answered; "you don't
suppose he's going to go sighing like a
furnace for you forever, when you"
when whatp"
Have refused him twenty times"
i've never had the chance to refuse
him once. don't want to have it"
You're afraid you'd accept him,
MISS" i exclaimed.
don't want TO accept him."
You'd accept him quickly enough if
he was slender young officer with a
face hidden by bright brown beard
and smooches and smirches Of powder,
driving his soldiers out of the house
Miss Romaine, with an old silver-set dia-
mond ring on his. You needn't think
hadn't any eyes, il | wasn't but six years
old, or any memory, or any faculty OF
putting two and two together"
"Oh. how can you be so cruelw she
cried, hiding her face in her hands.
I'm not cruel" / said. Its you
that are cruel, and silly too. Cousin
Nicholas Is worth dozen Of that fell
low that you set up for yourself to bow
down to. Don't you suppose Cousin
Nicholas would have driven the soldiers
out. and have kissed your hand toop"
Nicholas, where bullets were fly
ingr'
"Yes. where bullets were flying, and
riddled with them, besides. And you
don't deserve him, that you don't, II
you are beautiful. But, oh! / do de-
clare, Romaine, when you are 80 per-
fectly lovely, and he does love you so,
for you to-"
e How do you know he loves me SOP
He never said It,"
"As If there were no other speech
than just so many words can't see
how you can be so unieeling."
never said was unfeeling."
WHAT Really, RomaineP Are you
in earnestP Do you really care for him,
Just httleP"
I'LL mean could-maybe.
But-but then, you know, dear, IL
can't talk about 1t. feel as IL I were
Pledged-as If l were breaking a
bond"
ITO that other fellowP Fiddlesticks'
endsl You, twenty-seven years old, al
most an old maid, and as silly as thatl
Now I'll tell you what, If you don't turn
short corner, I'll see what / can do
myself; and when it's too late for you,
you'll he eating your heart out with
envy and rage. There he comes now,
ana m going out 10 see him and be-
gin;" and so / ran down the lawn TO
meet him as he gave his horse to the
groom--it was only the next day after
Mrs. Chances ball.
live something 10 tell YOU" said,
taking his arm and holding IL in way
To drive vexation to Romaine's heart,
for knew she was looking ut US behind
n curtain somewhere.
And I've something to show you.
my dear child" he answered, and he
fumbled in n pockets a moment, and then,
opening his hand just little way, let
me see gleam of something sparkling
-diamonds-silver-se
Nicholasm I cried. And | stood
open-mouthed, looking him over from
head TO foot.
"Ton years make great slterations,'"
he hummed.
nt,t Ntahz1.a