The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-12-15

i for their bedroom candles and eXchang.
ing good nights, he suddenly remem-
bered Mrs. Richmond's Tennyson, which
he had left in the hammock in the grove
at the foot of the garden; a shower
might come up in the night and deface
it. The garden was dark and dewy, and
full of fantastic shadows and sweet
scents, and the grove was darker still,
with q CLEAN of the river on the other
side, and the aspens quivering like pat
tering raindrops. In the semi-darkness
some one moved toward him, some one
whose white drapery brushed against
his hand. What sudden impulse was it
which made Vaughn stretch out a de-
tanning arm toward this flying shadow,
while he whispered: "Pauline, Pauline,
you were mine once, heart and SOUL"
"And now," said Pauline, in her clear
tense tones" now l belong 10 Mr.. Gil
dersleeve."
Vaughn dropped his arm idly; he had
forgotten how her hand trembled in his
own an instant before; he only knew
that she belonged to Gildersleeve.
1t was, perhaps, two years later when,
strolling aimlessly through an art gal
lery in Europe, Mr.. Vaughn came face
to face with Ada Clemart.
"Well met, Miss Ada" he said.
Mrs. Gildersleeve, if you please"
contended the little lady.
"Mrs. Gildersleevem echoed Vaughn.
81 thought-I-ahem!-I hid rot
heard"
ooh. don't be afraid to say it. You
thought Polly was wearing my shoes,
ehP / was awfully afraid she would,
too. I knew they'd pinch her. There!
give me your arm and let me confess.
You were so brimful of your W affairs
at the Terrace you never dreamed that l
well, that I had made up my mind to
marry MIR. Gildersleeve myself. Isn't
it Thackeray who says if a woman
makes up her mind to marry a certain
person, be she hunchSacked, or queer in
her legs, or what not, let him look to
himself-or words to that effectP Well,
Gildersleeve and l were travelling COM
'panions on the way home after the sum-
mer ended at Mrs. Richmond's. Do you
know, by the way, they have lost their
money, and sold the Terrace? Too bad!
Polly had gone already. Travelling was
never so divine IN employment before.
/ would gladly have kept on, like the
Wandering Jew. Mind. I didn't know
that he was engaged to Pauline. / sup
posed it was a filtration and just to en-
terrain him ] told him all about you and
Pauline; your elopenent when she was
at the Lambert seminary, and you were
only twenty, and how you were inter-
rupted at the altar"
"And how did you happen to know
all this, Mrs. Gildersleeve?" The name
was like 8 sweet morsel on his tongue
now-so strangely do tastes change.
"Now you are angry, but you ought
to be grateful. How did | know it?
When you have q secret, don't tell it in
the Cliff cave, even to Clarence. l was
overhead, near tie assure, eaveSdrcp-
ping you may call it If you please. !
told the story 10 the guests on the
piazza, next day, for q sensation. l
didn't give any names, you know-I'm
not such q fool; but you ought to have
seen Door Pauline. She knew the story
better than I; it was as good as a play.
If l had omitted that part where you
said, 1t is my duty to PROPOSE Polly
would never have given Gildersleeve a
second thought. He has told me since
that he wrote the very night after ! had
given him the facts, and broke bis en-
gagement. Itdidnt break Polly's heart.
The Gildersleeves are a high and mighty
race, you know; all his old mustY
ancestors would turn in their earthly
beds if he had married a girl with a
history, so he married me. Doesn't that
Madonna yonder remind you of Pollyp
She follows you with her eyes just as
Polly follows you with her thoughts.
Go back to America, Mr.. Vaughn, and
marry her."
81 believe I will" said Vaughn, eff
Polly will marry me-"
And she did.-hdrper'S BaZar.