American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-08-21

Mrs. Glover; as for lilly, she grew
sweeter every day! l often wondered
what Margaret would have said could
she have seen me helping her to pick
blackberries, to find the runaway COW,
to carry home the milk pail, driving
her over to the country store and re-
turning with freight of groceries -
Margaret, who knew nothing of domes-
tic details, and whose monogrammed
and perfumed letters were often
brought over from the office in COM
pany with the kerosene can. l wrote
my sermons at one end of the round
table, while lilly sat at the other,
sewing. Between us was a lamp with
a green paper shade. Now and then a
big bug would fly into the window and
go humming about our heads, or a
moth would try to SINCE its wings over
the chimney, and l would stop and
drive it out. The old people would go
to bed after a while, and then lilly
and l would find ourselves hungry, and
she would go into the kitchen to find
something good" l always held thu
light for her. When something good
was found, we ate it on the back porch,
sitting side by side on the step, like
two children.
She was so like a child, that little
lilly, that it seemed no harm to ask
her to kiss me goodnight, or to hold
her hand in mine, as It rested on my
arm, in our long walks home from
church on Sunday evenings.
The summer passed. October came.
Margaret returned to the city and
wrote to me. 1t was while we were
eating peaches and cream on the back
porch that evening that 1 said to lilly:
81 will tell you a secret if you will
keep it for while, lilly"
"Oh, of course 1 will, Mr.. Cannot"
81 am going 10 be married this fall.
Tilly," L said. "Those pretty letters
you always thought came from my sis
ter are from the lady who is to marry
me. She is very beautiful, very rich.
very stylish, but very kind. You must
come and see us, lilly, when we are
married. shall tell Margaret how good
you have been to me-what a sweet
little sister found out here in New
Valladolid. Why, Tilly!-" For as
spoke felt the little hand held grow
cold and heavy in mine. l saw her sink
backward. The big china bowl of
peaches and cream slipped with crash
to the ground and shattered to pieces.
caught the poor child in my arms.
In q moment she came to herself and
said that she had overtired herself, she
thought. They had been baking all
day and it was warm. And now she
babe me good night. But did not see
her next day, nor the next. She kept
her room, and was not well enough to
bid me good-by.
Poor little lilly! 1 felt very miser-
able. However, Margaret met me in
New York. She was more beautiful
than ever-more elegant in contrast to
my simple country friends--and very
soon l laughed at myself for the
thought that had been in my heart.
had overcome Tilly--it was not my
news. 1 had only been to her as
friend-as a brother. had not made
love to her; above all, had not flirted
with her. But 1 thought of lilly
great deal, and missed her every hour
exact,y-oh, yes, erGctty-as might
sister.
Iwrote to Mrs. Glover, and her an
swer was very brief.
81 haven't much time to write,' she said in
being driven, I'm anxious
This letter was in my pocket on that
day when Margaret and went together
to the great fair for the benefit of the
church of st. Surplice. One of the fea-
lures of that entertainment, if you re-
member. was the array of little arbors
in which refreshments were served.
After we had roamed about the fair
and bought all sorts of nicknacks, es-
corted Margaret to one of these arbors,
and there sat down to wait, while one
of the ladies, who, ION this occasion
only" was doing good, onerous hard
work, brought us a tray of refresh
ments.
As we sat leaning back against the
evergreen and smilax which draped the
lattice, two women entered the next
arbOr, and one of them, as she sat down,
said to the other: I'm just about
tired out. Aren't you, Mrs. TrippP"
and the other answered.: Eyes, am
tired. I hardly know that it pays to
come all the way from Valladolid to
New York sightseeing"
1t was the voice of the Glovers' near
est neighbor. of Tilly's godmother, and
l liked her and respected her, yet did
not feel quite sure how Margaret would
like an introduction, and so refrained
from looking around the corner of the
bower and making myself known.
81 think we'd better have tea" said
the first voice. 'lt's more refreshing
than coffee. Oh, how is lilly to-day?
Think of my never asking beforer'
lilly is poorly" said Mrs. Trip.
"Oh, Mrs. Birch, what a pity it is that
flirting young minister came down to
Valladolid. I don't kpow what Mrs.
Glover was about, to let him do as he
did. We all thought he was counting
lilly. She did, poor child. She just
loved him dearly, and the day before
he went away he told her he was en-
gagged TO some girl in New York. I'm
afraid it's broken her heart. She told
me all about it. ooh, Aunty Tripp,'
said she, L know 1 ought to be
ashamed, but 1 can't help it. He
seemed to like me SO. hope l shall
die of this fever, for life is nothing to
me- Ashamed! Why. it's he ought to
be ashamed. OF all things minister to
be cold, cruel firt! And that's what
Alfred Cannot is"
listened, but 1 could not move or
speak; felt as though my heart also
we've breaking; and oh, the shame
suffered! The women drank their tea
and left the arbor, and then Margaret
turned to me with a cold, sarcastic
smile:
81 see by your face that that little
story is perfectly true, Mr.. Cannot"
she said.
Margaret" 1 faltered, 81 have
done nothing that should give offense to
YOU"
Nothing but love another woman"
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