The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-05-15

"Now. Nav, it's a perfect shame.
You haven't told me one thing aoout
yourself, and I'm dying to know lus0
diving. Your letters have been SO un-
satisfactory lately; but you needn't try
to conceal any thing; you know you al
WAYS tell me. And first want to know
if there is any thing between you anu !,
Eric McRae. Do you know never saw
any body so improved. His manners
are just fascinating"
"Eric and l are just the best frlenas
in the world,n sad May. "No brother
could be more good and kind to nue.,
and he is so sympathetic; he always
knows Just what want and just what l
mean, whether I say any thing or not.
And vet there's never word OF love-
making between us-I'm perfectly SURF
| am not in love with him or he with
me, and yet shall feel awfully when ne
goes away. l shan't know what IN the
world to do without him, and he told
me once he shouldn't feel so bad about
leaving all his college friends put togeth-
er as he should about leaving me-. :,
That sounds rather like it," SAID
Miss Larocque.
"Oh, it wasn't said in that way at
ALL" cried May. "It was just as ne
might have said it to another fellow;
Pm sure I'm not in love with him, ana
yet we are perfect friends"
Miss Larocque had listened with the
air of an expert, and now, as if to take
all the points of her case before deei3-
ing it, She inquired: elbow is it about
Mr.. Huntingdon He wasn't here TO-
night"
"He's very devoted" said May, care
lesslv. "He has gone to Boston just
now"
"That is not all, said her friend.
May was silent.
"Now, May" said Alice, "if I'm go
ing to help you in this matter you've
just got to tell me the whole story. l
know your prejudice against talking of
your offers and respect you for it, but
you know you always tell me every
thing and it goes no further
"Well," said May, 81 always have
said l never would tell if 1 refused a
man, but haven't exactly refused him !;
besides, it isn't telling to tell you. l
think Mr.. Huntington is in love with
me, at least he has told me so several
times; but l don't want to marry any
body yet awhile, and don't want to
hurt his feelings, so l turn it off, pre-
tend not to understand him or that l
think he is joking-you know the
thousand and one ways to keep off a
crisis. l know he is very good and no.
BILE and high-minded and all that, and
he is yery religious, too, and I'm relig-
ious myself, after a fashion. Eric isn't
one bit, so l ought to be more in SYM
pathy with Mr.. Huntington about that
though Pm not" she added, re-
fectively, "for l never dreamed of say
ing word to him on any such subject;
while with Eric it gives me quite want
age ground, and | always resort to it
when he gets the better of me. But then
Eric is such society fellow! He will
always be a society man and nothing
else, and when it comes to such serious
business as marrying it seems as if I'd
rather have something a little more SUBJ
stantial."
81 don't think so at ALL" said Alice,
promptly, cat least not so far as N.Y.
self am concerned. 1 expect to be in
society all my life, and mean to marry
somebody who will be in sympathy with
me. But what about that needle Nc
Rae alluded TOP"
az am so horribly ashamed 1 DOM
want to tell you," replied May; :" but
suppose must, if you'll be sure and tel
me exactly how it strikes you"
Alice listened in ominous silence to
her friends story.
"Call me horrid, improper, dreadful
dol" cried May, after the pause which
followed her conclusion. "I'd just az
lief you said it as to know you think it
Don't act that way; you said you woulC
tell me just what you thought
"Wel,'' said Alice, g every thing de
ponds. Some girls can do any thing anG
others can't. Now, if / had said it
presume it would have sounded rather
peculiar; but you have such an indie
scribable little way with you that I've
no doubt it wasn't dreadful at all.''
The next day was filled with engage
ments, and May gave dinner party il
the evening. The latter broke up early
as some of the guests were going to {
later entertainment, and at clever
O'Clock May and Alice were again il
their room, chatting busily about thu
events of the day. AS May stood be
fore the glass brushing her hair sh,
heard ring at the door.
"Who's that, so late at nightp" sht
exclaimed, pausing to listen, brush il
hand. A servant was coming up tn
stairs.
GA gentleman left it for you," sh
said, giving May little package; "h
would not come in, he said, it was 81
late"
May took package to the bureau
and broke the seal. An instant late
she gave a little cry of terror, ant
springing to her friends side knel
down and buried her face in Alice
lap.
"May, my own darling, what is tb'
matter!' cried Alice, thoroughly
frightened.
"He has threaded the needle" sale
a smothered voice. Alice sat mo
ment softly stroking her friends hair
as she burned with curiosity to see the
contents of the package and secretly
wondered how May could have been SC
foolish.
"Don't be so frightened, dear" she
said, at length, "it's only a joke"
UNo IL isn't - said Nav. raising 8