The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1880-01-29

why should we know? and | confess
| felt very much ashamed of having
any say in it, when [ met the calm
astonished look of her eyes.
ut is getting a little chilly" she
said, rising up. u think it is time to
go indoors. p"
We all followed her quite humbly,
and the general came stalking after
US, more like thunder-cloud than
ever. He had been talking to poor
Simms in a voice which was not pleas
ant, and he appeared at the drawing
room window by which we all entered
with the large lion-skin in his arms.
Il can't have this left out all night
in those heavy dews," he said. I do
not think | ever saw those signs of
suppressed irritation, which are too
common in families, among the Siam
fords before.
Next morning General George came
in for moment before | had break
tasted, to tell me for my satisfaction
that all was right. His face was
quite clear again. II was little cross
last night. | fear you may have sup
posed that | for moment doubted my
sister. Not a moment, Mrs Mus
grave. | have got to give him his
answer, poor old fellow. [ can't help
feeling a little sorry for him all the
same. What bad luck for the poor
old beggar! Of all the women there
to hit upon the one who was simply
hopeless! Some men always have
that sort Of fate
He showed his TASTE" said I; ''but
[ heard he was the luckiest man in the
world, general; that he always sue
ceeded in everything; that however
wild the project was, he was the man
to carry it through"
| said this partly in malice, [ am
bound to admit, and | was very sue
cessful. The generals face clouded
over again; he set his teeth He
shall not succeed this time" and he
said something more in his moustache,
some stronger words which [ was not
intended to hear. 1t was all over then.
this odd little episode. | stood and
watched him from my door half re-
lieved, half wondering. Was it all
over? [ did not feel so satisfied or so
A few days Of perfect quiet ensued.
When week passed we all felt really
satisfied. 1t was over then? Mr..
Oakley had accepted his refusal To
be sure one did not see what else he
could have done, though l confess
that [ had not expected it for my part.
However, on the Sunday morning the
moment | looked across to the Stam-
fords' pew after getting settled in my
own, it seemed to me that [ could see
indications of a new event. Both
Mrs. St. Clair and Sophy were look
ing at me when | raised my head;
they could not restrain themselves
They gave me anxious, significant
glances with little hardly perceptible
signs of the head and hand. When
the service was over, and we were go
ing out, Sophy was at my side in a
moment. We were not out Of church
actually, when | felt her arm slide
into mine and whisper in my ear.
"She has got letter." Sophy said, all
in a tremble of eagerness. Mrs. St.
Clair came up on the other side as
we were clear of the stream of people.
1T is getting really serious" she said;
she will not take refusal. 1t is
quite absurd, and George is dreadfully
angry. He is just as absurd as the
other side.
"And what does Ursula say?"
"Oh, Ursula does not say anything.
Of course we could not help knowing
about the letter. 1t was very long
and very much in earnest"
"Oh, quite impassionedr cried
Sophy. She had not encountered
anything so exciting for years. She
was pale with interest and emotion,
shaking her head with intense serious
ness. He says that he appeals to
her sense of justice, not to condemn
him without a hearing. 1t is quite
beautiful. | am sure he is nice man."
And then, you know, there is the
other side Of the question" said Mrs.
St. Clair seriously. Il did not quite
understand when we spoke of it last.
Charlie says he is immensely rich
not just ordinarily comfortable like so
many people, but true millionaire.
That changes the aspect of the matter
a little, don't you think? Not that [
am mercenary person, still less
Ursula; but when you come to think
of it, wealth to that extent is some
thing to be considered. Just fancy
the good she might do" cried the
sensible sister, ''and the number of
young people we have looking to us!
| do think it is not exactly right to
ignore that side of the question" D"
Charlie thinks it is quite wrong"
said Sophy, shaking her head.
The general had not even stopped
to say Good morning" outside the
church door as he usually did. 1t was
his brother Charles who was with
Ursula. The general walked straight
home, without looking to the right or
the left. [ felt a great sympathy for
him. It was he that would feel it
most if anything happened; and he
was the only one of the family who
had that fantastic delicacy of senti-
ment which some of us feel for those
we love, so that the merest touch of
anything that could be called ridicule,
seemed sacrilege and desecration to
him.
| must not attempt to go in detail
into all that followed. Miss Stamford
wrote very beautiful letter (they all
told me) to her antiquated lover, tell
4 ing him how sorry she was to be the
cause of any annoyance to him, and
hoping that the vexation would be
but temporary, as indeed she felt sure
it must be-but that his proposals
were quite out of the question. This,
of course, was what every woman