Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-07-08

Did yon know him?"
81 never heard the name."
"Come to think of it, he left
long before you came. :"
sAlice's primer was put aside,
and Margaret accompanied Lau-
ra TO the room where her finery
was being prepared for a brill
liant party "a few hours later.
"Miss Hoyt," Miss Bristow
said looking up from the cloud
of tuIle under her fingers, Il
wish you to come down to play,
and | wish you to wear white
lace rufiles and a white flower
or two in your hair. That will
not interfere with your mourn
ing, but you viii look little
less like a mute at a funeral"
To hear was to obey. Mrs.
Bristow was distant connec-
ton Of Mr.. Hoyt's and when he
died leaving his only child to
poverty, the lady impressed up
on stricken Daisy that she was
placed under an enormous
weight of obligation by beng
permitted to be governess, lady's
maid, general useful factotum in
her family. But the soft violet
eyes had lost nothing Of their
sweetness; the golden hair gath
cred into a rich knot, was full
of waves and ringlets, making
tiny baby curls around the del
icate oval Of her face, and the
sensitive mouth was still express
sivc and lovely.
She sighed a little as she put
the soft white ruffle into her
black dress, and a few white
flowers into her hair.
at seems like forgetting poor
father" she thought, but yet she
knew her appearance had been
too gloomy-tor festive occa-
sion. ot
The guests were gatherings and
Daisy had gone into a small sit
ting-room opposite the wide
dra wing-rooms to wait until she
was summoned to sing and play.
She had never been in society
in Albany, and knew none of
Mr.. Bristow's friends, so she
was graciously [ excused from
taking any more active part in
the social gathering than to a.
muse by her singing, or help
willing feet along by playing
dance music. y,ir,c
She was turning over the
leaves of a new magazine, quite
sure Of being uninterrupted
when the door opened, and look
ing up She saw a strange gen
tleman.
"Pardon me-" he said, ~
thought this was the drawing
~ t'l'i'''' '''
Then, rs she. lifted her face,
he spramg forward.
'Daisy! Daisy!'' he said, and
not realizing the familiarity of
The address, she arose to stretch
out both hands, saying,
"Jcffl Is it Jeff?"
"It is Jeff," he answered, cor
rather it is Willard Wharton"
Then moving a chair near the
one she had occupied, he told
her of his graadfather's legacy |
and the change Of name.
Through good and ill, years
Of prosperity and the tcmpta-
ton that assails all of us, |
have carried a golden talisman,
to keep my heart pure and true,
that | might some day dare to
bring it TO your leet," he said.
And through a mist of happy
tears she saw him open a large
Iocket hanging TO his watch
chain. No miniature face, no
lock of hair was there, but care
fully set, a twenty-dollar gold
piece, with M. H., scratched
with a pin in one corner.
In the drawing room Mrs.
Bristow wondered what detain-
ed our hero for the evening;
but when he came in late she
read nothing of the secret that
was in his happy eyes.
She saw his courteous atten-
ion to her govcrness, but at
-ributed TO the innate courtesy
Df the young millionaire, and
Daisy sang as if inspired, and
threw a shower Of fantasies into
her waltz galop music.
But when Miss IIoyt was
asked for in Mr.. Wharton's calls,
when the stylish turnout that
was admired Of all Albany
stood at the door for Miss Hoyt
% drive, Mrs. Bristow grew
savage.
"You are too forward with
strangers" she told Daisy.
"But Mr.. Wharton is an old
friend. / knew him when | was
| little girl, and-and we are to
be married in the spring." said /
Daisy.
And considering Mr.. Whar-
IONS wealth and position, and
his future wile's probable infiu-
anoa in cooiotx, MrO J. D,;~,o,,-