The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-06-03
ADkIENNE'S STORY.

y
but there seemed no prospect tha+
should leave her. had come out 50 r.
speak, as tar as any one so repressec
could come out, but I might as vel
stald IN. l only sat in corners, talked
with the chaperons, or listened to some
garrulous octogenarian. Aunt Browns
interest IN me such as it was, dieG nat
ural death after my first season-it had
always been weakly-and the result was
. sad deficiency in my wardrobe. She
had married off two daughters without
difficulty, huta neice, it seems stuck
closer than a burr. However, it was no
my fault that I remained unmarried.
had done my best to be fascinating
Though | hated the idea of marrying
TOR home on position, yet I was sue i
El should not find it hard to love
one ne that was kind to me, if only on &C.
count of the novelty. I was thirty now,
and not unused to- hearing the changes
rung upon old maids, and the beggars
who shouldn't be choosers, by
my younger cousins Susette and
Annie. But I had had one onnnr-
tunity to change for better or worse
OF which they had never dreamed. The
son OF Aunt Brownies second husband
Cedric Browne, had asked me to marry
him, three years before, as we rowed up
the river in June for the rosy laurel
blooms to decorate the house and piazzas
for Susette's birthday tetc. I sometimes
wondered what Aunt Browne would have
thought OF the proceeding, as she had
set her heart upon marrying Susette to
cedric. Perhaps refused him because
l was taken unawares, because was not
enough interested to care about trustrat-
ing Aunt Brownies plans; perhaps I did
not expect to be taken at my word, but
imagined it the proper way to decline, in
order to be importuned. believe all nv
tavorlte herolnes had conducted In this
wise. However, we rowed home through
the sunset, our boat heaped with the pink
flowers, in silence.
'sYou look as If you were laden with
sunset Clouds said Susette, who was
watching for us on the shore; but I am
certain Cedric looked like a thunder
cloud.
The next day was the fete. Every.
body brought presents for Susette. c.
sdric gave her an antique necklace Of tor
quolses; / was sure he had meant it for
me. We had supper out Of doors under
the great pine trees, and dancing IN the
moonlight. That day began to regard
Cedric Browne attentively. 1 had known
him under the same roof for weeks at q
time; I had laughed and talked with
him, believing him re-ordained to min
lister to Susette's happiness, ssas inaccess-
able as q star in heaven so far as I was
concerned. He had helped me with
Adele's children, who had come to live
at Aunt Brownies when their mother
died. But that he should regard me with
any tender emotions I had never even
dared to wish. In fact, had thought
little about HIM till to-day. I had never
observed till to-day that his eyes were as.
tender as stars, that his face was like that
radiant countenance of Mozart in the
music room, that his smile was simply
enchantment. It was rather late to make:
these discoveries.
he did not leave us once;,it seemed as
If he staid just long enough for me to
know all I had lost. Since then he had
been with US once again for whole.
month; but little Walter was i'll with q
spinal affection that kept him on his
back, and me by his side; and though
Cedric used to relieve me often by day
and by night, could see from my win
dow, and from occasional giimpses into.
the drawing room, that the balance OF
his time was spent in Susette's company.
Aunt Susette's beau is going to make
me q kite, Teddy confded to Walter
one day.
who's hes'' asked Walter from his.
bed.
why Cedric, of course Cedric Browne.