Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-05-22

10 the meadows 10 COME nome
with brother john dor
And Lilly Leslie's voice grew
pleading as he watched the sober
face of the girl who stood in the
door looking down across the cool
greer lawn that sloped away from
the house toward the river.
Il wish school was not done. Is
this what makes you so sober to-
day?" questioned Amy in a whis-
per. as Lilly stood looking visit
fully towaru the meadows.
Before the .young governess
could answer Lilly called:
"Will you come. dear Miss
Helen, and meet brother John?
There he is.
Helen Arnold shook her head,
and the two girls ran down to
meet the tall, sturdy young man,
who seemed to bring with him
the scent of the hay that lay fresh
ly cut in the meadows. The beau
ty and brightness of the summer
seemed doubled as he came up
across the lawn listening eagerly
to the clear, happy voices Of the
girls.
Helen Arnold stood in the
front doorway, waiting with a
trembling yearning to unsay the
hasty words of yesterday, but he
save her no opportunity, passing
in at the side door and seeming
not 10 notice.
All day, as Helen Arnold had
toiled in the little schoolroom she
had thought OF John Leslie. and
wished, (oh, how earnestly, that
she had waited before saying that
"NO,n which she did not mean.
She began to feel how lonely life
could be even among the pleasant
sights and sounds of the country,
and that her bouyancy and bright
ness of spirit during the long hap
py summer had not been all on
account of pleasant and healthy
surroundings. She went into the
house and up to her room to hide
her face as she brooded over I'M
pleasant thoughts. One of life's
golden opportunities had been Of
fered her, and she had cast 1t
aside. and now it was gone forev-
err. This was the last day of her
engagement as governess, and she
would soon be at home, and he
would soon forget her. But per-
haps he might give her a chaace
vet to return different answer.
A blush mantled her pale cheek,
and the blue eyes grew strangely
dark and bright, as she went TO
the mirror to arrange the gold
brown hair that fell over her neck
in graceful curls. She smiled as
she saw reflected the faultless pic
ture. and with new hope went
down to join the family at the
evening meal.
John sat in his accustomed seat,
very quiet, as usual, but his eager
eve drank in the lOveliness OF the
Young girls face and figure as she
came round to her place. Perhaps
he read in her dOwncast, fender
ewes. the change that had come
over her, but he gave her no in
timation of it, and after supper,
when the children romped about
her and called brother John to
place a wreath of wild flowers on
her head, he showed no signs of
embarrassment or emotion, but
talked to her coolly as If she too
had been his sister. Helen was
little angry. Is 1t q wonder? for
she thought that he had been
trifiing, and that she could not
bear. A fire blazed up in her dark
blue ewes, and burned brightly on
her soft cheeks. John watched
her beautiful face and varying col
or. and gloried in his triumph;
but, oh, when was glory not
bought too dearly? He leaned
over her, and touched tightly her
soft hand.
"Did you not mean yes? l
know you love me. We shall be
very happy" ~
"Impudent Do / not know
my own mind? Love your"
Anger prompted the words, and
as soon as they were uttered she
wished they were unsaid; but
John Leslie could not not know
it; and if he had, perhaps he would
not have forgiven her. His face
grew very pale, and he turned
away without word.
Years passed way, and fortune
favored John Leslie. He became
a successful merchant, and there
fore was O mark for matrimonial
speculation; but still he troubled
not his head about marriage. AT
last the pleasant, insinuating
mammas, who talked to him so
sweetly and affectionately about
the dear girls who were their
greatest treasures, got to saying
unkind things about the ''cross
i = L I. l.