Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1881-03-03

He brought Laura Canute to the
singing school, and Laura was in high
spirits and looking uncOmmOnly well,
and with flush on her cheeks, the
secret of whose glowing Charly could
guess from her own experience. Poor
Charly
The two sat together, and Charly,
reading again from her own private
tablet, could well enough form an idea
why Laura'S right hand was 50 con-
spicuous, to the total ignoring of the
existence of the left.
Poor Charly, again. She stole fur
tive glances at her own little left hand,
wondering at its whitencss under the
circumstances. Should she ever be
able to feel anything but horribly
ashamed Of herself?
At intermissons, Victor Sauntered
round TO where she was sitting. and
threw himself down beside her in such
IL mamcr.as to bar easy egreSS. His
handsome eyes had Il light in them SO
soft, so tender, his tones were so low
and persuasive as he spoke to her, that
once more Charly's eyes dropped and
her heart beat. But it was only habit
again. She threw up her graceful head
the next moment with almost laugh,
calling with some light word to Thad.
BOndron, who came on the instant, and
seeing that it was Charly'S desire,
stayed and spoiled Victor's anticipated
tete-a.tete.
She listened with real interest to
Thad.'s pleasant talk, as they gided
swiftly homeward that night, with the
sleigh bells ginglng merrily, and she
looked up in his face with such innO-
mt, trusting eyes as made the plain,
said mans heart thrill as he thought
once it never would again.
Mr.. Thad. had his romance. too-iust
uch weak, little affair as Charly's
18th Victor Disbrowc; but it had
ben very real to him once, and he
had stayed Il bachelor all these yeals
for the sake of a girl who as little de
served his his love as Victor did Char
ly's.
lie would have liked infinitely to
have kissed just once the little face
nestled away in its soft wrappings 50
near his, but he knew very well that
he owed the privilege of its being there
to Charly's faith in a sort of fathcrly
regard she had been taught to believe
he had for her. 1t would never do to
scare her with another thought.
Victor Disbrowc called again, early
on Sunday evening, having stayed away
during the remainder Of the week af-
ter Tuesday, to bring Charly to her
senses, us he phrascd it to Ohimsclf. But
Charly had gone home with Janet
Bondron after afternoon service, and
stayed TO tea.
Miss iihoda impaired the fact TO
him with considerable gIsto pccring
over her spcctaclcS at him in that
pleasant way peculiar to ladies of her
prudent turn and elderly habit; and as
he stamped angrily down the walk to
the front gate, Thad. Bondron'S sleigh
drove up, with Thad. looking as proud
as though he had just been made Gar
of the RusSal, and Charly on the seat
beside him, her pretty face rosy, and
dimplei with happy smiling.
Victor took his hat quite of, and
bowed in the most exaggerated fashion.
Charly felt the smecr hc meant to con-
vcy. but she saw also the chagrin
which he could not altogether keep out
of his handsome face, and any woman
can imagine how swectly she babe him
good-eyening, regretted that she had
not been in when he called, and invited
him to return and help her TO entertain
Mr.. Thad.
Mr.. Thad. did not know till that
moment that he was To spend the even
ing. but he beamrd 50 at the idea. that
Victor had half Il mind 10 accept Char
ly's invitation, and 90 in just tn spite
BOndron.
lie did not however. He went in
stead to see Miss Laura ChInutr, and
balm hlS wounded vanity in the light
of her flattcring smiles, which had al
ready began to pail upon him. The
selfish fellow actually regretted tharly.
Such enchantment distance lends
Thad. and Charly had very pleasant
evening.
To be sure Aunt Rhoda shared it,
and she and Mr.. Thad. did most Of the
talking. But Charly sat on low
stool before the fire, just where Thad
could look at her bright young face
without turning his head, and he
watched in vain for the creeping over
it of any shadowy memories of Victor
Dsbr0we
As time went on, and Just 50 quietly
and unOstentatiOusly Mr.. Thad. re-
tanned his unwonted role of cavalier to
the prettiest girl in Lakewood, Miss
Rhoda grew first restive on the market
question, not thinking Mr.. Thad. could
mean anything serious, then wondering,
and finally suspicious.
"Charly," she said, suddenly one
day, "Thad. Bondron likes you"
"Yes, know he does" Charly said,
quietly; "and like him.
"Nonsense," calculated Miss Rhodd,
"That's not what | mean. You might
marry him if you choose, and advise
you to do it,
"A-u-n-t RhOda"
Charly was breathless with amaze
ment.
at is the TRUTH" Aunt Rhoda main
tanned sturdily. "lIe loves you better
than forty-'leven Victor Disbrowes;
and if you don't intend to have him, it
is time to give him the cold shoulder
there~
Charly made no reply. She had
nothing to say. She had indeed had
her misgivings before, and now she
more than half suspected that Aunt
Rhoda was right. What if she were
How funny it seemed, to think of Mr..
Thad. wanting to marry her!
Charly had two days to consider the
curious question, and then Sunday
evening came, and brought with it Mr..
Thad. himself.
Aunt Rhoda, with rare cunning, left
Charly to entertain him alone; and
Charly, between being alone with him,
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