Sharp County record., 1881-05-19

Wneu lHeD di6 HdPPlt % oHN
"And he is given all this up for me!
0, Joy! how he must love me-"
He pursued:
Yes, Miss Fordice-Rose, may | call
YOU so?-I have long noticed your very
high and charming qualities. May l
hope that | am not quite Indifferent to
you? Rose, will you be my wife?"
1t would be a good thing that all girls
should understand that when a man is
so Glib. when a man exhibits not more
fear, hesitation or embarrassment than
this in soliciting their hand, his heart,
however he may talk about it has moth
ing to do in the matter.
But sweet Rose Fordice knew no
guide and was too happy to be clear
Sighted. Tears of Joy invaded her men,
tai vision, even as their visible sisters
Lbedewed the blue orbs that now sought
the ground.
"1ndeed, am sure" she began; but
you see hers was real feeling, and she
was not so ready of tongue. Then, with
an effort, 80, Mr.. Griiiington, | don't
know what you will think of me for
saving so, but you have made me the
happiest woman. l always always
liked you and was afraid | showed it too
much"
mot at all, not at all, assure your
put in John, not quite liking so much
feeling, and little puzzled what to say.
81 am truly glad of it--delighted, be-
lieve me. They are striking up the
Lancers. Will you Gomez"
Eyes, l will dance now," she said,
proudly taking his arm.
The honeymoon was spent on the
Rhine, for the bridegroom had no place
of his own, and Rose had never been
abroad in her life. Then the Rhine is
good long way from Tours. That
month abroad was by very far the hap
piest time of the poor BRIDES life. Quite
right and proper that it should be so, of
course; but then why should such an
utter, such a fearful contrast so soon
follow as, in alas! the majority of cases
it is wont to do? That is one of those
topics on which l should like some day
to have it out with husbands!
John was not man of manyresOurces
when you transplanted him from Lon
don. Throughout their tour he was
always with his wife, because he had
nothing else to do. AS she loved him
she was not erigeante beyond that, and
so she was contented and merry as pos
sible from morning till night. This did
not in the least astonish John. Of course
she was happy! He should like to know
why she should not be! In fact, he in
tended soon to insist upon her being
happy under much less.
They returned to town in October
Roses aunt, no longer able to afford
Mayfair, had beaten retreat to Bath,
and had let her town house, as she called
the two windowed sandwich she had
long been so proud to inhabit, to the
newly married pair, the comfortable un-
married rooms in South Audley Street
being, of course, given up. Johns in
come was, as he had told his wife, eight
hundred a year, and this, with the in
terest of Roses thirty thousand, ought
to have enabled them to live very reas-
onably well. In the days of her single
ness Aunt Rose had always had her
brougham, and as for dress, why she
had half her income to spend upon it if
she liked.
She was now informed that carriage
was out of the question, and that she
would have to make 9150 a year do for
both dress and pocket money. Like a
love sick fool as she was she submitted
without a murmur to both edicts. Still
she could not help putting the question
very plump to herself. "Why? 1 must
say, my dearest John. l should par
ticularly like to know the why in the
matter" Alas! this "why" was not
long in showing itself. Grifington was
not funny man. He would have re-
coiled in horror from any such ambi-
ton. And yet, like many another dull
wretch he had one very funny thing
about him, and that was his conscience.
For the first week after their installa-
ton things still went pleasantly enough.
They took several walks in the Park.
London had luckily happened to borrow
some other places weather for the mo-
ment. Two of their most pleasant ac-
guaintances kindly asked them to din
ner and John actually escorted his bride
twice to the play, though, as is well
known, he hates theatres.
On the eighth day after their return,
however, he utterly surprised Rose by
the strange tone in which he saba
tone anxious and constrained from its
too great striving after ease
80, by the by, dearest, am writing
to the girls. l want Jemima and Anne
to come over. They will do with one
room and Parker can have the attic.
You won't mind?h
But of course she did mind very
much; for so mild a person she minded,
furiGusly.
80, Johnr' she began, when he
looked at her with a look upon his
chisselled face which froze the words in
her throat. 1t was not a scowl, nor yet
properly frown; but strange lights
seemed to invade his eyes, and she saw
CLEANS of green burn phosphorus-lke
there for a second or two. She was
frightened-cowed-and in a moment
she had lost the life battle, and she
knew it.
All she dared to say was:
81 thought, dear, that to have any
one so soon-even your sisters could
nOt-help coming between us in a way.