Daily Republican., 1881-03-25
CnEcK. aATrD.
BY BERsARD nsRBERr.

A puff Of the soft June breeze cane
in silvery ripple over the velvet oi
the grass, the stately larchss murmur'
cd With slumbsrous cadence, . great
golden bee hummed lASily ont Of the
heart Of a snowy lily, and Miss Adele
Basoomb glanced up from the novel she
was reading and smiled wioksdly.
The cause OF that smile was q tall,
verdant- looking fellow coming towards
her shady retreat with an enormous
bunch OF full bloom pink roses in hil
hand.
She knew he was coming TO pay his
awkward homage at her shrine. and
she was intensely amused.
The young lady had come down tc
Riverside with an invalid aunt to pass
month, and she had bewailed her
bad luck that she could not 60 as ususl
to Newport until shs sat her eyes on
Ralph Evans, the son Of her iandlady,
and thought to herself that she would
amuse herself with the Innocent lad II
she could not do any better, and so
while away the dresry weeks.
And she had made q cruel CONG nest
Of Ralph, body and soul. and had tAs-
cinsted him with her sunny eyes and
Oh farming ways until the poor fellow
did not know whether he was standing
on his head or his heels.
"What fun it will se to tell Grace
and the girls about my rural victim,
when l get home," thought wicked
Miss Bsscomb.
80 Ralph came up and laid his fCral
tribute at his SIRENS feet.
won't you sit down and have a lit.
tie Chat ?" murmured Miss Bascomb
gathering up her dainty rufties and
making room for the young man beside
her upon the rustic seat; ait is dread
fully dull and Pm sure you have quit,
deserted me of late"
Ralph eolored to the roots Of his curly
brown hair, bu, he nevertheless tel
headlong into the trap 30 deftly sst fol
him.
After sundry rambling attempts a
conversation, he stammered abruptly
"Were you ever in love, Miss Bas
comb %
Adele bit her lips to repress a burst
Of laughter
"No, never! We're YOU"
81 thought 1 was once" he said,
pitiably.
! Indeed! When"
"Bsiore you came here "
"D0n't tell me that l." cried Miss
Bascomb, in mock horror, when ne in,
tsrrupted her.
"Oh, Lstty Brown Is not half SC
pretty as--"
He halted in dismayed confusion,
Miss Brown is pretty beyond COM
pare," laughed Adele, in spite OF her
self; 81 think it very cruel in you to
call her beauty into question"
"Psrhsps it is sot beauty am look
ing for" faltered poor Ralph.
What then ?"
"a wife that that"
TIE sound OF carriage Whsels upon
The avenue just beyoud the grove
rescued the lorn lover from his fearful
dilemma, and be sprAug to his feet.
"The new bosrder," he painted; 81
must 90 and take his horse"
And with that he made 3 headlous
dive through ths shruebsry, leaving
Miss Basoomb to laugh until the tear:
actually ran down her pretty cheeks
"Goodness," she exclaimed, when
at last she regsined her breath, "tkt
next thing he will offer hinseit, and
dou't want to break his silly heart"
That evening at tea, Miss Bsscomt
paused with gasp as she entered tht
dining room and was presented to the
new boarder.
Ere she had been in his society 6v'
minutes she inwsrdly declared tina
Harold Merton was the handsomes
man she had ever seen, and when Mrs
Evens whispered to her that he was a.
wealthy as he was good-looking, thu
conquest vas complete.
The next fortnight proved that thu
fascination was not all on one side, ant
poor Ralph soon found that he was en-
tirely forgotten by the pair, who wer'
inseparabls, walking, riding, singing
aad reading together as they did from
morning til night.
II was late one balmy afternoon tina
Ralph found Miss Bascomb alone in he
favorite retreat among the larohes, will
a golden lance Of the setting sun rest
log upon her fair headr
He at once approached and Adele sti
hed her laughter.
"Miss Bascomb," he said, standing
awkwardly before her: 81 can't keeE
in any longer. l must toll YOU
"OA, don't tell me anything" crisd
Adele, pressing her handkerchief to hel
lips.
"But I"
"Let me tell you something" ex.
claimed the young LADY,: II am going se
be married"
"When9" with an awful look.
every soon."
''To Mr.. &eltonf"
"Oh, dear, mol" with laugh.
At this moment the stable bell rang
furiously and Ralph sprang away to
answer the summons.
He me! Harold Merton in the yard,
valise in hand.
~ have just time to reach the siz
o'clock train for New York II you will
kindly drive me over to the station, u
he said 10 Ralph; ~ have received 8
telegram that my father is very ill and
| must start At once"
An hour later, and just as the tea
bell rang, Ralph returned and found
Miss Bsscomb on the piazza.
lie heckoned to her mysteriously and
abe followed him In laughing wonder
neut down into the twilight Of one Of
tne garden-paths.
"Nr. Merton has gone" he said.
"Gone-wheres" gasped Adele.
"To New York."