Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-11-10


initiating the wood pigeons 81 must
let you into secret--about Hugh"
About Hugh My neart palpitates
quickly and my checks glow angrily
But what do / carer | am not in love
with Hugh ! Certainly not No sensi-
BILE young lady ever falls in love with a
gentleman until he says, "Will you ?"
But what is her wonderful secret
She is still blusbing and looking be-
witching. Oh, see She has a letter
That is not Hugh's writing Yes,
it is
In my eagerness and scepticism |
contrive to entangle my foot in the
weeds, and fall headlong into little
ditch that lies beneath the stone wall.
1t is not an agreeable resting place and
| am not partial TO snails and slugs-
nor yet to nettles, of the presence of
which / am painfully conscious. In
like Humpty-Dumpty, / manage to
scramble UP, and survey somewhat
ruefully sundry patches of green Oh my
spotless cambria. / rub my poor elbow,
which is both grazed and swollen, and
flick with my pocket-handkerchief the
dust from my angry countenance, and
apply my fingers tenderly to my nose,
and am reliev ed to find that it has sus-
tanned no injury
But have contrived, with my usual
happy knack, to miss what | most
wanted to hear--what that letter con-
tanned. From my post of observation
| can plainly see look of distress and
some little surprise on my sisters kind
| " face. Whatever the substance Of
the note may have been. it has not been
pleasant news for her, and | turn my
eyes resolutely from the sublime tri-
umph visible on the face of my rival
but cannot shut my ears to the SUI
preme insolence Of her tone.
! care you satisfied now, dear? You
can safely set your mind at rest with
regard to any Intentions Hugh may
have entertained for Hilda he GER
| tainly has none at present"
| "NoY There is a sorrowful echo in
my sisters voice which hurts me some
! how.
| ! gulp back something that rises in
my throat, and restrain frantic desire
for some available missile which | could
hurl at the calm simpering face smirk-
ing and looking up at her coquetishly.
| do not care for Hugh myself-of
course that is quite understood-but
am sure that | should not like any one
else to care more for him than | do.
There is a slight pause within the ar
Dor. Outside, the big brown bee, honey
laden and delirious with the charms of
the queen lily, huns and wheels above
my head, and then speeds homeward,
Ms fingers are stiff with clinging to the
uneven timbers, and sharp nail has
scratched and wounded the skin, but |
do not heed 1t.
Beatrice turns her complacent beam
ing visage toward the very spot where
my eye is glued glaring at her, but
probably the ivy hides it from notice,
for she makes no remark Then Miri-
ans voice says:
~ do not consider that letter tanta-
mount to proposal. He merely says
he vans To speak to you. He may
have fifty different things to say"
"What! After letter like this?'
excaims Beatrice, furnishing the mis-
sive in the air
Oh, now long for the invisible cap"
that might snatch it from her! But
the days OF fairies are over, and there
is no one to interpose between me and
my evil genius. | am only poor, des-
olate little girl, standing with my face
flattened to the dirty boards, and my
ear tickled every other minute by the
waving tendrils above me. | am caves
dropping, and the old adage about list
eners is once more proving itself true.
"Mirilm, my dear'-concetedly-
"men don't dog your footsteps, and
bore you with their presence every
available hour out Of the twenty-four
unless they have a motive for it; nor
do they as a rule, write ardent epistles,
pleading for interviews, with any save
one desire. He is 80 romantic, poor
Hugh !"
Poor Hugh, indeed He had need
be romantic, if he seriously contem-
plates passing his Life with thai pretty
brainless little doll But oil the ro-
nance and sentiment III the world can
not keep the gilt on forever, and, after
it has worn of, what then, cousin
Hugh? Gingerbread can be bought
anywhere for penny, and it is rather
insipid eating.
$50 romantic?" continued Beatrice.
ut is just like him, dear thoughtless
boy, to ask Ine TO meet him ut dusk
this evening near the sun-dial. A pretty
idea is it not? but | hardly know if it
is quite proper'-with funny little
atiectation of demur "But, as he is
to be my husband, | don't suppose
| it"
"Then you mean to accept him %
asks Miriam.
| set my teeth hard together as
note the cool contempt ON her beauti-
full face.
accept Hugh Morgan? Well, yes,
faute de meiux."
| can scarcely contain my wrath. |
grind my heel sava. ely on the soft car
pet and crush an innocent rose to pulp
between my fingers He is undeni-
ably handsome" she continues dream
| lily, although, truth to tell, | do not
care for that style-Bertie Roberts is
!