The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-04-07

| DaCK Win laugh that SnOWeu nel
glittering teeth and frightened all the
carnation on her olive cheeks and the
luster in her eyes. Well, she was toe
beautiful for anything but dreams. The
doctor must have seen what thought
where L sat in the window frame, fol
presently he said to me: "Too brilliant
for use, is it not? As for me, L prefer
What was it Miss Jane read to me to.
day?'
"You mean
"A creature not too bright and good
For human natures daily foodP
That would be Miss Jane herself
said I.
est. Jane" said he.
"I suppose" said, "that one sees q
plenty of such faces in Rome ?"
GAS Miss Helen's? Plenty"
always thought Helen looked like
Roman lady"
"Like Roman peasant GIRL" said
he.
But I knew better than to repeat his
words.
so your peasant girls have that
golden tinge under the carmine?" I
asked him.
"All of them"
In a day or two Helen, who often
came over to Aunt Elroy's, where she
saw a group of us, when Emily and
Mrs. Knowles were having one of their
seances; was standing by pillar of the
gallery, twisting budding vine about
herself, and humming bird came dart
ing along, and hogered a moment, Just
as if he took her mouth for a blossom.
We all exclaimed and laughed, even the
doctor; and when the next moment a
saucy robin in the black heart cherry
tree gave forth burst of his music,
and Helen opened her lips and answered
it in delicious trill on trill, we felt as if
the scene was something ideal.
"You could hardly do better than this
in Italy" said l to the doctor.
"The robins take you for one of
themselves, Helen," said Aunt Elroy.
"It is one of the wise BIRDS" said the
doctor " He wants another song from
you, Miss Helen, as I, indeed, do too"
And then Helen sang again. She had
been chary Of her songs before; but
after this YOU always knew when Helen
was coming by the music that ushered
her, and where she was going by the
sweet sounds that went dancing after
her.
Glow can he help falling at ner feet ?"
said to Cousin Stanhope, on one of his
Saturdays with us.
Z" He is lame" said Stanhope.
"Nonsensew
"And then I should have fallen in
love with her myself long ago, if it had
not been for her temper"
"You, Stanhope ?"
Eyes, 1; and if"
eff what 2"
eff / had not fallen in love with
somebody else"
But just then the doctor, who had so
far improved as to be able to use a
crutch came down the garden-path and
took Stanhope off with him. 1 saw lit
tie Jane gaze after them intently mo-
ment; and I wondered vaguely if she
were too fond of Stanhope, and felt
vaguely disturbed and unhappy, and
went home and practiced sonata till
was tired out.
How fair and sweet Jane was in those
June days, as they came! There was
such an unspeakable tranquility about
her, / never looked at her without
thinking of perfect, placid dawnings.
"What complete lady Jane is" 1
said to Stanhope once, as We We're walk
ing in the wood.
"That is because her temperament is
so quiet. 1t gives her manners repose,"
he answered. SO All her ways are pleas
antness and all her paths are peace"
And I knew 1 had no right to be vexed
with him for speaking so. Who could
be blamed for loving Jane?
"Only [ never could see, added Stan
hope, chow any man could fall in love
with Jane. should as soon think of
kissing a statue. But then, suppose"
he said, looking half askance at me,
:" when one is in love with somebody
else" And he stopped, because two
people were slowly coming through the
wood, although they were not observ-
ing us. 1t was DIR. Malatestata, who
could now walk tolerably with his stick,
and Helen, whom he had met.
"Yes," he was saying, 81 have quite
far that L shall be able to
resume my journey in a short time.
And, Miss Helen, shall tell you? When
l go home l hope to take a wife there
with me-
"Why in the world should Helen
think he means her?" whispered Stan
hope. "Look at herw For Helen had
averted her face, and, thrust
ing her hands out before her in beau
tiful forbidding gesture, had cried
" Oh, no, no, no! could never leave
America !"
DIR. Malatestata stopped short in his
walk, in blank amazement.
- beg your pardon, Miss Helen" he
cried. "You misunderstood me-" he
said. believe me, had no thought of
asking you" And then he drew himself
up proudly. 81 was about to tell you,"
he said, " that 1 am the promised hus-
band of Miss Jane"
But at that time Stanhope, who had
been in the secret for some time, could
not forbear moment longer, and burst
into roar of laughter.
And then such an angry man as
was may L never see again,
when he began adjuring Stanhope in
foreign tongues, while the latter leaned
against the tree and laughed on.
" At any rate" said Helen to me, that
night " "the fact remains that l refused
him. He didn't misunderstood me-"
Well, it was the loveliest little wedding
that we had two weeks later on Aunt
Elroy's broad gallery, with all the
flowers and vines and birds. And
grand Italian gentleman came up with
Stanhope, too, who treated us all like