The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-12-13
DOUBLY SAVED.

must tell you all tnat happened
to me since my birthday party-my.
eighteenth birthday, that We kept SO
merrily in our country home.
II was soon after Christmas, the
twenty.eighth Of December, and the
Christmas decorations were all about
the room, and the ehildren's Christ
mas tree, all glittering with glass
balls and little candles, stood in the
corner. wore my white silk with
Jacqueminot roses in my hair and at
my bosom. Amy Lovelace, my dear
est friend, had pale yellow silk and
tea-roses. We were the best dancers
in the room, and papa had quite
little band play for US.
l remember Amy telling me that
she thought DR., Garcia had the most
beautiful eyes she ever saw, except
in the head Of a seal. Such funny
compliment! But they were splendid
and Amy was right; and when she
said he was very much in love with
me, she was right, too.
But Charlie Constant had been
counting me for some time, and he
proposed tina! evening when he fol-
lowed me into fathers study, where
] went to get some mnsio. / romom-
Der just what he said-the very
words.
"Rose, you are the prettiest girl l
know. May l have your"
! laughed, and said, "Yes, if father
and mother say so"
And he kissed me.
Later on, when Madame Vine was
playing wonderful piece, all trills
and quavers and crashes, Doctor Gar.
cha got me to himself in a quiet cor.
ner, and did the same thing. What
he said was, "RoSe, | love you better
than my life. | wish thought you
liked me enough to be my wife some
day"
And, in spiteof what had just hap,
pened, real pang pierced nay heart.
How he could look at one, and
what deep, soft voice he hadl | had
hard work to answer just as l did.
"0h, Doctor Garcia, l do like you,
but I'm engaged to. Charlie Con.
slant"
But, then, who could blame me for
my choice? Mr., Constant was old
Archibald Constants only son-ricb,
handsome, accomplished-all that
men envy; and Doctor Garcia was
poor, had his way TO fight in the
world, and was not handsome. Good?
Oh, yes, knew that well; but all the
girls envied me Charley Constant
Yes, said that quite quietly, and he
took my hand, said, God bless you;
hope you will be very happy" and
went away, and did not see him for
a long time. Charlie brought me a
ring next day, and we were to be
married on my nineteenth birthday.
What pleasant year it was! 1t
passed like dream, and mid-winter
came again, and the week before my
wedding was u full moon.
We had planned aglorious ride ten
miles through the country roads,
Charlie and l we're together, OF
course. We drove two new horses,
that day-animals that cost him a
fortune, and were splendid creatures,
though very nervous and hard to
handle. But | was not easily fright.
ened then; l did not know what fear
was. l could not remember ever
having been hurt in all my life. |
had never been i'll or unhappy.
We flew over the ground, until we
came near a rocky dcclivity known
as "The Great DELI" which was GOV.
cred with snow, the branches of grea,
trees all covered with icicles growing
in confusion along the sides. One
branch fell as we dashed along. |,
frightened the horses. They swerved
the vehicle turned over; that's all
know about it. Afterwards | came to
myself down on the rock, horribly
hurt and cold-so cold could no,
stir, and l knew l was freezing to
death.
| did not know what had happened
to Charlie. Perhaps he was lying
near me, dead. The sun was going
down, and far up above l saw the
bank over which l had fallen. l
thnDuht nf pootho. ,nl r,,l