The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-01-19

speaking with sweet neS1taulon,
love--you"
1 kissed her pretty mouth. "My dar-
ling" said. you have been my darling
ever since that bright June morning L
heard you singing Annie Laurie to the
roses"
"And you mine," she replied, looking
in my face with bewitching, saucy frank
ness, sever since the morning you flew
out as though shot from a cannon-your
eyes flashing and your hair in the wild
est disorder, with no collar, let alone a
cravat on, and defied my uncle. L
thought you simply delicious-so differ
ent from any one l had ever seen be-
fore-so very unlike my cousinl But
Elmer" and shade stole over her bright
face, ''uncle will never, never consent
Toto"
"Our marriage, my dearest?"
eyes. to our marriage. for he has
set his heart on my marrying Chester,
and he's my guardian and I'm only nine
teen"
"Only be true to me, Melicent," 1 in
terrupted, land I'll wait for you pa
Enthusiastically say that your
promise
"Ne'er forgot will be-" sang she.
"And," took up the song, ''for bon
ME Annie Laurie, I'd lay me-" but sud.
denly stopped.
Uncle Gardner-his shaggy eyebrows
bent in an ominous frown-stood before
us. He had returned from business much
earlier than usual that afternoon, and
that bluudering Bub had brought him to
us and stood there wagging his tail just
as though he had done the most friendly
thing in the world.
The next morning before I had ceased
dreaming about her, my Milicent had
been spirited away.
And in q weeks time-what long,
wretched, dreary week it was! had left
Applicant and was once more installed
in my little den in the attic of great
lodging house in the noisy city. And to
keep the sorrow from breaking my heart
l worked like tiend. and the book to
which / have referred before, came out
and reached the third edition, and l
came down from the attic to the second
floor front, and dotted my flannel suit
for something more seasonable.
Autumn passed away and winter came
and spring followed, and summer
brought her roses, and then came autumn
again, and then in turn retired for the
months of cold and snow, and every day
hope grew less and less bright, for I had
not heard one word from my lost
darling.
The second New Years day since our
as came up gasplng from the basin OF
icy water, into which had plunged my
head, Dick Van Cleve danced in from
the next room, in extreme dishabllle,
vaulted over chair or two, tossed my
shaving mug in the air and caught 1T
cleverly and then asked:
"Going to make calls ?"
"Make calls?" repeated I, contempt
uously. "Did you ever know me to do
such silly thing?"
80! l don't mean the regular bust
ness" said he. "only friendly drop in
on some of our fellow women writer's"
There's that little Clark girl, she'd
be delighted to see you-thought You
looked vastly entertaining-more than l
did--and she's poor, young thing, and
very lonely, needs cheerful companion
ship. They say she lost her lover year
or so ago, went abroad and never came
back again"
"I'll CO." said l.
''Thats a good fellow, and weu take
her something nice to eat by way of a
New Years gift Don't believe she gets
anything nice in that dingy old board
ing house." and Dick piroutted out again
to complete his toilet.
An hour found us crossing - avenue,
on our way to the old-fashioned street
where dwelt the little Clarke girl, where,
pausing moment to give cent or two
to a poor child who had just left the
basement of handsome brown stone
mansion voice rang out from the draw
ing-roo above that sent all the blood
madly leaping through my veins.
sMsxwelton's brses are bonnie,
Where early fa's the dew.
And It was there that Annie Laurie
Gave me her promise true,
Gave me her promise true,
Which ne'er forgot will be:
And for bonnie Annie Laurie
I'd lay me down and dee"
grasped my friends arm and held
him until the last note died away. II
have call to make here.' said then.
"By Jove?" he explained, 'are you
sure. This is no end Of q swell"
assembled the steps, walked without a
word past the colored servant WI
opened the door straight into the psrlor.
She had Just risen from the piano, and
with cry Of Joy she few to my arms.
The uncle, the aunt, and the cousin
were there.
Dear uncle" she said, turning her
| lovalv faco TOWARD him while NV arms