Smyrna times., 1882-09-20
Twice WOoed.

lWlC6 WOO6u'
"Tessie, my dear, how you loiter.
Here it is almost six O'Clock and Mr..
Vane will be dreadlully inpatient.
Try and bring little life into your
face you do not appear as happy as
bride should"
&" am Il most unhappy one" | re-
piled drearily. ooh, mamma, cannot
this farce be stopped? What is poverty
to such shame as this feel?
"You foolish, foolish girl After all
the trouble | have taken to bring
about this fortunate match, you are
mad to talk so. Here comes your
bridegroom; greet him properly"
Mamma had no time for further
admonition, so the bridegroom and
attendants entered.
My dear, it is almost time to go
down. said Royal Nanc, bending his
dark, penetrating eyes upon my poor,
pale face, in way | felt if l did not
meet his gaze.
Silently l took his offered arm and
went slowly down stairs into the bril-
liantly lighted room, where the minister
awaited us.
Oh, such utter silence prevailed!
Only the grave tones of the minister
as he repeated the beautiful, solemn
ceremony, could be heard.
At last he came to the question
"WiIl you take this man." etc.
heard it all too plainly.
saw my naughty mothers anxiou
face paling at my silence, and tn
surprise growing on many, many faces
but could not speak a lie.
l knew the dark eyes of my almos
husband were upon me, regarding IN
in panied establishment.
Oh, it was q pitiful, awful silence
broken at last by a resistless power
could not thwart
"No, no." l pleaded, raising my eye
to Royal Vane's white, sorrOwful fac
81 do not love you. l cannot be yoI
wife. Oh, how wicked, how weak
have been not to tell you sooner"
Then, turning around to mamma,
stretched out my arms.
Forgive me-Oh, forgive me, MAJ
MAJ / cried and | fell down at h
III feet in dead faint.
They told me afterward how MANN
explained that had not been well al
was, no doubt, delirious, and that
would all be right when l recOvere
but l knew that one person wou
= never consider my actions caused
IS the delirium of fever-Royal Vane h
g understood the truth instantly; | re
it in his white, stricken face.
"Of all the disgraceful, dread
scenes" wept mamma. Il lit
thought that you, Tessie, would ca
a me such shame and modification"
was really ill for several days,
one day, when almost recovered, Il
Iii brought me card.
I'll | shuddered as l read the nam
Vane.
'a Toa $50 down." said mamma angr
New "and let him see how little fool
ther disgraced his bridal and wrecked
New
ross, hopes"
sim ! went down tremblingly, drcat
'onor .mor his reprOaches; but | need not i
that been in such trepidatiOn. 1t was
pGp[, port of the Slmcst, kindest faces al
high care-marked and older looking,
- men v met my gaze.
es of He came instantly forward, and
ou.s qniet, steady voice asked:
dress "How is Tessie tO-day?"
1--WE a "Better," faltercd, "but SO aahaI
sa Oh, Mr.. Vane, try to forgive mt
.:4m wanted to tell you long ago,
mamma would not let me-"
TO ayes, understand that, and it
tO5 better even at the last moment tn
n whole lifetime of regret"
And then so adroitly and skill
he drew from my weak armor of
terfuge the story of mammals en-
90 and rassments and need, and under'
matters as they really were.
"Do you love any one else, les
lhTN he inquired before we parted,
NO" l said, "no one; only
- did not love you / could not be
>llJ wife. Here is your ring"
"The poor little empty ring
line, said sadly, tenderly slipping it
watch chain, "that once grace
hand of all the wife ] shall ever
before Goodbye, Tessie, and may II
bless you"
And he was gone.
iR. A week later mamma, jubilal
excited, came to me.
!. my dear Tessie, you are tr
after all. In your usual silly wa
DEL let Royal Vane know of our str
one with circumstances, and he has ma
ieO zz-iy rich"
Mamma p l cried feeling Il
!. blood of modification rise in m,
pies. "You surely will not ac
'' of him. Oh, the shame-the sf
all kinds And l broke down and
bitterly.
LIZ, at is your own doings, and j
&o arranged so that we cannot
~" profting by his generosity. TIL
lam Lea& gage is paid and you may yet
a suitable match when this littl