The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-08-22

her to you. The summer she was six
teen we spent in California. / had
never told her how I loved her. W.
we're standing one evening, just before
sunset, under one of the big trees
when, overcome by the surrounding
grandeur, | told her all and asked bel
to be my wife. She asked me to lei
her still be my sister; that in all the
wide world she had no brother but me
had known all along that she
did not care for me only as sister
and that had kept me silent. l asked
her if there was another that had Won
the heart that I so wished to win. She
said not; but soon saw what neither
seemed willing to admit. that she
and uncle we're growing daily
more to each other. The sum.
mer after her studies were finished
We visited the east. | left the party
at Saratoga just before you joined
them. Mother wrote me that you
had come aud that Iona had consent.
ed to marry uncle"
Eyes, l saw them standing together
Just after she had consented. / knew
by the light in their eyes aud the
trusting way she let her little hand
rest in his. | had not known her but
week; yet that was time enough to
teach me that she was pearl of great
price and that if ever could love q
woman she was the one. She never
seemed easy in my society, yet the
more she avoided me the more sought
her out. | thought she could not
fail to be impressed. All other women
had been, and it could not be that q
western rustic could be otherwise. At
the end of a week l asked her to
marry me. Yes. Lee, l really did,
and would have been most wondrous.
" happy if she had said yes, and 1
would have been a better man to-day
if she had. She shrank from me as
one of whose touch she was even
afraid. No other woman had ever re-
fused the hand of Harry Ellsworth
and he set his teeth together and VOW
ed he'd have revenge. But that
evening when / saw them together
and heard his low tones when he ask.
ed her to name the day, l decided
the only revenge that was left me was
to marry the belle of New York.
That has proved but poor revenge. 1
never told before that | had addressed
Iona Lambert, and unless she has re-
vealed it, it has remained until now
untold"
Harry. now l know whose face
that one reminds me of. Look good
and see if that is not Lona's mother. 1t
can"
A crash and shrieks, and cries
mingled with the din of the falling
bridge. The heavy rains had under
mined the works and Flat creek bridge
went down with the engine; fortu-
nately the cars came uncoupled and
none of the passengers were killed.
1t was after sunset when they were
again started. While waiting, Clar-
ence and Aunt Polly had formed &C
quaintance. Aunt Polly's joy was
great when she found this was Clar.
ence Lee. the nephew she had often
heard Myrtle speak of and the one who
had been travelling lin Europe with
Iona and John for the last three
years. He answered her many ques-
tons. Told her how little Lee, Lona's
son, had grown, and of his childish ways
and words. How his Aunt Iona had
grown more beautiful, if such could be,
because of her glad surprise when she
reached Sedalia and was installed as
mistress of the truly royal home that
his uncle had built and had not told
her of until they got there.
He told her, too, how everywhere
they went Iona was more admired
than any other woman.
"Well. now, Mr.. Lee, hain't she
grain split with all that 'tention ?"
'NOt in the least, madam her
greater charm is her inconsistencies of
her own superiority; but here We are
at Uncle Johns and l will not intrude
tonight; but will let you have this
evening to yourselves. so goodnight !"
And he was gone too soon to see the
welcome that Mr.. Irving and little
Lee gave Aunt Polly-the old fash
ioned earnest welcome, or the shade of
sadness that stole over her usually
calm, trustful face when John told
her that Iona was not at home.
"Mother, how is father !? Who is
with him and why did he not come
with your
"Mosas is midlen we'll fur his age,
John. Mary Ann does the work, you
her she was with US when