The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-05-27

Satns her promised husband boy !!
wonder what Guy would say if he
heard her."
= was pretty cottage at which the
lady alighted, but it was neitherluxu-
rions nor splendid.
do you live alone, Miss Mel.
ross e asked Mr.. Welton, politely.
Oh, no! live with my mother"
VI course that settled all doubts of
her identify in Welton's mind.
and 80 that is Guys girl !" nut.
tered Mr.. Welton, as he drove along.
- supposed she was chit of about
seventeen by the way he spoke of
her; put she is twenty five if she is a
day ;and she called my dignified son
aDoy' She dosen't care very deeply
1 N nm. that's plain. I don't sec how
s1r Is mat some men wifi lose all the
sense they ever did have on account
OF some woman. Now flatter N.Y.
self that l understand the fair sex
pretty well, and all this Bernice Mel
roses deceit is perfectly plain to me /;
but Guy is clean bewitched about
her. She must be the same person,
for the description tallies exactly.
Let's see: graceful form. milk and
roses complexion, blue eyes and love-
~ golden curs-only she wears gol-
den braids, nov that Guy isn't here.
L expect the eurls made her look
younger; but in spite of beauty l can
always see beneath the surface, and
this very charming Bernice hasen't
lost her heart; and yet my misguided
son thinks she loves him.
The next day Mr.. Welton renewed
this chance acquaintance by calling
on some pretext at the cottage.
"She is kind TO her invalid mother
II she is an accomplished coquette," !"
he unused, as he wended his way
homeward. "She is the Bernice Mel.
rose, sure enough, for her mother
called her that; and 1 wonder who
Burnie is, whom the old lady was
wishing for ?''
Now that Mr.. Welton had begun
the siege he kept it up in real earnest !;
and by-and-by he wasan almost daily
visitor at the cottage.
"pm half tempted to fall in love
with her myself" he thought "but
it is too bad for Guy, he seemed so
much in earnest; yet it is better for
him to have his eyes opened before it
is too late."
"What an agreeable person Mr..
Estey is! And he reminds me so
much of Guy" said Bernice, in con-
templating her admirer.
Nearly a month had elapsed before
Mr.. Welton had matured the plans
he had laid to prove the unworth-
iness of Guys affianced.
"I'll write her a propose of mar
riage, and her answer shall be the
convincing proof will take to Guy.
All, women are tickle creatures !" he
sighed, as he sealed a note to Bernice.
1t was with some impatience that
he awaited her answer; but he had
not very long to wait, for soon it
came in dainty pale-blue envel-
ope, which he hastily opened and
read:
DEAR Mr.. EsTEY: The avowal
contained in your note surprises
while it pleases me, and ii you love
the undersigned as truly as you pro-
fess, she will he only to happy to ac
cept the honor you have offered her.
Yours wholly,
"BERNICE MELRosE."
"P. s. I have an explanation to
make which / sincerely trust will
not change your regard for B. M"
"Well. well what shall do now ?
IF Guy were not my only child 1
would just drop the matter where it
is, for knowing as l do the treachery
of Bernice, I would give as much as
Guy to feel that she is honest. But /
am certain she is older than Guy.
and should make a more suitable
husband for her. But won't marry
any one who would deceive my boy F.;
so Bernice, you have lost both of u.s.
Mr.. ,Welton wrote to Guy. saying
he would leave for home next day,
and that he was sorry for him he
would explain when he got home
He must call and tell Bernice who he
was, and then she would understand
why he went away.
Very beautiful was Bernice Mel.
rose when she received Mr.. Welton
that evening, and she didn't look like
a deceitful person in her white dress
and violet ribbons. And who was
the lovely girl with her. who was the
exact counterpart of herself, only sc
much youngel-a child almost in
years
While Mr.. Welton was conjectur
| ing as to the identity of the beautiful