Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-04-08
A REAL SWE t STORY.
BY MARGARET EYTINGE.

they had eyer had aud they had had
many. for she had temper, and he
had temper, and they were both of
them impulsive young people with
very little self-control.
you are false. selfish, untruth-
full, unmanly man." said she.
And you suspicious. unreason-
able, unwomanly woman" said he.
Take back your letter." she
cried flinging a parcel tied with by
acinth- blue ribbon on the floor at
his feet.
Il will" he muttered between his
clenched teeth, pi king up the par
Gel and throwing it into the fire
where it blazed brightly for NOM
ent or two, and then flew away in
thin uncanry black fragments up
the chimney. As the last fragment
disappeared, Rick turned again to
Lefty, with frowning brow, aud
asked as he had asked before, do
you still persist in accusing me of
deceit and falsehood p
Il do" she replied, ''unless you
show me the CHARM
II will not show it TO you" he
declared with emphasis. ''If my
word be not sufficient, l refuse to
give you farther proof. | wonder
that you dare insult me by asking
it. And | also wonder how you, be-
lieving me to be false and untruth-
full, can be willing to trust your flu
ture to me. And, to speak frankly,
l begin to think we have made a
great mistake in supposing that we
could spend the future together, for
/ am fully convinced we are any
thing but
"Two souls with but single thought,
7 20 hearts that beat as one"
(Tnese lines were quoted with the
most sarcastic inflection.) "And
furthermore. | so begin to think
that perhaps it would have been bet
ter if we had never made this mis-
take-if we had never met, in
fact"
"Oh, indeed, sir I" with great as
sumption of dignity. "Have you
just arrived at that conclusion l
have long since been sure of it.
But there is nothing easier than to
part. Your letters are already dis
posed of. To morrow l will send
you your ring and picture. And,
then, when / am free once more, |
can try to please my mother, four
acquaintance, as you are we'll aware
has never pleased her, and in pleas
ing heI, 1 may find | am doing a
pleasant as we'll as wise thing for
myself"
Are you referring to Brougham
Brown"
Il am referring to Mr.. Brougham
Brown"
''By heavens 70 exclaimed Rick,
Selling his hat, "this is too much.
Lefty, good-by forever"
But Lefty began humming an air
from Patience" drumming an ac-
compartment on the window pane,
and vouchsafed no answer. Rick
rushed from the room. The hum.
ming and drumming ceased instant
ly, and the whilom performer listen.
ed intently. Five minutes passed
and still the street door did not
slam. "He is waiting for me to
come out in the hall and beg his
p ion, but | WON'T" and she turn
ed again to the window as the door
shut with bang.
Then she flung herself on the floor
kicked off her slippers, and cried
like summer shower. Rick gone,
and gone forever Rick, whom she
had loved so dearly for two. years
And why ? Just because that silly,
giggling Lena Varian, with her pale
blue eyes and straw colored hat had
chosen to tell fibs about him. And
shaking the water from her lashes.
she began scolding herself as hard
as she had poor Rick. "rhe idea,
Lefty LOunsberry, of you believing
that girl before him What if
he did fllrt little with her; all men
flirt a little with girls who persist in
admiring them and flattering them.
But he never gave her the little gold
pig-your Christmas gift to him