Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-07-20

i Es~~O
were dark shadows under her eyes. The
tea-bell rung. She pulled asilken cord,
without rising, and summoned a maid,
to instruct with the message that she
was not coming down 10 tea-she bad a
headache. The others could be merry
over tea a1d toast without her. She
must have time to think, out of the
long whirl OF gayety, or she should be
| crazed. How fast the summer was
goingl how imminent her marriage wss
Let her think-oh, let her think She
had never done so before.
Since she was fourteen she had known
that she was engaged to Young John.
He was fine fellow, they told her, well
educated, travelled, rich--a parti in a
thousand. She was felicitated, congratu.
lated, and she had been fattered, con-
tent, having no wsnton fancies to per-
plex the wise provision made her by her
father.
Why should she quarrel with an ar.
rangement which had been deemed
good for the princesses of noted lands g?
Yet she suddenly found herself battling
with strange unhappiness. She was
not wont to be sad; she was too healthy
and social. At school she had been
prime favorite-at home she was
queen.
Since her return from the seminary
the previous spring the Chestnuts had
been full of company-most of the
guests her "gay girl graduates with
their golden hair" May Henrick and
a.half-score of others were with her
now. She ruled her house and pre-
sided at her table with ease, for the
wheels of the establishment were
literally oiled with gold; the servants
were old and versed in the ways of the
Londesboroughs; faultless service and
lavish pay had been her fathers rule.
She had not care.
But tonight she brooded alone until
long after the twilight had filled the
room. She wished they had not
promised her to Young John-a man
she had never seen. How prosaic and
unpleasant at nineteen to have all ones
future fixed She wished those old
men-the squire and her father-had
let her future be. Other girls married
men OF their choice. Why should not
she ? She had no doubt that Young
John was unexceptionable, but she
really wanted none of him.
And she was to be married the com.
ing autumn! A feeling of dull resent
ment and grief mingled and swelled
within her breast. He had written her
two letters, Young John-very nice
civil letters, which she had been in
structed by her fathers old lawyer, Mr..
Lindsay, to answer. She had never
done so. She really did not like to
write letters, aud had never had cor
respondent in her life.
She pouted now, thinking that Young
John was probably awaiting an answer
to his last epistle. Finally she sud
denly got up, bathed her face and rear
ranged her shining, dark hair. She
had remembered that when Charley
Henrick brought his sister back he
would probably come in for an hour.
She fastened some scarlet geraniums
at her throat and tied her hair with q
cardinal ribbon. The glowing red be-
came her; it was his favorite color.
Certainly she had never looked pref
tier than when she appeared below
among the bright company. And when
Charley Henrick had come with May
it was late before he left the Chestnuts.
Now, May Henrick was one of the
prettiest of the "golden- haired gradu-
ates"-a girl cool and mild enough to
be Ruby's very opposite, and by virtue
Of these qualities was very agreeable to
her.
But the latter never told her what she
had never told herself until that night,
and May, having her object in view,
had some difficulty in approaching the
subject during the coming day.
They were sitting on a bank, watch |
ing the Others on the croquet-lawn,
when May, having gathered all the
bluets within her reach, opened the
conversation with the remark:
81 suppose you will be married by |
this time next year, Ruby%
Ruby started, and her smile faded,
but she replied coolly enough:
"I suppose So"
"You are quite cure that you have
never seen Mr.. Prince-when you were
child, mean2"
"No-I have never seen him, May"
"Do you know how old he isP"