The Arkansaw traveler., 1882-12-03
THE LEAF OF GERANIUM
Exchange.

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 Exchange.
 l, is very strange. when we come to think oi II. on what small cogs and pivo;s tse wheels of fate run. and wha, sligh, ,.I will do toward changing the whole machinery and SC, !. to running in an en- erely different direction. II was gera- 1iUm leaf that altered .he whole course of ny life. Bu, for the trivial leaf picked by young gir! in ;houghiless mood l should not have been sitting here to-da, n this pleasant dining-room, where the sen comes in through the vine-wrea,hed windows ard falls upon the geranium pots inside and this little girl would nor be spon my knee. nor wonder red-cheeked maiden on the veranda with young Smith CTS and neither would that very hand some matron who just passed into the par for have been in her present situation.
 Hyou will listen an hour or so. l will tel you my story. It was jus, twenty years ago this summer that married Car Ue Dean. She was swen.y-one and was twenty-seven--both cid enough to know what we meant and what we were about at least was ba; Carrie was such . eoqaet,e that used to think she had no n.ind of her own.
 Oh. but she was lovely All rose col cred and white and brown tressed. and pearly teeth. with the roundest, piumpes, figure. and as graceful as a fairy in every movement. and with beautiful, shapely lands tha, were eonstan: delight 10 the eyes
 was just home troI., college ard she was on visit to my stepmo,her. her aunt and my half sister Lila. and her cousin.
 had seen good mary girls in my seven years al college. and some of the seiles ef the land; bat had never ye; Lad my heart stirred by any woman's eyes as Carrie Deans stirred il when my eyes met hers in greeting: and the touch of her sof, fingers completely SC, me aHoat eR the sea of love.
 was her slave iron, tha, hour-not her save. either, but her passionate lover and md of course. being finished coque,te. she queened # over me right royalty.
 There was Fred Town, the country phy sician, and Tom Delano. the handsome young farmer both as badly ffas was : and pretty time we had of it.
 Fred and Told chums in former days were al swords points now. md hated each ether spiendidly for few weeks. And Tom held in the utmost contempt. and -ailed al them both whenever opportunity resented itself for Carries edifioation. c..er the manner of men. and was repaid tv seeing her bestow her sweetest smiles and glances upon them the next une they ret.
 Fred drove a splendid span of bays, md almost every day they dashed up the avenue and dashed ou, again with Miss Carries added weight. And Tom was or hand nearly every evening, and she vas jus, as swee; 10 ore as the other. and us. the same ,o me and ,ha. was wha, rladdened me.
 was no, 10 be sa;isfed with ''vid- oy.'s third " by any means, and old her so !, last, and asked her how the matter vas ,o be settled.
 T love you better than those brainless fops know how to love" sad. ho,ly :: and no@ decide between Us.
 She had listened 10 my love confession ~;h blushing cheeks and downcas; eyes tu, when said this she turned dehantly CT me.
 They are no more fops than you are, she said. ''even If they have not spent scsen years in college. They are gentle r-,cn and can't say that for esey man of my acquaintance
 And here she shu. the door between us with slam and lef, me 10 my pleasant meditations. and half an hour later met her at the gate with Fred. going out for a -.de. which was very aggrasa ating. l must confess
 thought over my conduct that night, ard concluded tha, had been brute. The next morning found Carne a, the dlning room window alone and sough, aer side. She had her hand among the caves of sweee-scented geranum, and and ,xined it among her braids- l re- member how bright and green i, looked among the dark locks.
 Carrie began, fear was very rude yesterday
 "I know you were.r she said, looking lndif5erentS ou, Of the window.
 This was bad beginning. bu. went or
 Bat, Carrie. love you so, and when see you with that Fred-r
 But here Miss Carrie tuned on her heel
 II am not going to listen to you while you slander my friends. she said. -When you can speak respectfully of Mr. Tovn. l will return,s and hefe she left me again.
 left the house then. and did noe re- rurn til afkeznoen- As Il came ap the paah l met Tom Delaze. Poor feilov, he looked like the las& sose of summer zfser a rzin~
 Cood-bye,s he said, gloomily; @rm