The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1882-11-23
THE WRONG PICTURE;

THE WRONG PICTURE.
"A pretty face; a very pretty face, in
deed!
turned the little photograph upside
down, held it off at arms length to get a
perspective view ant: scrutinized it close
ly with my eyeglasses.
Henry Wallis looked pleased; man
naturally likes to have his ''intended''
admired and appreciated.
$50 this is the Bessie Armitase have
heard SO much of Really, Wallis, she
does credit to yoar taste. A blonde,
suppose?'
"Fair as lily, with blue eyes and the
sunniest golden hair!'
1t was all very we'll for Henry Wallis
to 20 into ecstacies about his pallid, fair
haired little Bessie Armita &c; he had
never met the glance ofCecilia Vernon's
magnificent dark eyes.
Yet after all Harry was better off than
he was; for he was securely engaged to
the di!npled, yellow tressed little object
Of his affections, while l vas yet, az it
were, in outer darkness, uncertain
whether my peerless Cecilia returned
my ardent deyotions or whether she
secretly inclined toward that unprinci-
pied fellow, Hugh Tretoil.
There is no sense in prOCElstinating
matters any further" ] said, half aloud,
as | walked up and down the rather
limited domains Of the little stndy. II
have been q doubling fool quite long
enough" :"
went up to my room after dinner
and made an elaborate toilet, bat all the
pains bestowed nponit served only to
he]ghttn the general effect Of my awk-
wardness.
''Ive two minds to wait until to-mor-
row." quoth to myself; abruptly stop
ping, with my cravat half tied.
No; might be 4 coward but I was not
such a mitiyated po'troon as that. had
begun the enterprise, and / would carry
It through II 1t cost me the last drop Of
my hearts blood. Moreover, had had
nn inspiration. An entirely new and
original method Of putting the momen.
tnous query had occurred to me.
"Hang Hugh Trefoil" l exclaimed.
e'ce:uIly, hal aloud, though there was
~ C'i ~ iAC"a Si;tNu StGtVIl, il VIII
the dark eyed treasure yet, in spite Of;
him.
Il opened my writing case and care
fully took out little carte lie visite
wrapped in tissue paper ard tender;v
laid away with q pink silk perfume satcE-
el that Minnie had made for ME once. It
was Ceciiia's picture; she had allowed
NE to steal it away from her with scarce
~ rcnonstrance week before. Then
was the time | ought to have proposed:
but, like e .inOrous, doubling mOon-caIf
rs was: had let the golden tide of op-
portnni'y slip unin.proved away from
me.
drew Bessie Armtage's vacant, doll
like face from its evelope, and compared
the two with thrill Of triumph in my
heart.
"Colorless water beside crimson, spark.
ling champagne a pale violet in the
shade Of royal rose! pearls eclipsed
by the fiery flash of diamonds!" / cx-
claimed. Henry Wallis's taste may be
very correct and classical, but give me
my ra'lient brunette. These bleaceed out
beauties don't correspond with my idea
Of perfection"
1t was Il lovely spring e,ening as
entered the wide gravelled path that led
up to the broad portico Of the Vernon
mansion. Mr.. Vernon sat there smok-
ing his meer*chaum..s 81 81 +
"WOn't You sit down and have
smoker" he demanded Hospitality. 'It's
real luxury to be able to take whiff.
out Of doors after hein shut up in the
house all the winter. Or may be you'd
prefer going in to see Cecil?"
Sensible old gentleman! he had not
forgotten his own young days. 1 init
mated not without considerable awak-
wartlness, that the special object Of my
visit had been to "see Cecil."e =. .-5.~
"Well, she is in the -pa,.lor,, all by her.
SELF" said he, sood-huinorellv, notion
ing me in. 'Walk in-walk in"
Cecilia Vernon was sitting IN the par
lor alone, AZ her father had said, the
bright center''of cheerful circle of lamp
light. A bit Of crochet work was lying
in her lap, and an open volume of poems
poems I had sent her-Was on the tar
BILE. ::
Cecilia Vernon was always lovely to
look upon, in my sight: tonight, how
ever, she seemed more than ordinary
beautiful. - (, - a~<sessS -.
sat down and began hesitatingly up-
on the never-tailing topic of.the weather.
A proposal had seomed the easiest thing
in the ,worldas walked along the dewy
hedges of the peaceful star.lighted road,
contemplating it from afar of; hut now
that I was face to face with it Alpe upon
Alps of difficulty and perplexity, seemed
to surround it's accomplishment.
would have given all that was worth to
postpone the evil day but twenty-four
hours but my self respect, and that
was imperiled new. :s-.-.> ,.-r.-..
Cecilia tried her best to keep the ball
of conversation in motion; she intro
duced new subjects, asked leading ques-
tions, and feigned deep interest in the
most abstruse Of topics. But even Co.
celia could not talk on forever; but pres
emily, Will. little sigh Of despair she
subsidized into silence. y ..t'r ' 'i:@-
Now was the eventful moment Of my
"CGiilia! said, softly.
She raised the LIQUID brown eyes to
mine.
IT want to con;ide in you tonight
Have your permission"
| Certainly, Mr.. Markham"
II am very much in love, Cecilia. In
fact,s my heart has long ago gone out Of
! stopped with the fatal husky feeling
in my throat. Cecilia was blusliuq di-
vinely' drew my chair close to hers,
| with the sensation Of man who has lust
pulled the String af cold shower bath.
"Who is the lady?" faltered Celia, as
! il she didn't know perfectly well already.
"Shalj show you her picture, Cellar
Miss Vernon inclined her head almost
/, to the level of my shoulder tolook at the
, little carte de viste l drew from, nv
pocket. l skilfully stole one arm around