The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-12-09

M1lllIld, l. bolu
Bertha, flushing painfully. II do not
believe anything against him. MIR.
Douglas knows"
"Well, my dear, you are quite right
to consider Mr.. Douglas" allowed the
prudent mother; land when you are in
a house of your own you can invite
whom you please. By-the-bye, my love,
don't you think it would be very nice
plan il Mr.. Douglas were to take this
house off my hands when Lena mar
ries?" she continued more cheerfully,
LAYING down her fan. II am thinking
of going into apartments at the West
End, where shall be nearer Magnus
Square. Mr.. Douglass income is not
very large. He probably won't want TO
launch out at first. should think such
house as this might just suit him."
81 don't think Mr.. Douglas has any
idea of taking house at all, mamma"
Bertha stammered. in some confusion.
"Mr Douglas is going away"
"GOmg away" exclaimed Mrs. Dali
ton. growing very red in the face again.
"GOing away without proposing? |
have never heard of anything so dis
honorable, after all the attention he
Has iiIu NOu' all ~ 10 1oui
own fault, Bertha; you have played
your cards badly"
Il have played no cards at all, man.
ma said Bertha, greatly vexed. She
had no intention of revealing what had
taken place that afternoon = neither
Douglass declaration to herself nor his
warning against FancOurt. That she
was well aware would be utterly useless
until there was some basis to 60 upon.
He can't 60 away So" decided Mrs.
Dalton, after few minutes thought.
Its ridiculous. l shall write and ask
him to dinner
Pray do not, mamma" Bertha en-
treated Mr.. Douglas and | perfectly
understand each other, if that is what
you are thinking of. We shall never
be more to each other than good
friends"
We'll, must say there never was a
mother treated as I am" Mrs. Dalton
lamented, drawing out her cambria
handkerchief. Here have been plan
ming night and day for your comforta-
BILE settlement in life, and now you talk
about being nothing but friends. It's
really enough to drive one wild! l am
quite sure that with a little encourage
ment Mr.. Douglas would have spoken;
and what better can you look forI 1t
isn't likely you can make great match
like your sister. 1t won't do now, with
our new connections, for you to be a
teacher. What is to become Of you |
don't know; and all might have been
settled SO happily"
Mrs. Dalton melted into tears as she
contemplated the failure of part Of her
scheme. Bertha stood pale and silent,
feeling rather guilty; but she had no
thought of giving way.
Don't be anxious about my future,
mamma she said at last. IL am sorry
| cannot act as you wish, but | need
not be burden upon you. Sir Stephen
and Lady Langley, when we were at
their house in the spring, asked me to
go and live with them as their daugh-
ter. | declined then, because | thought
YOU could not spare me; but am sure
they want me to 60. Sir Stephen said
he should speak to you about it this
autumn"
Mrs. Dalton wiped her eyes-her brow
cleared.
Il would much rather have seen you
in a house Of your own at once" she
said, with a sigh: ''but Sir Stephen and
Lady Langley move in the best society,
and you may have a chance with them,
perhaps, if you only put away your
silly, romantic notions"
Bertha made no reply-she was only
too glad to let the subject drop. In or
der to avoid any fresh discussion of
such topics, she invited her mothers
attention to what she had been doing
for Lena that afternoon. and Mrs. Dali
ton, once more absorbed in the all-iIh-
portant subject of the tro,SSeau, forgot
for the time being her disappointment
in Douglas and her adverse intentions
toward st. Lawrence.