The bee. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1882-1884, 1883-07-07

of being.
Mr.. Crawford was one of my admira-
tions from the first. Tall, pale, with
dark hair and eyes, he reminded me of
Dante, only that he was handsOmer;
and he had such a general air of know
ing everything worth knowing with
out the least pedantry. however, that
L was quite afraid of him. He was
evidently wrapped up in John. and
patient to his sister-which was asking
quite enough of Christian charity under
the sun, for Mrs. Shellgrove was an
unmitigated nuisance. Such talker!
babbling of her own and her brothers
affairs with equal indiscretion, and
treating the latter as though he were
an incapable infant.
They stayed with us three years and
during that time L was fairly persecu-
ted about John. Mrs. Shellgrove
wrote me letter on the subject, in
which she informed me that the whole
family were ready to receive me with
open arms-a prospect that l did not
find at all alluring. They seemed to
have their hearts set upon me as per-
son peculiarly fitted to train John in
the way he should go. Everything. l
was told, depended on his getting the
right kind of wife.
A special interview with Mr.. Gran
ford, at his particular request, touched
me considerably.
al hope" said he, ''that you will not
refuse my boy. Miss Edna. He has SET
his heart so fully upon you, and you
are everything that could desire in
daughter. want some one to pet. l
feel sadly lonely at times, and / am
sure you would fill the vacant niche
drew my hand away from his
caress, and almost felt like hating John
Crawford. Life with him would he
one of ease and luxury; but decided
that L had rather keep boarders.
Not long after this the Cranfords
concluded to go to housekeeping, and
Mrs. Shellgrove was in her glory. She
always came to luncheon in her bonnet,
and gave minute details of all that had
been done and talked of about the
house in the last twenty-fOur hours.
at is really magnificent" said She
lengthening out each syllable Brother
has such perfect taste And he is
actually furnishing the library. Miss
Edna, after your suggestion. You see
we look upon you quite as one of the
family"
THAT is very good of you,' replied,
shortly; but 1 certainly have no ex-
pectations of ever belonging to it."
Mrs. Shellgroye laughed as though l
had perpetrated an excellent joke.
Young ladies always deny these
things, of course; but John tells diff
ferent story"
Irattled the cups and saucers angrily;
and my thoughts flew off, not to john
but to Johns father, sitting lonely in
the library furnished after my sugges-
tion. Wasn't it, after all, my duty to
marry the family generally?
The house was finished and moved
into, and John spent his evenings with
me. l used to get dreadfuIly tired of
him. He was too devoted to be at all
interesting, and l had reached that
state of feeling which, if summar ly or
dered to take my choice between him
and the gallows, 1 would have prepar-
ed myself for the latter with sort of
alaCrity
| locked the door upon John on the
evening in question, when | had finally
got rid of him, with these things in
full force; and | meditated while un-
dressing on some desperate move that |
would bring matters to crisis.
But the boy had been reused at last.
He, too, had reflected in the watches of !
the night; and next day 1 received |
quite dignified letter from him. tell
ing me that business called him from
the city for three or four weeks, and |
that possibly on his return / might ap-
preciate his devotion better.
l felt inexpressibly relieved. 1t ap-
peared to me the most sensible move
ment that John had made in the whole
of our acquaintance, and / be-
gan to breathe with more freedom.
Time flew, however, and the three
weeks heightened to six, without
Johns return. He wrote to me, but
his letters became somewhat constrain-
ed; and 1 scarcely knew what to make
Of him. If he would only give me up.
thought; but 1 felt sure that he
would hold me to that weak promise
Of mine, that l should either become
Edna Crawford or remain Edna Car
rington.
'Mr. Crawford" was announced one
evening, and | entered the parlor fully
for an overdose of John, but
found myself confronted by his father