The Delaware ledger., 1883-08-18
Wait a Little.

I
ed garden, a vine-wreathed window,
and young girl lying on the low-cush-
ioned seat of its embrasure, hidden
Grem the room within by rusty red
curtain. She would have been pretty
if she had not been so pale and lisiless.
Certainly the faint, momentary. smile
which the shy confidence of a little
gray bird in the woodbine brought out
was most charming. The girl was idly
watching the little creature. She had
a sheet of music in her slim fingers. |
Her eyelids were red, as if she had |
been recently crying, So still was she |
that the bird continued to adjust the |
dried-grasses of its nest without fear. |
The balmy May wind lifted the tendrils
of soft, brown hair, but did not other
wise disturb her utter inactivity.
For an hour she had sat there-ever
since her uncle, NJ. BoZarth, had fallen
asleep upon his sick bed in the adjacent
chamber. The girl had not been crying
for him-no, she did not love him.
Even in sickness he was tyrannical,
cruel, as he had ever been. He kept
his fiddle bow upon the bed to rap her
knuckles when she did not wait upon
him quick enough. She was tired. For
three nights she had sat up greater
part of the time. The doctor told her
NJ. Bozarth was going to die, so she
was full of dread and fear, but not
grieved or fearing the bereavement,
although when NJ. Bozarth was gone
she would be all alone. She was an
orphan, and for the last four years he
had supported her, after fashion, and
taught her music. She had Il beautiful
voice-pure and delicious. She sang
when she was hidden, and sometimes to
please herself in pleasing their landlord,
Alan Dunleith.
He was a handsome man. lie had
keen blue eyes and smile that was
very gentle. He seldom spoke to her,
but he came across the ga!den some
times of an evening to drink bottle Of
wine with NJ. Bozarth, and listen to his
adventures in France and Italy. They
talked about music, the drama, and the
old masters. M. Bozarth was selfish
and harsh, but he was no fool. Two
years before, he had hired Mulberl
Cottage, and he and Alan Dunleitl
had always agreed very well. Onl!
this girl Theresa, had been alone. M
Bozarth was away all day and most o
the night, busy with his musical en-
gagements in the city. They kept ON
maid, whom the girl would have turne,
to for society in her extremity but she
too, was cross.
The poor girl saw no kind face bu
Alan Dunleiths. She had come t
worship that. She dreamed of it a
night; waited from day to day unit
she saw it, though the owner seldor
gave her more than courteous 1000
evening, Miss Tessie -
But he always remembered to sa
''good evening" again, after she ha
played and sang for him, and the smil
he turned on her seemed kinder. An
then she would watch his fine, stalwal
figure going down the garden, listen q
he whistled an air she had been playing
and wait for the next visit. No on
dreamed of all this perhaps she di
not realize it herself; and it was not {
all strange. The little grey bird W;
very quiet building its nest, and Tess
was extremely tired.
Suddenly she realized that she ha
been DOING, for there were voices
the chamber, and she did not kno
when her uncle had awakened Or whe
Alan Dunleith had come in.
"No, 1 do not know what will b
come of her when 1 am gone" n
Bozarth was saying. 81 have little
leave. But she has her voice and h
knowledge of music. She must NAL
her own way"
"a very perilous position for a gi
,,.inyely.'
PerL. s, Mr.. Dunleith but it
too late for me to make any proyisiC
for her now. She must take h
chances, the same as l did,
"But she is young girl, and We
delicate and sensitive one, monster
Bozarth. 1t is different.
NJ. Bozarth made a faint, iuarticula
reply.
"Will you trust her to me | won
like to marry her" said Alan Du
leith, after moment.
"Eh? Oh, yes But she is We
young"
81 consider her youth but thii
l understand her. | believe / cou
make her happy. Then you give yo
consent ?''
Yes, yes, YEARLY
What more they said, Tesse did II
know. There was no lack of life al
energy in her air now. She sat ereC
with wide eyes and flaming cheeks, +
moment then, her heart beating
great shocks, she slipped out of t
window, flung herself upon the turf
the terrace, and disappeared among
rank shrubbery Of the garden-disa
peared from the view of the house, b
not from her own terrified consciol
ness.
Alan Dunleith marry her--her?
She was burning hot to the tips
her fingers with shame. Then, as s
read her aching heart and knew I
truth, she uttered heartrending {
and sank down upon the grass, pale a