Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1883-07-05

CobPahJ w A~AAN w '~
Mabel "
4 have prior engagement
Charley Sheldon>s handsome face
flushed angrily, and he arose from the
chair in which he had been sitting
under the vine-sheltered piazza.
I beg your PARDON he said, stitfly
I did not know that such was the
fact
Now, don't be absurd, Charley
When the picnic was announced
expected to go with you, of course
But the days went by, and | received
20 intimation of your intention, and
when Mr.. Greedy
That puppy broke in Charley
1t isn't manly or generous in you
to allude to him in such manner in
his absence said Mabel. 'He lie very
refined and entertaining and | think
he is nice.
He is a conceited coxcomb But
excuse me; ! forgot that he was your
friend. Goodnight, Miss Linscott !!
Goodnight:
The young man raised his hat
formally, and took hasty departure.
How unreasonable he is thought
Mabel. as the sound of his rapid foot
steps on the gravelly walk died away
He derers to ask ME to accompany
him to the pic mic until the last mo-
ment. and is offended because in the
meantime | have accepted another
invitation.'
Charley Sheldon went Striding
homeward, angry and jealous. lie
unlocked the street door with Il snap,
stalked up the stairs into his room,
and without lighting the gas, CROPPED
his way to the easy-chair by the Win
dow, threw open the blinds and lit II
cigar.
Put not Your trust in women, he
mused, savagely as the white smoke
'wrcatheS tloated ont on the halmy
July air 1 suppose | am a contonnd-
ed idiot for taking it for granted so
long that Mabel would 60 to the pic
mic with no one else. She knew that
I meant to ask her. Well, another
prop to my belief in feminine human
nature has been broken,
He had known Mabel ever since he
was boy of twelve, and she a dainty
miss four years younger. He made
her acquaintance and won her graft
tUdc, by rescung poor, prosecuted
dog from Il band of Juvenile torment
ors. They were fast friends after
that.
All through his school-!ife, this
rosebud Of girl, with eyes like
stars and hair like floating sunshine,
had been like sister to him, sharing
in his troubles and rejoicing i'll his
triumphs Even after he entered
college, her friendship had been an
inspiration, and he came back from
his four years course at Harvard,
with the same brotherly regard for
Mabel, which he entertained IN his
boyhood and youth.
In his absence she had blossomed
into beautiful young lady; and,wlth
singular masculine obtuseness, Char
ley could not perceive that their old
intimacy must ripen into deeper,
affection, or die out altogether.
The reply which Mabel had given
him, when he extended her his tardy
invitation to attend the picnic at
Lake Weldon, with him, the next
day, began to open his eyes to the I'M
welcome truth.
70 add to the sting Of the refusal,
if there was man in the wide world
whom easy-going Charley Sheldon
heartily despiscd. it was Guy Gree
ley. They had grown up together,
and were classmates in college. Guy
was an orphan, and inherited a large
fortune.
Years before, when they were
schooimates, Charley had been Sc
verely punished for an offence which
he had not the manliness to acknowl-
edge. For this wrong he had never
made apology. Then, in college,
.here we're stories in circlution seri-
nDeI, ee1a,t.oy tiny3 reoutat tioa, an1