The Osceola times., 1883-01-06

for ride, which was very aggravating, ]
must confess.
thought over my conduct that night,
and concluded that had been a brute.
The next morning found Carrie at the
dining room window alone and sought
her side She had her hand among the
leaves of a sweet-scented geranium, and
Just rs | approached she plucked leaf
and twined ii among her braids. re-
member how bright and green il looked
among the dark locks.
Carrie" ] began, 81 fear | was very
rude yesterday"
81 know you WERE" she said, looking
inditferently ont Of the window.
This was bad beginning, but ! went
on:
"But, Carrie, love you so and when |
see you with that Fred"
But here Miss Carrie turned on her
heel.
81 am not going to listen to you while
you slander my friends" she said.
"When you can speak respectfully of Mr..
Town, / will return" and here she left
me again.
] left the house then, and did not re-
turn till afternoon. As came up the
path met Tom Delano, Poor fellow, he
looked like the last rose of summer after
a rain.
Goodbye he said, gloomily; "Pm
going away. She has sent me of, and ]
can't stay in the place. hope you are
the happy one-I do, honestly, Al. She
said her heart was given to another, and
it's either You or Fred. | hope it is you,
and God bless your
Here Tom dashed away as left me
staring after him in ainazement.
"Given her heart to another | re-
peated, with pain in my chest some
where. "Well, it is evident that / am
not the other, and that Fred is. Poor
Tom-poor me- The best thing ! can
do is to follow suit and leave too. | can
never see her the wife of another, and
.he sooner | am off the better"
So Invent moodily up TO my room and
packed a satchel and got all things in
readiness for a speedy departure.
On my way up | met Carrie just emery
ing from her room, arrayed in her jaunty
riding habit, and / could hear Fred's
deep tones shouting "Whoaw down in
the yard below.
l watched her trip down the stairs and
out of sight, thinking that it was the last
time should see her for years. perhaps
forever.
When | had strapped the last buckle
on my satchel and all was in readiness, !
went down to say good bye TO father,
mother and Lila. Lila was not indoors,
and my parents looked at me in amaze
ment.
"But Allen, my son." pleaded father,
fhnnnht N n
business with me. There is grand
opening for you, and have held the po-
sition in reserve"
travel a year or two before going into
business" was all ] could answer; and
my father gave up in despair.
Lila was still absent but il was quite
dark, and the train would leave in half
an hour, SO left a goodbye" for her,
and passed out into the hall
II was long, narrow hall, reaching
the whole length of the house, and with
several rooms opening into it; but as yet
il was unlighted and as dark as Egypt.
About halfway through it heard the
street door open and shut, and mo-
ment later ran full against some one en-
tering.
1t is Lila, | thought, and reaching
out my arms caught her between them.
"ls it you Lilla?" said
But she did not answer, only twined
her two arms about my neck.
"Why, little sister"I said softly, "do
you love me 80 much?"
For Lila was not demonstrative az a
usual thing, and was surprised at her
movement.
"Oh, better than all the world beside,
Allen," she said in whisper
And then, as ! lifted the face 10 my
lips. the sweet odor Of geranium per-
fumed the air, and my heart gave great
leap.
II was Carrie, not Lila, that held in
my arms.
She was trying to disengage herself
now, but / suddenly caught her light
form in my two stout arms, and opening
the library door, carried her into the
brilliantly lighted room. Her face was
hot with blushes now, and her eyes full
of tears.
"You are too bad" she sobbed, "and l
hate your
But just then she noticed my travelling
attire aud paused abruptly.
why, where are YOU going?" she ask
ed with interest.
II was going away never TO return,
answered, 'but since you said what you
did in the hall have changed my mind.'
Carrie pouted
Il was only speaking for Lila
"Then shall 90, shall |, and leave
you to marry Fred ?"
Il detest Fred" she cried.
"And you love me better than all the
wcrld?"
Yes
So the flirt was conquered at last and !
was the victor.
"But how did YOU know it was not
Lilla?" she asked, as we sat together.
by the geranium leaf ! saw you put
in your hair this morning"
And but for that YOU would have gone
away and not come back for years? ?"
"Ies; perhaps never cor hack, but
for that tell-tale leaf"
Then we will keep this leaf always"
she said, taking il from her hair.
And 80 we have. ] procured little
golden box, and there Il is to-day one of
our dearest treasures.
OF course | married Carrie, and of
course that blooming matron is she.
Tom Delano did not die of broken
heart, but married lovely girl out west
a few months after his departure; and