Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-04-05

man sending a doll to the young lady
he was engaged to?
"My dear Maysel," said her mother,
half vexed, half amused, 'what non
sense you are talking "
owe are engaged" said Maysel,
'See the ring?"
And she ahyly pulled it out from the
bosom Of her dress.
at was only Joke" said Mrs. May
ton.
at WAS sober earnest" flashed out
Maysel.
"Why, my DEAR" said Mrs. Mayton,
"haven't you heard2 Mr.. Lilford Is to
be married to Miss Mary Huntington,
Mrs. Hsrtley's niece, next month. The
cards are already out"
"What !" cried Maysel, her blue
eyes blazing, her rosy lips apart. 'Io
be married and he IS engaged to me"
Aud she rushed away into her cham.
Der and hid herself for full two hours,
to sob out the current of her childish
grief.
| Mrs. Mayton smiled and sighed.
"Who would think the child would
have attached 80 much importance to
o piece of nonsense ike that ?" said
she. Really, Pm afraid I've made q
mistake in allowing her to read so many
novels. But she was always an inn
petuous little creature"
II could not have been moro than
eight years subsequently that the col
lision occurred on the grand canal at
Venice, in which one of the gondolas
capslzed, and beautiful young Ameri-
can lady, neice to the United States
consul, received an involuntary duck
ing.
Perhaps the romanticllly- dressed
gondoliers were intoxicated; perhaps
Miss Delmar had, rs they asserted,
risen hastily to point out som ething
and destroyed the balance of the
mouldy, black velvet-lined old convey
ance.
At all events, Miss Delmar was upset
directly in front of the palszzo, where
Mr.. Lilford occupied the first floor.
OF course they carried Miss Delmar
in and laid her on a sofa, and made
much of her.
"But how ridiculous all this is, said
Miss Delmar. with merrimcnt gleam-
ing in her beautiful dark blue eyes. 81
am little wet to be sure, but other
wise | am entirely unframed. Why
didn't they put me into the gondola
again and send me back to my uncle's
palszzo."
Mr. Lilford, however, was far too
hospitable for that.
Miss Delmar gazed curiously around,
How sngelically beautiful she looked
wrapped in the violet velvet clook
edged with ermine, her eyes sparkling,
her hair hanging in fringe of gold
over her forehead.
"Where is Mrs. Lilford ?" she asked
abruptly.
Mr.. Liford WINGED.
"She has been dead a year." he said.
"You were acquainted with my late
wife?"
ooh no, not at all, said Miss Delmar.
"Only of course all the world has
heard of her. She was famous
beauty, wasn't she"
"She was very lovely" said the wild,
over.
When Miss Delmar was carried away
in newly summoned gondola, whose
picturesque oarsmen were more to be
relied upon than their predecessors,
Mr.. Liliord asked permission to call at
the consulate, to inquire how she was,
in the course of a day or two, and Miss
Delmar accorded the permission as
young queen might have done.
Miss Delmar was young, beautiful
and piquant.
Mr.. Lilford, whose life had been
nearly badgered out OF him by the
caprices, exactions and varying temper
OF his late wife, was charmed by her
sunny brilliance, and at q months end
he came to Mr.. Delnar, .he United
States consul, to ask permission to
press his suit with his niece.
Mr.. Delmar looked cons cious.
Didn't you know" he said, "she is
engaged.
Engaged !" repeated Mr.. Lilford,
his heart seeming to turn TO ice within
him
"Q1ite an old affair, believe" said
Mr.. Delmar "But perhaps you had
better see my niece herself about it,.
| I'll give her your message. She can
decide tC suit herself"
Miss Delmar was prettier than ever
in her cool muslin dress and pale blue
ribbons RS she sat among the jassamine
and pomegranates of the consulate re-
ception room the next day to receive
Mr., Lilford.
He had n speech carefully prepared,
wherein all the nomiuativts and sub
Electives were carefully balanced and
the exact words stationed in their exact
places, but he forgot it all in the fair
vision of her perfect loneliness, and
could only stand helplessly before her
and say:
Miss Delmar, love YOU"
so you have been driven to confess
it at last, +" said Miss Delmar, latter all
these years"
Il don't understand YOU" said Mr..
Lilford.
You have forgotten me, said May
sci.
THAT would be impossible" asser-
waited Mr., Liford earnestly.
uB1t it's the fact" sand she. a. am