The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1883-04-26

her. Before he has time to speak,
she recovers herself and says with a
poor attempt at GOODNESS:
what has brought you here?"
"You krow," replies he calmly;
ian overpowering desire to see you-
to hear your voice again. Your face
was in every corner, smiling at me
your voice was clearer than the band
and called me necessarily. I have
Gomez
He sinks into a chair with all the
air of man who intends to make it
his resting-place for the remainder of
the evening.
Where is Julia?" asks she, reproof
in her voice, unmistakable glad
ness in her great cleaning eyes. She
has got heavy spray of scarlet gera-
MUM in the bosom of her white gown.
1t rises and falls nervously, as she
stands before him, trying vainly to be
stern and angry.
Il don't know-I don't care.
Dancing, | suppose"
$50 back to her. | won't have you
here. Go back to her at once!"
81 won't" says Mr.. Norwood.
"But l desire you" exclaims she
with little stamp of her foot.
"Of course, if you turn me out, l
shall have to CO." says George Nor
wood, without showing the faintest
symptom Of an intention to depart;
''but I certainly sha'n't 60 to Julia
I've had enough of Julia
Monica's breath comes little
quickly; she lifts her hand to her soft
rounded throat.
"You ought TO be with the woman
you mean to marry" she says slowly.
II entirely agree with you" says
Norwood, with the utmost vivacity.
"But that wouldn't drive me back to
the Grange. l shall never marry
Julia"
"You don't know what you are say
ing" says Monica, shrinking still
further from him.
II do. Quite well. | ought to have
said it before, but tonight I have
made up my mind If you refuse me,
,,ecer! Ny darling, don't shrink
from me; say you love me, sag it
Monica, sag it"
"No-no. You must be mad" says
the girl, as, white as death, with both
hands she keeps him away from her.
TT is 100000 year. You shall not
do this thing. In the morning you
will think
"As do now" interrupts he. "And
as thought yesterday morning, and
every morning during the past week
that love you better than my very
life-to say nothing Of filthy lucre."
The pressure of the hands that re-
pulses him is not so strong now.
Emboldened by this sign Of coming
weakness, he goes on with renewed
spirit:
"We shall be poor, you know; but
you said once you thought a7O0
year quite enough to live on. You
can't go back of that noaO. You said
also that it would be disgraceful and
contemplate act on the part Of any
man to marry one woman when he
loved another. You can't get out of
that either, and I am not going to look
either disgraceful or contemplate in
the only eyes I worship"
sonable now, and indeed have slipped
from his chest to his shoulders.
Monica, am yours, whether you
like it or not. You must try and
make the best Of me-" he says very
humbly. MY beloved, I can only
promise to be a good husband to you
till death US do part!''
'Do you talk Of DEATH" she whis-
pers TREMENDOUSLY.
"No? Shall we not pray that we
may die the same day, and be buried
in the same grave? But, living or
dying, my own darling, every thought
Of my heart will be yours"
The hands have slipped a little
higher up, and now with a faint but
heavy sigh that is almost a sob, she
twines them round his neck and lays
her soft cheek against his.
(You must imagine a good many
asterisks here, and then we GO on.)
"How was Julia looking?" asks she
presently. They are now sitting
close together-very close indeed
upon the patriarchal sofa that GER
tainly has seen better days. But if it
were satin and down they could not
be more contented with it.
Every handsome replies he, with
the most satisfactory Indifference.
g 'Icily regular, splendidly null sort
Of business. No soul, and too much
flesh. My angel, you have saved me-
To think that only for you I might
have married her; should, to moral
certainty, you know, as [ didn't know
what love meant then"
At this juncture there is no mis-
taking he knows what love means
now.
eff you should ever be sorry about
this" says Monica nervously.
Nonsense, darling; you know you
are miles too good for me. I hope
you will never be sorry, that's all
Monica wistfully. "Are you certain,
oositiue, that you really love me?"
II am as sure Of it, as that we are
sitting here" says Miss Norwood |
'olemnly.
A further demonstration that they
low really know what love means!
"Do you know, I'm awfully hum
yry," says George presently, without
he smallest shame, or recollection
hat people in novels never eat any
hing when filled with the tender
passion.
''Are you? Do you know so am I,
,ut I didn't quite like to say ii" con-
esses she naiyely. s'The servants are