Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-08-18

"But l will come tomorrow, Alison. about
this hour want to have some conversation
with you, and"
''To lecture me, pray?"
mo: that Is over. However, will not enter
upon 1t now. My uncle came in this afternoon
from Barceter, and as he leaves us again early
Tomorrow, must not be away long this even
ing"
':Your father is at home, suppose7"
'.Oh, yes"
''You were not here yesterday EVENING""
II stayed away purposely: Would you have
cared to see ME had Gomez"
81 can't say whether / should or not You
have not been very pleasant with me of late.
Tom
mot as once was. perhaps; how can I be?
But do not think have made myself unpleas-
ant"
I'VE never hardly get laugh from you You
Have ] not mad cause?"
"Cause!" she lightly repeated. "What
cause?"
"Alison, this pretense of indifference does not
become you. say that do not care to enter
upon matters now. If / did might recall the
doings of only the last two days to your mem
DRY, and ask you whether they have or have not
held cause" NV
''Well?"
rake sunday. In the morning you scarcely
.ooheu st me as we came out Of church; in the
afternoon, when l would have Joined you and
walked nome with you, you threw me over with
supreme scOrn and went away side by side with
aavasour And in the evening you were pacing
the meadows with him.
sit was no harm. He was not eating me-"
"Take yesterday" continued Mr. Watkyn. his
face. his gentle voice full of the deepest pain.
HE had holiday it must be supposed, from
his studies. and he and you were roaming
about together nearly the whole Of the live
long day"
"And he came in and took a cup of tea with
me and my mother afterward," answered ALI
son. with saucy, laughing insolence. mamma
thinks him charming
''He is an idle, heartless-"
well, why do you stop?"
81 was going to say-vagabond And In one
sense he isl
"He comes Of a race who can afford to be idle.
He does not have to till the ground by the sweat
of his brow. He was born with his bread and
cheese provided for him."
with silver spoon In his mouth" added Mr..
Natkyn, affecting lightness he did not feel
for her cOntemptuOus tone tried him. "Well
good evening, Alison"
"Oh, good evening, II you are going"
He STOOD looking at her, and their eyes met.
her own there arose remorseful pity: she had
the grace to feel ashamed of herself. Her Inns
broke into tender smile, pink flush shown in
her dimpe cheeks.
''You are very silly Thomas''-. @
Am ~ he returned, holding her hand low
lngiy in his Fare you well until tomorrow
evening, my dearest"
''There, Your dearest! And just now YOU
were ready to call me hard names3"
until Tomorrow" he repeated with smile,
as he quilted her.
Alison got perfumed note the next morning
from Mr.. Vavasour; gilt-edged paper, crest on
the seal 1t told her that he was to be so "glO-
riously busy" that day he feared he should not
nave time to call at the cottage, but would she
meet him in the willow walk at dusk. And it
ended: Your faithful Reginald yavasour."
The vain expectations of Miss Alison Reece
dubbed up alOft; her face and heart were alike
in glow. your faithful Reginald Vavasour."
she repeated to herself. 'It must mean that he
intends to be faithful to me for life. And what
a grand, beautiful name Reginald Vavasour is!
Compare it with the mean old commonplace
one, Tom Watkyn."
Tea was over, and Alison, all in readiness for
the interview with Mr.. Watkyn, was steelinr her
heart against it and against him who was COM
ing to hold it with her. She had changed her
frock to-day. and wore fresh. bright colored
muslin. blue ribbons at the neck and wrists and
blue knot i'm her hair
She waited impatiently: she wanted the inter-
view over and done with that she might be off
to keep the other with Mr.. Yayasonr Rnt
Thomas was late.
racing the garden path in the rays of the fad
ing sun. she stood looking over the little iron
entrance gate. her blue eyes rowing hither and
thlther in search of one whom she could not yet
verse of a hOmely song:
Is Oh, dear. what can the matter be.
Dear, dear, what can the matter be-
Oh, dear, what can the matter be-
JOhnny'S so long at the fair!
he promised to buy me a bunch OF sweet posies
a bunch OF green moses, bunch OF pink roses
he promised 10 bring me knot OF blue ribbons
TO tie up my bonny brown hair"
The hum of the last words was dying away on
the air when the well-knOwn form of Thomas
Watkyn came into view. He wore his usual
dark-blue evening frOck-cOat and quiet waist
coat; he dressed well always when his DAYS
work was over, but not In the fashionable at
tire OF fashionable Mr.. Vavasour.
'GOOd evening, Alison" he said. "a he
reached the gate. what a lovely evening it
isl ~
Removing his hat he gazed up at the sapphire
SKY, action and cOunrenance alike tull of reyer-
ence; and Alison, who had not been taking any
particular notice before, looked around her her
face softening at the spendor of natures glory.
what glorious sunset" he continued. his
voice taking husked tone. GLORIOUS. glo-
riOus.''
How solemn you speak, Thomas?"
II am feeling solemn. / have been feeling so
ever since came out; but l don't know why,
unless it Is that heavenly scene that's making
me 500
1T is very grand" she said. fixing her eyes
on the bank of golden clouds in the western
sky; where the sun was just slipping down be-
ball of ruby fame. Tiny bits of foam-like clouds
fecked the limpid blue of the heavens. a warm.
golden glow gilded the EARTH freshened and
vivired with past shower. The musical
twitter of birds going to their rest filed the
woodlands; and as Alison looked, strange
feeling OF awe stole into her heart for the glory
that lay around seemed more than earthly.
Inere are moments" he said, In a dreamy
manner, when fancy these sunsets must he
gwen 10 us as faint refex-thOugh l suppose
mat the wrong wOrd-Of what we shall find In
Heaven; given to US by God to turn our
thoughts and hopes toward it. On. Alisonl 1t
Is more than beautiful"
The ruby flame was changing to a soft and
brilliant rOse-cOlOr, inexpressibly lovely. Ii
was, indeed, rather remarkable sunset: one
not often vOuchsafed to human eve.
You make quite sure of going to Heaven.
Toni" she exclaimed, in flippant tone, for she
wanted to ward of all serious conversation. lest
he should begin to lecture
Thomas Watkyn turned his eyes upon her.
surprise, If not reprOof, in their depths II hope
L am. he answered, ''under God"
Young people do not often think OF these
things ''''o
The young die as well as the old, child; re-
member that"
Wont you come in. Thomas?" she asked. in
softened voice. as they presently strolled up
the path. and he halted in the porch.
Not this evening, Alison. What have to
say l will Bay here"