The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-08-29
MIRIAM DOUGLAS.

sym sorry to interrupt you, sir; but
the lock on your sachel is broken, max
ing the things unsafe, besides being a
very shabby old bag, sir, begging your
pardon" So quoth Eliza, relict of
Josiah Minis, the sexton, to her ledger,
Rev. Julius Byron.
"What a bore,'' exclaimed this gen
tleman, "when Ireally haven't the time
to attend to anything but these letters"
II have an errand which takes me
past Piper and Tipsons; I could buy
you new sachel, if you would trust
me. Going among all those fine people
at the wedding with your lock tied up
with a bit Of string wouldn't do at all,
sir"
"Thank you, Mrs. Minis; have great
trust in your judgment, and should be
obliged if you would attend to the mat
ter for me and save my going into
town."
AS the door closed after his landlady
Rev. Julius Byron resumed his writing
with sigh Of relief. AS he sat leaning
his head on his disengaged hand-a
hand beautiful enough to atone for plain
ness in all other features had nature
willed him to be plain-Julius Byron
was an ideal picture of a student brown
eyes, with far-away, dreamy look, hair
l. lg enough to show tendency to wave
loosely back from the forehead, and a
pale, clear complexion set off by a
golden-brown velveteen coat, which he
wore when in his study. Twenty-nine
years old, undeniably handsome, gifted
with winning manners and shepherd of
a flock most willing to be guided, Julius
Byron, as if by miracle, had escaped
being spoiled and petted into effeminacy
His safeguard lay perhaps in pair of
soft eyes which had held him spell
bound for few r&pturous weeks, and
the witchery of which had lasted over
three years of almost total separation.
Miriam Douglas, dispensing tea aud
gingerbread to a horde OF charity
children in the park at Mount Edge
combe, was one of the prettiest and
daintiest of modern Hebes, in q muslin
dress in colors matching forget-me-
nots and her eyes equally well, and
with roses at her waist and throat
which stole their delicate tint from her
cheeks. Miriam was seventeen that
day, and the blue muslin was her first
long dress; to this the little lassie paid
far more attention than to the admiring
gaze of two dreamy brown eyes. After
the feast there were offerings of flow
ers, good wishes, and rather too many
kisses and embraces from the charity
children, and, among her other
trophies, Miriam Douglas carried away
the heart of Rev. Julius Byron. Had
she known this, it would have affected
her less than the consciousness that the
Barclay girls, her former playmates,
We're enyiously admiring the grown-up
womanish arrangement of her bright
silky hair
There were few tennis parties and
five o'clock teas after this, during
which Mr.. Byron worshipped his diyin-
ity from affair. She seemed a little in
awe of him and rarely spoke with him
more than five minutes at a time.
What a delightful task it would be to
chase away the timidity from the soft,
Iawn-like eyes, and how pleasant to
think that the sea-shell pink stole to
her cheeks from JOY at his approach!
Fate, however. cruelty intcrfered
with Mr.. Byron's dream of awakening
loving confidence in the bosom of this
bashful maiden of seventeen. In three
short weeks, before he had made any
perceptible Roadway, Miriam was sum-
moned to the bedside of dying rela-
tive and Julius Byron was called to a
parish in q commercial town.
Three long years this idyl had been
in the past and through all this time the
memory of Miriam Douglas excluded
any other love from the young clergy
mans heart, though many were the
goddesses willing to be therein en-
shrined
He wondered at himself; she had
slipped completely out of his material
existence; he knew not where she was,
or if she were dead, or worse-married.
STILL with all this uncertainty, he could
not forget her, and voice within him
seemed to whispers that they would meet
again.
The rapid Swimming of his pen over
the white page was stayed for the sec
ond time by a heavy footstep at the door
outside; and Mrs. Minis, painting and
crimson from the ascent of the stesu
stairs, eXelaimed;
''There, sr;you could not have found
a better or cheaper sachel yourself il
you had searched the town from end tc
end. Piper and Tipson say on their
oath that it is o first rate one, and tEat
you needn't fear exchanging with sny
one 10y mistake, for they had only one
of the kind. This decided me to take
it, for, being rather an absent-minded
gentleman, you might easily pick Gp the
wrong bag"
Thank you, Mrs. Minis, thank you;
each time that you do anything for me
you give me fresh cause to admire your
clever management and foreth0ught. y
In the wedding to take place on the
following day Mr. Byron felt no partic-
ular interest. The contract parties were
almost strangers to him, as were also
the guests, with the exception of Viii
lis Howard, schoolmaster of DAYS
gone by, and friend ever since of the
young clergyman,
Owing to the illness of the brides
mother, the ceremony was performed
at home. 1t was q pretty wedding, the
bride graceful, sweet and pale as lilv
in her sheeny, feecy drapery; and
among the guests was the Subdued mer-
riment which prevails when the enter
tainers exhibit unreservedly the signs OF
Joy and sorrow the smile and tear both
coming from the heart.
After the ceremony Mr.. Byron par
took himself to dressing-room to fold
his surplice and replace It in the sachei
chosen by Mrs Minis. While so en-.
gagged letter was handed him with the
word Immediately written conspicu-
ously on the envelope. The contents
were as follows:
MARLow HALL, Thursday, 1Sth.--xf Rev.
julius Byron could find it convenient to Of.
fciate at private baptism this afternoon az
MARROW Hall, he would confer great favor
on the undersigned. Mr.. Byron is requested
TO pardon the apparent 6rusQasrls OF this no