The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-12-27

Knight, calmly, "Sit down, Ellie,
III apologize; it wasn't soon, but you
have outlived it. Why, child, its
the way of the world, one outlives
everything. Ellie, how young you
are, in spite of your-how many
years. When you throw up your
head in that old way | fancy myself
back on your uncle's old porch in
Chester; you were a very wilful girl,
Helen.
Lady, with heightened color, 81
am very wilful woman.
Knight, laughing-"I haven't the
slightest doubt of 1t, my dear; fortu-
nately, l can manage wilfulness-and
you-better than | did in my callow
days Seriously, Helen, l have some
thing to say to you we didn't meet by
accident. | was waiting for you, wait
ing for you, waiting to say it. Your
train hadn't gone, l lied to you. Yes,
I did don't look angry, listen and
hear the old story. Ellie, answer the
old question: came to-day to ask
it,
Lady, hurriedly, glapcing about dis
tractedly-"Oh, hush, hush, do hush,
some one will surely, surely hear
you ~
During the last few sentences, elderly
party in glasses, torn by the conflicting
emotions, feminine sense of honor
always weak, feminine love of romance
always strong, has alternatively fidgetted
to proclaim her presence and remained
breathless to conceal it. At this APP
peal, honor triumphs and she hero
ically and noisily drops her sun-um-
brella, which Knight picks up and
returns with a polite bow. Thus ad
mitted to his confidence f. p. casts
honor to the winds and leaning for
ward, shamelessly, anxiously, eagerly,
sympatf izingly LISTENS!
Knight, with perfect calm-'Let any
one hear, let the whole world hear
told you honestly years ago, l repeat it
as honestly to-day. l love you, Helen
will YOU be my wife ?"
Lady, blushing painfully-"Tom
you don't know what you are saying
you can't mean it, you can't be serious,
you haven't loved me all this time"
Knight, still calmly-''No, my dear
| haven't"
Lady, indignantly-"Then why dc
you want to marry me? You only saw
me last evening. You hadn't chance
to fall in love with me if you forgot mt
the minute we parted
Knight, laughing-"Oh, the deli
ciousness of feminine logic My dar
ling girl, who said that I forgot you the
minute we parted? | haven't gone
about the world weeping for you al
the time, but, believe me most truly
| have loved no other woman. Ate,
our foolish, silly little quarrel and Oh
still more foolish parting, was misera
be-"
Lady-"'yhy did you rush off te
Europe?"
Knight-"Why didn't you stop me
One word would have been enough
1t was foolish. If | had stayed II
New York we'd have kissed and mad,
up in week.
Lady-You must think i was YER
forgivjng; it was all your fault, to begin
with"
Knight-"Granted."
"Lady-"Well, of course, l wa
silly and disagreeable, and obstinate
I'm SO sorry, Tom; but you wen
away, and | thought you didn't care
and"
Knight, dryIy--"And good, stupid
rich old man came along and you MAJ
ried him ~
Lady, with dignity, "Our converse
ton had better stop. You quite for
get you are speaking to a wife of he
husband" Takes up her book AM
begins to read. Knight studies tn
head of his cane moodily. A Ion
pause.
Knight, 81 suppose you are RICH
about it. I'll try not to offend again
When l look at you | forget-every
thing. Well, l went to Europe, an
if | hadn't been afraid Of your laugh
ing at me I'd have come back on tn
same steamer"
Lady, ooh Tom, if YOU only had