The Dickinson press., 1884-10-11
MIRIAM DOUGLAS.

I'm sorry to interrupt you, sir, but
the lock on your satchel is broken,
making things unsafe, besides being a
very shabby old bag, sir, begging your
pardon" So quoth Eliza, relict of Jo-
siah Minis, the sexton, to her ledger,
the Rev. Julius Byron.
"What a bore exclaimed this gentle
man, "When I really haven't the time
to attend to anything except these let
ters."
"I have an errand which takes me
past Piper and Tipson's; I could buy
you o new satchel, if you would trust
me. Going among oil these fine peo-
pie at the wedding with your lock tied
up with q 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 this mat
ter for me, and ave me going into
town."
AS the door closed after his landlady,
the Rev. Julius Byron resumed his
writing with a sigh of relief. As he sat
leaning his head on his disengaged
hand-a hand beautiful enough to atone
for plainness in all other features had
Nature willed him to be plain-Julius
Byron was an ideal picture of q stu
dent-brown eyes with a fairy, dreamy
look, hair long enough to show q ten
dency to wave. loosely back from his
forehead, and q pale, clear complexion,
set off by a golden brown velveteen coat,
which he wore when in his study.
Twenty-Five years old, undeniably
handsome, gifted with winning man
ners, aud shepherd Of flock most will
ing to be guided, Julius Byron, as if by
a miracle, had escaped being spoiled
and petted into efeminacy. His safe
guard lay, perhaps, in a pair Of soft
eyes which had held him spellbound for
a few rapturous weeks, and the witch
cry of which had lasted over three
years of almost total separation.
Miriam Douglas, dispensing tea and
gingerbread to a horde of charity chill
dren in the park at Mount Edgecombe,
was one Of the prettiest and dantiest of
modern Hebes, in q muslin dress in col
or matching forget-me-nots and her
eyes equally we'll, and with roses at her
waist and throat which stole their deli
cate tint from her cheeks. Miriam was
seventeen that day, and the blue muslin
was her first long dress; to this the las
sic paid far mor attention than to the
admiring gaze of two dreamy brown
eyes. After the feast there were offer
ings Of flowers, good wishes and rather
too many kisses aud embraces from the
charity-children, and among her other
trophies Miriam Douglas carried away
the heart of the Rev. Julius Byron.
Had she known this it would have af-
fected her less than the consciousness
that the Barclay girls, her former play
mates, were %curiously admiring the
grown-up womanish arrangement other
bright silky hair.
There were q few tennis parties and
five o'clock teas after this, during which
Mr.. Byron w%orshiped this divinity from
afar. She seemed a little in owe ofhim,
and rarely spoke to him more than five
minutes ct o time. What a delightful
task it would be to chase away the timid-
lty from the soft, fawn-like eyes, and
how pleasant to think that the sea-shell
pink stole to her cheeks from Joy at his
approach.
Fate, however. cruelty interfered
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 n
%perceptible Roadway, Miriam was sum-
moned to the bedside of adying relative,
and Julius Byron was called to q parish
in a commercial town.
Three long years this idyl had been
in the past; and through all this time
the memory of Miriam Douglas exclud-
ed any other love from the young cler-
gyman's heart, though many we're 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 was dead, or worse married.
Still, with all this uncertainty, he could
not forget her, and a voice within him
seemed to whisper that they should
meet again.
The rapid skimming of his pen owe
the white page was stayed for the sec
ond time by q heavy footstep ct the
door outside; and Mrs. Minis, painting
and crimson from the ascent of the
stairs, exclaimed
"There, sir; you could not have found
a better or cheaper satchel yourself, If
you had searched the town from end to
end. Piper and Tipson say on their
oath that it is a first-rate one and you
needn't fear exchanging with any one
by mistake, for they had only one OF
the kind. This decided me to take it,
for being rather an absent-minded gen
tleman, you might easily pick up 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 forethought.
In the wedding to take place on the
following day, Mr.. Byron felt no par.
ticular interest. The contracting par.
ties were almost strangers to him, as
were also the guests, with tbs exception
of Willis Howard, o school-chum o.
days gone by, and q friend ever since O.
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 {
lily in her sheeny feecy drapery; anc
among the guests was the subdued mer
rinanf whioh ,orox,a:la urLon Tho onAor