The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1884-11-11
SURPRISE.

was like that of four-year-old child,
as she stood in the window, with the
afternoon sunshine upon her face and
form. Mr.. Enrol sat opposite watch
ing her with quiet, observant eyes, In
which lurked shade of annoyance.
"Are you in earnest, Olive p
"Yes, quite in earnest, George"
"And for the sake of your cousin
Sarah Evelyn's children, you are will.
ing to give up your future-Our fu.
ture. Olive, as / may call it"
George, you misrepresent me"
she said, pleadiugly. Il love you as
dearly as / ever did,"
"How can | credit your words.
Olive, when for the sake of two mis-,
cradle children, who are really moth
ing to you, you are willing to over
turn all our bright visions of a happy,
mutual homer"
''They are orphans, George, and
destitute. :"
"Then let them be sent to an or
phan asylum"
ooh, George" the color mounted
rapidly to Olive Merton's cheek, "you
surely would not have me deprive my
cousins little ones of the sweet in.
hueBce of a home of their own-yOu
would never condemn them TO the
harsh, sunless life OF a charitable in
stitution ?"
chats all sentimental nonsense"
said Mr. Enrol, coldly. "The upshot
of the matter is that you do not love
me"
"George!"
yes" the embittered lover went
on, almost rudely; fine words and
fearful looks are all very eloquent, |
don't doubt, but | prefer to Judge by
actions only. 1t isn't particularly
flttering to me that you prefer these
orphans to my love"
George, you know it is not that
but ought shrink from my manifest
duty 7"
Just as you choose" be answered
coldly, "but has it ever occurred to
you how you are to support these two
precious prOteges of yours? | believe
you have no Independent fortune of
your own"
Olives eyes fell, and troubled
expression came over her face
- must try 10 obtain a situation
as teacher" she said softly.
"That will be pleasant" remarked
Mr.. Enrol, ironically.
'Our duty should always be pleas
ant, George"
"Since you have chosen your path,
| know of nothing tina is left me save
TO hid you goodbye"
Good bye, George, try to thiok
kindly of me" she faltered, her little
hand trembling in his palm, as a
frightened bird futters sometimes be-
meath the human grasp.
And so they parted these lovers
who, brief while ago had been all in
all to each other. And Olive Mer-
ton dropped into chair, burying her
face in her hands, as soon as he was
gone.
She had hoped-she had fancied,
she knew not what-perbaps that
George would approve her self imposed
duty and cheer her with his love in
its performance nay, it bad even
crossed her mind, ss a remote posi-
bility, that he mi hit even take the |
poor little orphans, as well as herself, !
10 his heart.
Yet she checked herself even In the
thought. What right had she to ex-
pect him to burden himself with those
cares and trials, simply because they
came to her as charge which it was
for her to put away. No;
it was folly, and worse than folly, for
her to sit broodiug here, when the
matter was fully and irrevOcably de-
e;ded. The brief glimpse of sunshine
which had frightened her life in the
of George ErroPs love and
home of her own, should shine no
more for her; there was no use in
turning away from the leaden gray
pathway which stretched out before
her girl footsteps. There was one
the poor little orphans should
never feel the loss of mothers love,
while she lived TO cherish and toll for
hem.
Duty is often bitter cup to drink,
,ut it seldom comes in quite SO unin-
7iting gGise as was now held to poor
Olive Merton's lips.
Miss Agatha Enrol, her former