West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-08-22

forward IN her wicker chair with n
faint sensation OF relief in the motion.
Twilight was fading, and tim d little
stars were trembling into the sky be-
yond the uncurtaned windows, when
there came soft tap TO the door, an |
Mousie Graham's rosy, roguish face
peeped in.
"Oh. you are not busy-t' ank good
ness for that, | was half afraid /
might find YOU deep in the Different al
Calculus, and did so want good long
chat.
Come in, dear, am so glad 10 see
you; it is an age since YOU were here
before" Mary took the soft little face
between her hands and kissed the de
liciOus pink cheeks.
Ceramic has been worse lately,
weaker and more fretful. and so | felt
| could not leave her without special
GRAND"
''But she is better to day."
"Oh yes, ever so much better, and
then Aunt Lizzie came TO pay her lit
tie visit, SO | left Grannie with her, and
ran over to see YOU"
That was very good of you, dear
"Oh no, it was not; i came on bust
ness" Mousic laughed and flushed a
little, then she drew letter from her
pocket "This came addressed u me
yesterday, but it is evidently meant for
you. II is from that BOBBY. John Hay
ward; he is always in the clouds, or
among the cog-whecls of his looms,
and SO the result is n blunder." She
unfolde the sheet as she spoke, and
handed it TO Mary, and this is what
stood before the latter's astonished
eyes
DEAR MISS RENLEY.-In the pleasant cxcur-
on We had together last summer 1 rcmcm-
Der your mentioning 10 ok on ferns that 30
desired To have, bat cDuli not R,t, rs you had
como across II volume by T.akcrst one. the
opening chapter of which Is ON tho Osmu ada
RECALLS: if you think tbs Is the WORK in qucs-
ton shall be happy u forward It to you.
sine - yours, joins HAYWARD.
Mary Ranlcy was sure some complex
machinery in her head had got out Of
order, so loud and persistent was the
whirring in her ears.
When she spoke at last her voice
sounded faint and far away.
lis your name Mary?"
"Of course it is. or rather Mary Ann.
but every one calls me Mousie except
John Hayward. He thought Mousie no
name for girl, and so he always
called me Mary Miss Mary; it did
sound SO funny
''rhen, Miss Mary, have an offer of
marriage for you; it came to me, and,
naturally enough, | took it to mysel ="
Mousie was so Hurried that she did
not notice her friends perturbation.
81 fancicd, she said, holding the
,,t. ~ Ia, 1,
il, THAT he must have been writing to
me and had mixed the covers. That is
so like your very clever people, But
how lucky the letter came TO an en-
gagged girl
"Well, don see the luck of it, for
1 wrote yesterday and accepted him.
"Oh, Mary. And Tom
Tom and ! had quarrcled, and
Johns letter came Mt the worst mo-
ment; 20 | accepted him.
Poor Mousie eyes grew DIM.
lin that case, Mary, | suppose Won
had better keep the letter She said,
faltering n lit @ 1T was really sent
to you and, after all, don't mind so
very much"
IL on are generous little darling,
but there is no necessity for your sacri-
flee even if Mr.. Hayward would permit
1T. / wrote him my rccantation this
afternoon. There is the letter; YOU can
send 1t to him with your own. He will
be sure of its gcnuineness that way.n
Then the two girls kissed and cried
over each other, and after the EXCHANGE
of divers condolences Mous.e went
away, carrying John letter, still un-
read, in her hand
After she had gone Mary took out her
needlework, with an underlined feeling
that chaos had come again, and that in
the midst 81 it it was well to hold on to
some commonplace, everyday employ
ment.
By and by, Bessie came i'm with the
tea tray, and rs she fitted about the
table Mary spoke with the feeling OF
desperation which makes us always
want to lay finger on our wound.
You posted my letter last II ght,
Bessie?"
Bessie paused, the picture of con
sternation
"Oh, Miss, I'm afraid l forgot all
you forgot to take it out, SUPPOSE"
speaking in n voice so high and EAGER
that 1t scarcely sounded ] Ike her own
''Oh, no, Miss; | took it and put il i'm
my water proof pocket, but Peter met
me before | rea he'd the Office and then
! forgot but I'll run out with il now i'm
a minute
Bring it to me instead, please; [
don want IL posted now
Bess'c never knew till this hour why
Miss Ranlcy gave her five shillngs i'm
stead of the scolding she expected.
ne Their does John Hayward undar,ta ii
why letter number one never achcd
him.
Tom Danvcrs went to Rangoon, rs
he had said, i'm much disgust ana de.
spair Mays unfaithfulncss had
turned the sunlight into darkness for
him, but through his pain a certain
resolution to be and do something grew
daily. lie would forget her. ne would
never speak o her, and if men uttered
her name ] would turn aside, but he
would do so wei. w tn his own life that
one day she would know him the
superior Of the man she had married
So i'm much wrath and srorn. inc sailed
away TO succeed or fail rs might be-.
As for Mary, her life was all at the
dead love! Of the mOnOtony now. There
was always the morning work, always
the evenings enforced idlcness. and
periodically the long empty holidays in
which her l1nlincss grew ONLY more as