Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-08-08

L." ~ WAS SO KIND; he cheered
an ne made me look on ie sunny siGu.
anu ne spoke of himself also. In TACT
ns we sat there chatting l forgot that /
was q governess, forgot chat / was on
eae.n' UNI some one called him away.
day. "S"''' 'n''
1 came backto mundane things sharp
~ enough when stupid little Caroline
came slmpc ing up, and began to tease
me about him, Notwithstanding nv
sharp rebuke.
4 saw more of Mr.. Clitheroc after
mat, and he aud L always secmed-at
!east, fanc,ed soto have u kind of
taclt sympathy between us. lcould no
longer conceal the secret from myself
.nat 1 loved him, but scarce dared to
hope that my love was returned. One
utV IL letter was brought to me in q
orange and yet strangely familiar hand,
pearlng only our village postmark. My
heart lhroboed, my color came and
"ent, the more so as caught Caroline's
eyes liked on me with an EXPIRE sion of
amusement. | felt that was bctraying
myself, and, with II mighty effort, | laid
the letter fac downward upon the
table.
Go on, Caroline" 1 said; s.don't
stop like that"
And Schiller was resumed, though it
was rs much as [ could do to translate
him decently.
The first moment I had 1 opened the
letter and read:
DEAN MISS MonLEY-Pardon me ifI seem
abrupt, but love you, adore you. You arc
Dealtlfui as an angel, you are lovely as a ro~e.
! only live for you. l can no. exist any
life: Give me ho.e. Say Yes, that you
feel some interest in me-that / may fly to
your feet, and there ponr out my devotion.
tell ne that you will be my briue. In longing
.ARrmuS C@u1rurnor."
I dropped the letter into my lap, and
buried my face in my hands. He loved
me, he wanted me to be his. o bliss
u~nspeakable! Q Joy undcseryed! Was
it a dream No there lay that precious
letter. Again and again l read and
re-read Tiny first lovc-lettcr.
1 was q little disappointed in tire let
ter, for all that; it was too wild. too
sentimental. | fancied he would have
written more soherly, moro thought
4lLlSs l. WlSuCu UuGLu jlC utiu S(bOhCu Ill
stead of written. 1t was SO formal to
have to answer him. His proposal was
not quite so nice as some I had read OF.
And yet should l quarrel with my bliss,
come how it might? Oh. no.
1t was with a heart full to overflow
ing that l answered him. l did so at
once, for my pupils and L were going
out, and l had a chance Of posting it;
moreover, l felt that [ could never send
it to him by hand. So. without waiting
to think, lest l should lose my courage,
l wrote my answer. 1t was not an
easy task:
how your letter surprised me. l feel so hat
tered, 30 grateful to you for loving me. 1t
seems incredible that You should ask ne to
truth, and that Is that l love you, and have
loved you for y long time:
marion MORLEY"
This did not seem at all the kind of
note to send, so l wrote another, and
another, all worse, until, in despera-
ton, l 8 a!ed and directed the first. I
did not allow myself to think further
until l saw it safe in the iost- Office, and
then for very shame l would have gone
in and asked for it back. l felt l had
taken a plunge into unknown waters.
My thoughts were in a state of chaos.
1 was joyful, trembling and excited.
l fear my four girls thought me very
absent that afternoon. AS we went
out, { aroline and Amy, the two eldest,
begged me to goa different way from
that l had chosen; but l said 1 must
post % letter.
"L.et me run with it to the post, Miss
Morley" said Caroline. at will take
me only a minute from the turnpike,
and then we can still go by the high
road"
"No, 1 must post it myself, DEAR" l
replied, hugging my letter tight.
They pressed me to let them take it,
those tiresome girls; and, like a silly
little thin, :. | turned as red as a peony,
whereupon Carrie said:
"You look so red, Miss Morley! Per-
haps it is a love-letter. I do believe it
isl she cried, as 1 stupidity got more
and more crimson.
You must not be so forward; it is
very vulgar to talk about love letters"
1 answered, according to my rule.
is it vulgar to be in love, then. Miss
Morley ?" she assed. 81 never knew
that. DO you hear. Amy? ''lt's vul-
gar to be in love-"
well, not exactly vulgar, Of course,
Carrie" l extenuated; but it's better
that Young girls like You and Amy
should not talk of such things yet"
.Miss Morley, I've often heard papa
say that he was in love with ma nina
wien he was quite a boy,' said Amy.
'Was he vulgar?'
"Uf course not. Amy l replied, 'be-
cause because he married your mann
ma, and it was a suitable match in
every way"
..Oh, / see," sad Caroline. ''But,
supposing-supposing - just for in
stance, you know-that you were in
love with Mr.. llitheroe; that would be
vulgar, would it not?'
GLOW often have | told you, Carrie,
that it is very ride and vulgar to make
personal remarks I said. "Wcll
drop the sub, ect, if you please
l spoke with as much angry dignity
as nv confusion would admit. Tire
some, forward children, 1 do believe
their sharp eyes had somehow seen the
address on my letter. However, it was