Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-03-14

But her color betraYs her. and Ba,r-
nard smiles as he says still holding her
hand 49,.
You are no actress, little cousin. Ynn
know to what { allude. = - S s
But, Bernard, that blue dress was
we'll, was really shabby, and you would
not at all have liked to see me ii &.
And besides you know Derwent
had offered to escort me to the party. 4,
| Hes decidedly pffcions and frisky
for his age. says Bernard dissapproy-
ingly.
Laughing. b y, .ss5.
! Has he. asked you to 60 to the pic
| mic Z? enquired her cousin suspiciously.
Not exactly. He merely alluded
| to-" lE Il. !, # = !, i *5a5 II .,..
MERELY took it for granted that you.
We're bound to go with him, and so he
needn't be in hurry to ask your says
| Bernard wrathfully. es's.5
Then he will find himself mistaken, :"
Edna says with emphasis. r. i:.5
| Are you sure Of that?" ..+5%
| Sure? Of course! And to prove it,
III so with you, Bernard" this very.
sweetly, 'if you will let me, and aren't
engaged to Miss Ogi1vie.
Miss Ogilyie is nothing to me. She's
2 nice sensible girl, but Tn not in love
| with her, as Laura, and mother, and all
| Of them seem to think" -,
-."Ihey say you liked her once," says
Edna, glancing up askance, and half
shading her face with her fan. :
T Il like her we'll enough, and, per
haps, might have liked her better in
time. But since you came, Edna
| At that critical moment, Laura inno-
Gently entered the room. .f~..g.. .
1t was q charming picnic, as every
body said. Laura had plenty of part
ners, but as for Edna, the beaux gener-
ally, thong h reluctantly, seemed in
clined to respect the pretentions of Mr..
Derwent. a
Bernard, from remote corners,
watched that gentleman's attentions to
his cousin, and pulled his moustache
with inward wrath and resentment.
He began, too, to look with doubt up
on Edna, for had she not that evening
encouraged him in the sweetest manner,
and was she not now, to all appearances,
equally encouraging his rival?
A sudden thought sent the blood to
his brow. Could it be that this charm
ing cousin of his was d coquette, and
was making.a fool of him?
At this moment the couples began to
take their places for a quadrille, and
Bernard sees Mr.. Derwent, in his usual
stately and deliberate manner, making
his way to Edna across the crowded
floor
Slipping past the row of wall flowers,
he reached his cousins side in advance
! Of his rival.
,,'.Are you engaged for this set?" he
whispered!
eyes, to-to Mr.. Derwent," CHANGING
at her card.
He takes the card from her hastily.
and thrust it into his pocket, Just as a
tall head and shoulders loom up near
them.
dance this set with me, Edna: I ask
1t as favor-as something more than
favor p he said earnestly.
She knows what he means. He is
pressing her hand. This is the deci-
siye turning point, which she feels that
she cannot eyade.
"Our dance, I believe, Miss Edna"
says Mr., Derwent, offering his arm.
Edna hesitates; and casts a glance at
Bernard, wistfu1 and appealing.
He speaks instantly, and there is a
subdued triumph in his look and man.
ner: l.
"Beg pardon, Mr.. Derwent, but 1
think you are mistaken. This is my
dance? ?"
Edna slightly turns to Mr.. Derwent.
Her breath comes quickly, and her fin
gers tremble little as she endeavors to
fasten that troublesome bracelet. AZ
"Let Miss Edna decide which of us is
right, :" says Mr.. Derwent with digniied
politeness. ~ -.
He is little flushed. #.e .
Bernard, on the contrary, is slightly
pale, and his eyes are intently fixed up
on his cousin
She avoids his glance, and turning,
takes Mr.. Derwents arm, murmuring
something about having lost her card.
Mr.. Derwent walks off with her upon
his arm, with little pleased smile of
triumph lurking about the corners of
his mouth, and Edna sees no more of
Bernard that evening. - 49,: 49, "
: Next morning the girls come down to
an II o'clock breakfast, and Aunt Mary,
as she poured out their coffee, scolded
them for staying SO late on the moon
Light porch after their return from the
picnic. ~ -, A.. FL: e..
Laura only smiled placidly, and Edna
toyed with her, apron and blushed. ~ d
IL have something to tell yon,
Aunt Mary L. 2.. F. =, r55
Aunt Mary, CHANGING at her, nearly
sprang from her chair. T \ 81 d. 5: q. 4. 4.
'Bless my soul, child! you don't
mean that Mr.. Derwent proposed to
you last night p h s.-.s.as
Edna smiled as she nodded assent,
and Aunt Mary at once turned up the !
girls face aud kissed her. ,i
I'm perfectly delighted. Why, it's
the very best match In town, and
almost IN the whole country. Your
father and mother will be SO pleased. 2
i knew he would propose last night
Edna, Laura says quietly and I'm
so glad dear!' stA. .es.s. s%
And then, after some moments ex-
cited talk on Aunt Mary's part, the lat
ter says suddenly:
'And I have piece of news, also,
though not 50 Important as yours, Ed
na Bernard ----- . .... -s..z .}', &
Where is Bernard" said Laura,
: es'and why did he leave the picnic so sud
denly. And the news what do You
think OF his having purchased that
MOrfnr6 HnuSn o,,,,ocif a. fh ia ONO n owl
to Mr.. Derwents z" said Aunt Mary nod