Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-04-02
AURA MERRIAN'S FOLLY.

I
years old, shall never cease TO turn
hot and cold every time | think of my
folly.
My roommate ut Miss Hough's semi
nary was Ellen March. | did not like
her at first. She was one of those noisy
ill-bred girls, who rasp your nerves anC
make you feel every place is too small
TO hold both YOU and them. We had ;
small room, almost closet, and being
the two eldest boarders and in the same
classes, Miss Hough allowed us goot
many privileges.
She said TO me: 81 put Ellen Marc.l
with you, Aura, because you are one oi
the quietcst girls in school, and she i.
the most boisterous. There is really NJ
harm in her, and she seems to like you
SO much that | think your influence will
tend TO make her more refined and lady.
like"
That was the verdict we all pro-
nounccd on Ellen March-"No harm in
her."
She was given more money than she
needed, and was generous with every
thing she had. Besides this, she was
obliging and good-natured, and OF
course was not TO blame IL her people
were uneducated and vulgar and had not
taught her good manners.
But it wood have been better for me
if Ellen had been q termagant in temper
and Us mean and selfish rs Lizzie Carnes,
who was n by-word TO every girl in
school.
1t was contrary to the rules of the
school for room-matos TO talk after
going to bed, but Ellen would insist
upon keeping up a whispered converse
ton for hours and hours, when we should
have been asleep.
At first | would not answer, for up TO
that time | had never broken the rules
of the school. Still, / listened, which
was just rs bad. She talked about balls
and parties that she had attended, but
her favorite topic was beauX, particu-
larly two young men, to both of whom
she said she was engaged
"You see, Aura" she said, "it's the
greatest fun TO see fellows making fools
Of themselves about one. It's Just de-
lightful to make them think each is the
favorite, and then see them glare al
each other whenever they meet. Don't
l have fun when one happens to call
when the other is with me! They're as
jealous rs cats, and so polite to each
other! wouldn't miss it for anything.
| don't know yet which I'll marry. Per-
haps l won't marry either of them,
but wouldn't be without two strings TO
my bow, anyhow. How many beaux
have you gotP'
"Not one, and I'm glad of it," l an
swered, Indignantly. "Do stop this non.
sense. Don't you know you're break
ing ruler"
"I don't care if | am" she an.
swored, placidly. II didn't come here
to be tied to rules, and pas too rich
for old Hough to be too strict with me-
But Just to think! You're sixteen, and
you're prettier than am, and haven't
got beau! Why, I've had beaux since
was thirteen. And people say if you're
not attractive to gentlemen when your
young, you never will be; and then, ter
chances to one, you'll be an old maid
Why, I'd be wretched if the fellows
didn't fall in love with me and / with
them.h
You think, no doubt, l ought to have
been disguised with this conversation.
was at first. But by degrees / began
TO be interested, and out of curiosity
read Ellen's love-letters, which she
used to get under an assumed name,
and in the spirit of fun even helped
her TO answer some of them. You will
hardly believe it, but after time, UNI
der the influence of her constant talk,
began TO feel almost ashamed that
had no beau. think Ellen must have
read my thoughts, for she soon began
TO praise her cousin, Guy Reeves
"Such o splendid fellow!'' she said
"All the girls are desperate about him.
dark beauties. / wish he could sec you.
know he'd lose his head, and I'd give
anything to see Guy in love, for he laughs
SO ct my little affairs. wish you could
see something of life. You've been
brought up like q num-"
Guys real name j afterwards found
out was Gideon, but Ellen did not think
it suited the romance she was beginning
to weave about him. She must have
written her cousin about me, for not
long after she said she had o message
for me, and then read from letter she
had just received something about his
great desire to meet his cousins lovely
friend.
OF course, you will say that ought
TO have treated this message with COO
contempt, but it seemed very inoffen.
sive. What harm could there be in lei
/ thought. So l merely replied in Q
bantering way: "Well, he won't get
his desire" But other messages fol
lowed, until one day Ellen, in great ex
element, took me aside and said:
30 Aural / sent Guy your photo
graph, just to look at ii, you know, ant
ne says you're too beautiful for any
thingf'
"Sent him my photograph" 1 ex
claimed, in dismay. "Why, how could
you do thatp"
"Oh, it was not to keep. just to lool
at, that's all. Why, anybody has the
right TO look at photograph, / suppose
You have the queerest, old-fashioneC
notions. I've given away dozens o
mine to young men,"
i was really frightened, but to b,
pronounced beautiful, when / have onl,
a moderate share of good looks, flatteret
me to the point of forgiving the pre-
sumption Of my roommate. Messag,
followed message after this, until on,
day letter came to me inclosed In on
to Ellen. My first love-letteri It was
miserable piece of bombast, but wa
not disposed to be critical, though rea'
1t with timid, guilty feeling.
"Of course, you'll answer it," sai'
Ellen, as we talked about II that night
"No," / replied, hesitatingly. :"
think you'd better send II back to him
and tell him he mustn't write sgpin."
sI'll do no suhh thing,o Ellen On