Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1884-10-24
4 sfle(t Etory.
NA0MTS new YEARS GIFT.
By W. T.

! -
green emerald encircles cool, trans
lucent opal.
Was there ever more lovely spot:
Only Just see the effect of the shadows
chasing down that wooded mountain,
Mr.. Rayhurn.'
Dare Ray burn, standing IA few steps
from her, and carrying her hossy blue
shawl, and an exquisitely bound copy
of Moore's 'Lalla Rookh.' looked away
from the direction Miss Burton midi
Gated, and directly into her bright,
beautiful young face, where roses and
lilies bloomed, and where "a pair of en-
trancingly lovely blue eyes were look
ing over his head up to the sky that
was scarcely less blue.
The shadows have no possible inter
est TO me, Miss Burton. | believe /
asked you aquestioa Il and am waiting
for an answer. | care nothing for the
shadows Of lIarker's Fell
Naomi flashed him saucy glance.
But | DO, and that settles the Ques-
ton. Mr.. Rayburn, believe | am
ready 10 90 back to the hotel
And know am equally ready to
jump off into the lake. Naomi, do
You want to drive me to suicide? An
swer me, will ynu marry me or not :
And then Naomi Burton shrugged
her lovely shoulders, and puckered up
her forehead into terrible wrinkle
Mr. Ravburn. VIII you be good
enough either to escort me to the no
tel and stop tormenting me, or give
me my shawl and book, and let me 90
alone? | am quite sure heard the
dinner gong.
Mr.. Rayburn gave her reproachful
glance and offered her his arm.
And ] am quite sure you are the
IcruelIest, most utterly heartIess girl
that ever lived
So they walked mp the gentle ascent
to the hotel, Miss Burton chatting with
the most innocent audaciousnes~, and
Mr.. kayburn feeling as completely
miserable as ever a fellow, head over
heals in love with tormenting, pretty
girl. could feel.
1
sfimsFrf r0T THc TToUST- -Irrrr TTrrTF,- .1rr7
she certainly can't care straw for me.
or she wouldn't. She's the sweetest,
prettIest little creature that ever ere
ated havoc IN a masculine heart, and
I'll never have moments happlness
again unless she accepts me. And
there's one chance 10 hundred she
viii. And I'm fool, and that's the
end Of it.
While Mr.. Rayburn, very morbid,
and moody and unhappy, sat in his
bed room. his handsome moustache
dropping over IA cigar. RI hit across the
corridor Miss Burton was undergoing
"A sort OF 'cture AT the hands, or more
correctly, mouth, OF her mother.
i really will not permit IT any
longer, Naomi. Asid. from what peo-
pie will say NJ Your Irritation with Mr.
Eaybu | reilly have my compunc-
ton OF conscience. The poor fellow
is over head and ears IN love with YOU.
and for his sake you shall not torture
him
Naomi opcnrI her blue ewes widely
as she looked up from the foamv la
friIls she Was 5asting in white Swiss
dress.
Torture him, Whv, mamma. |
thou ht had b Ell treating him splen-
dIdly. I'm sure Fever thought | WAS
torturlng him when | danced five sets
and two COS secutive waliz-s with him
last night, and made that Lord Bar
ryyale SO awfully jealous aud angry.
Never did b.by'> ewes weir such
complete charming astonishment as
wicked Naoml's as she met MIS-. Bur
tons look Of mild reproof.
Il don't know anything about that,
Naomi, but do know | must forbid
your leading Mr.. Rayburn on further
unless
Naomi laughed.
What awful uuspoken alternative
remaineth. mamma"
Mrs. Burton ilned II modest 81 ray
of sca' let sage among her yet glossy
dark biaids.
Your papa and | see no objec ion
to ltayburn whatever. He is young,
well connected, fairly we'll off, ami "a
gentleman, and We had both hoped
you would
A bright little fl .me leaped to Naomi
Burton's checks.
Oh, mamma. Such nonsense. In |
deed you are doomed beforehand to
disappointment, for shall never marry
anybody. And there comes Lord Bar
ryvale to take me for drive, and |
am not nearly ready
Just ten minut's afterwards Dare
Rayburn, looking from his window,
saw Naomi's lovely face framed in its
dainty chip hatall ablaze with flowers,
as she sat smiling and chatting beside
the big, fair young lord III his aristo
cratic vehicle, drawn along by par
of prancing, snow white horses, and IA
parg of bitter envy and mad jealousy
pierced nim
SHE surely cannot care for that pig
headed fellow VIII, parts his hair in
the middle! How easy it would be to
get clear of all this misery and disap
pointment-a few steps down TO the
lake, a plunge-and wonder what
Naomi would think? At all events,
will leave this place at once. She may
play with some other mans heart.
From to day Danish her.
= X
Autumn faded into winter. All the
world had returned to London. The
Burtons had come back to their quiet
houss in Belgravia, and Naomi's future