Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-09

! smiles.
'sNobody in all the world could bow and
smile Just that way but EscOtte," she
thinks, as she runs down to open the
The house is all closed and still.
| Grandmother is busy to-day in the base
ment, and Annie shut in her room writ
] ing to Mr.. Beltham. 1t is a charming
I thing to have him come now.
| So it was a happy face Escotte saw as he
entered. Somehow she thought he looked
4 grave, but he always did as to that: so
/ she led him into the warm sitting-rOOm.
/ told hin she was glad he had come at
last. He smiled at her little thought
fully, but be only shut the door and drew
her close to him for a minute.
Are you right glad to see me. my pref
"Oh! yes. Think how long it has
"Pye been busy, dear; sit here close by
me; I've something to tell you"
"Oh! Escette, is it something that means
trouble of any sort!'
mot exactly; you can remember, no
| doubt, that night in fathers study when
first said that loved you?'
''Oh! yes"
"Well, only refer to it to-day to say
that, tenderly as | loved you then, you've
grown far deeper into my heart since:
every day, every hour, and it is so hard to
leave you"
'You don't mean that! You cannot
mean thatr' she said, with fast-flling
eyes. 81 cannot do without you; |
know | cannot. Say you were only jest
| ing, EscOtteS"
Il rarely jest, Charlie; never about a
thing that brings distress to you. must
60. Pve been a week writing and tele-
graphing trying to arrange to stay at
I home, but it is all of little use. am COM
PEELED TO go. Do you think I'd leave you
| one day if it could be helped"
Where are you going, Escoute -
ITO New Orleans
con-" she exclaimed, under her breath.
''FOr how lOng?'
@About-two months. hope to re-
turn earlier, but we will call it that for
safety"
"Why must you go?'
''WelI, to look after some business. The
| details wouldn't interest you one mo-
| ment. My mother has some property
| there and its safety is threatened. l can
arrange it all satisfactorily; no one else
can except my father, and l cannot let
him 60"
"But, EscOtte, what is money compared
/ to happiness? Eve no doubt you've
enough without that; let it 90, darling:
what does it matter, little more or
/ less?"
Escotte laughed.
Il have often noticed" he said, ''your
/ utter ignorance and Indifference about
/ money matters. Now money is not only
! an essential; it is a good friend-a friend
| that stands not only between a man and
want, but between his self-respect and
many possible humiliatiOns. l must take
care that have enough to make my pref
! ty young wife a home and keep her COM
/ Portable in it."
Il only want you, dear; only you. l
/ don't care where we live or how"
"You are very sincere in that, | know.
but you are pitifully young, Charlie, and
/ for shat reason your husband must be
/ strong and wise for your sake. 1t is hard
! to go away from you; harder than / sup
| posed even an hour ago it would be, but
| there is no other way now. Run up
! stairs and get your hat; promised mother
| to bring you back with me. They have
/ not seen you in ages, they say"
"Well; l Will run down stairs first and
| have my little skirmish with grand
mother"
She ran off laughing, and soon returned
/ triumphantly.
Grandmother was in a capital humor,
! and graciOusly consented right away"
/ she said.
| This asking permission of Mrs. Bel
than whenever Charlie wanted to move
an inch was getting rather irksOme TO her
grave lover. He treated her often as a
child, but he did it most tenderly from the
force of great love and care for her.
From others he expected and lOnged for
the power to exact the respect and defer
ence belonging by natural right to full
grown intelligent woman.
Il suppose" he said a little haughtilv.
this absolute submission to the powers
that be in your home is just now perhaps
wisest and best. A day will come soon, /
trust, when you will recognize no author
ity but mine to govern and control your
mOVements.o
''Win you be a governor, Escotte :" she
asked, little mischleVOusly.
I'm my own house, yes, verily!"
Il wonder if l am never to be free
agent; then, l suppose, l am to 20
out of grandmOther's leading strings into
yOurs.'
Eyes; and yet not into leading strings,
but into the most careful and tender con
troll; the bondage of being led bV a love
| that, whilst it is somewhat eXaCIIng,
would go into danger and death for your
sweet sake.o
This was said demurely enough, and in
n low tone as they walked along the quiet
streets together, but Charlie, looking
shyly up, caught the glow of a pair of
dark eyes which sufficiently emphasized
the undertOne. He was always the same
always little naughty and self-assert-
ing even with her, and yet she always
could tell by some sure and evident token
that he loved her in no common sort;
that. in his very heart of hearts, she had
found a place, and that, to leave it now,
would be not only the wreck of her hap
piness, but a sort of death blow to his.
Charlie often thought of her future life
spent by his side, led by his hand, and
she knew intuitiYely that hers would be
the part of constant submission, but,
bOrn-rebCl as she was, the thought was
not unpleasing. He had in him no ele-
ment OF tyranny, no caprice of discipline.
His would be rule, firm, strong and UNI
selfish-carrying out always his own
wise purposes, but directing them towards
her best and happIeSt interests. A more
yielding lover. man less firm and strong
would have found Charlie AN eXacting
and capriciOus mistress. For this man
she was a lovely and constantly charm
ing woman. Bright, with all a girls
earliest enthusiasm, and yet submissive
and deferential with a sort of womanly
flattery, which was at once gratifying
and captivating. She knew herself to be
well loved, but she did not dream what
vital part of his Lie and soul she had be-
come. He wisely Kept somewhat of her
power to himself.
"YOur guardian has been here again 1
hear, Charlie. He did not stay long
enough for me to see him. What brings
MIN so constantly just now ~
"Oh! Escotte, don't you know? Can't
you guessp'
He looked down at her flushed face
with painful suspicion at his heart.
'Of course l cannot. Tell me if you
can"
81 am half ashamed to tell you that he
is engaged to marry my stepmother."
Mr.. Fearne looked sufficiently shocked.
HAS he loved her always that he is in
such haste to tell her so nOw?"
81 don't think he loves her in the least,
but poor mamma has loved him always"
''What does that mean, Charlie?' was
asked, a little sternly.
She answered quickly, most anxious to
defend her fathers wife.
You know, EscOtte, they were brought
up together like brother and sister, and
were once engaged to be married. Grand
mother broke it off and Annie married my
father"
Mr.. Fearne's ahem was sufficiently
expressive. Charlie felt that she was
not yet understood, and went on eagerly:
You don't know mamma, EscOtte. She
is not quick and intelligent as many wO-
men are; but she is really as sweet and
good as she can be. She didn't pretend to
be what Is called in love with papa, but
she was devoted to him, just as patient
and kind as she knew how to be, and he
was satisfied with her always, always.
She uSpd tn fell him and mo too how oOOd