West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-09-19
MIRIAM DOUGLAS.

u IN sorry 10 interrupt you, sir; but
the lock on your sachel is broken. max
ing the things unsafe, besides being n
very shabby old bag, sir, begging your
pardon SO quoth Eliza, reiict of
Josiah Minis, the sexton, to her lodger.
Rev. Julius Byron.
What bore" exclaimed this zen
tleman, when really haven't the time
TO attend TO anything but these lettersr'
81 have an errand which takes me
past Piper and Tipson's; l could buy
you new sachel, if you would trust
me. Going amo. . all those fine people
mt the wedding w'th your lock tied up
with bit of string wouldn't do at ali.
sir. -
THANK YOU, Mrs. Minis; have great
trust in your judgment, and should be
oollged II you would attend to the mat
.cr LOT me ana save my going into
town"
As the door closed after his landladv
Kew. Julius Byron resumed his writing
with Il sigh of relief As he sat leanin9
his head on his disengagcd hand-9
hand beautiful enough to atone for plain
ness in all other features had nature
willed him to be plain-Julius BYRON
was an ideal picture of a student-brown
eyes, with far-away, dreamy look. hair
long enough to show tendency To wave
loosely back from the forehead. and =
pale, clear complexion set off bv \
golden-brown velveteen coat, which he
wore when in his study. Twenty-nine
years old, undeniably handsome. gifted
with winning manners and shepherd of
n rock most willing to be guided, Julius
Byron, rs if by a miracle, had ESCAPED
being spoiled and petted into efieminacy.
ms safeguard lay perhaps i'm pair of
Sott eyes which had held him spell
bound Tor few rspturous weeks. and
the Wltchery of which had lasted over
three years of almost total separation
Miriam Douglas, dispensing tea aud
gingerbread to horde OF charity
children in the park at Mount EDGE
combe, was one of the prettiest and
daintiest of modern Hebes. i'm n muslin
dress in colors matching forpet-me-
nOtS and her eyes equally well. and
with roses at her waist and throat
which stole their delicate tint from her
cheeks. Miriam was seventeen that
day, and the blue muslin was her FIRST
long dress; to this the little lassie maid
far more attention than to the admirin0
gaze OF two dreamy brown ewes. After
the feast there were offerings of flow
crs, good wishes, and rather too many
kisses and embraces from the charitv
children, and among her other
trophies. Miriam Douglas carried away
the heart of Rev. Julius Byron. Had
she known this, il would have affected
her less than the consciousness that the
Barclay girls, her former plavmates
were enyiously admiring the grown-nn
Womanish arrangement of her BRIGHT
silky hair.
There were few tennis parties and
five O'Clock teas after this. durino,
which Mr.. Byron worshipped his divin7
ity from afar. She seemed n little in
ave OF him and rarely spoke with him
more than five minutes at a time
W hat delightful task il would be IN
chase away the timidity from the soft
faWn-like eyes, and how pleasant To
tnink that the sea-shell pink stole TO
her che ks from Joy at his approach,
rate, however, cruelty iDtcrfered
with Mr.. Byron dream of awakenin,,
loving confidence in the bosom of tbis
bashiul maiden of seventeen. In tbro.
short weeks. before he had made anv
p'rceptible Roadway. Miriam was sum.
moned TO the bedside of DIVING relo-
tive and Julius Byron was called to a
parish IN commercial town.
Three long years this idyl had been
DO the past and through all this time tho
memory Of Miriam Douglas excluded
amy other love from the Young clerov-
mans heart, though many were The
@oddesses willing % be therein en-
shrined
lie wondered at himself she had
slipped completely out Of bis material
cNlste1cs; he knew not where she was
or II She were dead or worse married
Sun with all this uncertainty. he could
not forget her. and voice within him
seemed to whisper that they would meet
again.
The rapid skimming Of his pen over
llc white page was STAYED for the sec
oud time by q heavy foOtstep az the door
outside and Mrs Minis. panfin0 and
crimson from the ascent Of the stsep
stairs, exclaimed
here. SIR. sou could not have found
p better or cheaper "a. bel Yourself N
You had searched the town from end ~
end Piper and 1Ip.on sa, 0u fboir
oath that DO is q first-rate one. and fbat
YOU nccdD' . fear exchanging with any
one hv mistake. for they had only one
~ the kind This decided me 10 take
OFT. Tor, being rather an absenf-inipdod
gentleman you might easily pick w the
wrong hag
hank YOU. Mrs Minis. .benk eoY
'fch time That SOU DO anything for roe
you Give me fresh cause ~ admire vDIi-
clever management and forsf1ougbf
ln The wedding ~ take place on lie
following day Mr. Byron fall Ho .arfic.
u'ar Interest The contra pa-ae. we're
almost sirWgcr tD him. a. w.r. also
ne guests. with the exception of WI
Iis Howard, schooIma.lo, If DAVIS
gone by. and % friend ever incs O. &c
young clergyman
Owing ~ the illness of the brides
mother. the ceremony was performed
az home u was p pretty weddirg tbe
ir.de graceful sweet and pale as I.Iy'
'n Der sheonv. fcecy drsgery, ~ /