The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1884-11-20
SURPRISED.

dark brown hair, and her complexion
was like that of four-vear-old child, US
she stood in the window, with the after
noon sunshine upon her face and form.
Mr.. Errcl sat opposite, watching her
with quiet, observant eyes,. in which
slurAed shade OF annoyance.
"A,e You in earnest, Oliver"
"Yes, quite in earnest, George"
"And, for the sake of your cousin
Sarah Evelyns children, you are will.
ing to give up your future, our future,
Olive, as I may call it,"
George, you misinterpret me-" she
said, pleadingly. II love you as dear
! ly as l ever did"
Glow can credit your words, Olive,
when for the sake OF two miserable
children, who are really nothing
to you, you are willing to overtura
all our bright visions of happy, mutual
home?"
"They are orphans, George, and des-
titute"
"Then let them be sent to an orphan
asylum"
ooh, George" the color mounted
rapidly to Olive Mertons cheek, you
surely would not have me deprive my
cousins little ones of the sweet influ-
ence of home of their own-you
would never condemn them to the
harsh, sunless life of charitable insti-
tutlon?"
"That's all sentimental nonsense, :"
said Mr.. Enrol, coldly. "The upshot
of the matter is that you don't love
me-"
"George!"
! "Yes," the embittered lover went on,
almost rudely; zine words aud fearful
looks are all very eloquent, l don't
doubt, but I prefer to Judge by actions
only. It isn't particularly flattering to
me that you prefer these orphans to my
love-"
"George you know that it is not that
but ought to shrink from my mani
fest duty 2"
! "Just as you choose" he answered
coldly; "but has it ever occurred to You
how you are to support these two pre-
cious proteges Of yours? I believe you
have no independent fortune of your
own"
Olives eyes fell. and troubled ex-
preston came over her face
! II must try to obtain situation as
teacher" she said softly.
THAT will he pleasant" remarked
Mr.. Enrol, ironically,
"Our duty should always be pleasant,
George"
The voice was subdued and panied.
Mr.. Enrol rose.
"Since you have chosen your path, 1
know of nothing that is loft me save to
bid you good-by"
"Good-by, George-try to think
kindly of me-" she faltered, her little
hand trembled in his palm, as q fright
ened bird tutters sometimes beneath
the human grasp.
F.! And so they parted; these lovers who,
q brief while ago, had been all in all to
each other. And Olive Merton drop
ped into a chair, burying her face in
her hands, as soon as he was gone.
She had hoped, she had fancied, she
knew not what-peThaps that George
would approve her self-imposed duty,
| and cheer her with his love in it's per-
formance; nay. it had even crossed her
mind, as a remote possibility, that he
might even take the poor little orphans
as well as herself to his heart.
Yet she checked herself, even in the
, thought. What right had she to ex-
pect him to burden himself with those
cares and trials, simply because they
came to her as charge which it was
impossible for her to put away? No;
it was folly, and worse than folly, for
her to sit brooding here when the mat
ter Was fully and ilrevocably decided.
The brief glimpse of sunshine which
had frightened her life in the pros.
pect of George Errops love and
home of her own, should shine no more
for her: there was no use in turning
away from the laden-grav pathway
which stretched out before her girl foot
steps. There was one comfort; the
Door little orphans should never feel the
loss Of a mothers love whil. she lived
to cherish and toll for them.
Duty is often bitter cup to drink;
but it seldom comes in quite 80 uninvit-
ing guise as was now held to poor o.
I've Merton's lips.
! Miss Agatha Enrol her former tiance's
sister, dropped in a few days afterward
"a stout, bustling maiden of twenty.
who kept house for George, scolded
him, mended his stockings and put all
tho loose buttons on his shirts.
| packing your trunks, ell ?" said Miss
Agatha. "Going to move?"
"Of course;l cannot continue to
board in SO expensive a place." said
Miss Merton, sadly. shall soon have
to MAINTAIN the children rs we'll as my
| self"
"Humph!" said Miss Agatha; $50 You
still persist in setting up an orphan
asylum on small scale. Rather a
Quixotic business, think"
Olive was silent.
WHEN do vou expect EN- from the
West?" pursued Miss Enrol.
"On Tuesday OF next week."
"What train ?"
"There are two, but I shall not look
for them until the latest, which comes
in at six" -.
II hope they are nice children" seid
Miss Agatha. doubtfully.
"One can not help loving children, "
said Olive earnestly.
my dear you are an enthusiast.
"Perhaps I am" said Olive, smiling
family, "but cannot help it,"
SWELL" said Miss Agatha, jumping
briskly up, II must be going; wish
you joy of your new undertaking,