Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1884-11-15
"Do YOU mean that

AA 0Ho ~ ~ VI oul euBaReueut,
after its publicity and length, certainly
cannot consent to a further postpone
ment. And We shall be poor enough if
we marry Immediately, without filing
our house with needy relatives"
Clarence Hyde looked at his fair
fancee in perfect amazement. Never
in the whole course of their acanaint-
ance had he seen this phase OF charac-
ter. He had fanciedz her all that was
sweet, pure and womanly. Could it be
possible that she was cold-hearted, sell
fish and dead to all the sweet ties of
nature?
Rosa" he said, mournfully, ''is this
to part us?"
ut is for you to say"
"Do you wish me to give up my poor,
dependent uncle ?"
Either him or me-, Rosa answered.
indfierently.
"It will be hard very hard, for me
to lay aside the brightest wishes of my
life,' he said earnestly, "but, Rosa,
duty is my first object. cannot leave
my uncle to wear out his few remaining
days in poverty and solitude
Very we'll" answered Rosa careless
lv, STOPPING to pick up the odorous pur-
Pile blossoms which had fallen from her
hair, "then We shall consider our en-
gapement dissolved"
"And can you give me up so readily,
Rosa?"
"Oh," said Rosa, little impatiently.
"where's the use of being romantic
about it? You have chosen your path.
have chosen mine SO let it be T.
Clarence Hyde took his leave, de-
iected enough. 1t is not pleasant to set
up fair idol and worship it with all the
strength and tenderness of your nature,
only to find, after all, that it is dust and
es-hollow-hearted and false
Cuthbert Hyde sat smoking his brier-
wood meerschaum by the open window
as Clarence entered-a square, shrewd-
looking old man, with deeply scanned
wrinkles on his brow, and restless,
sparkling eyes, cleaning like live Goals
beneath his shaggy brows.
Clarence, my boy, something has
gone wrong" he said, brusquely, after
he had regarded his nephew in silence
/ for awhile. Tell the old uncle what
| it is
Il have told you about Rosa Edon,
sir: well, she and l are-in fact, it is
all over between u.s."
Engagement broken, eh? Past the
power of patching up"
"Yes, uncle"
"And it was on my account? Nay,
pov; don't turn away-I can read the
truth in your eyes. So she played You
false p
1--WE are parted, uncle-is not that
enough ?"
"Well, perhaps so-perhaps SO. Ii
is well you found her out in time, Ciar.
ence It's for the best, my boy"
Clarence Hyde was passing down TIL.
village street day or two subsequently
toward dusk on mellow August even
ing when a slight form glided up tt
him and tremulous hand was lalt
upon his own. He started at first, bu
quickly recognized the face and figure
"Lizzy Eldon y
"Oh. Clarence, I could not rest with
out telling you how very, very wrong
thought Rosa, and how sorry | am fol
you"
Thanks. Lizzy. / do not think shs
has treated me exactly right"
"How could she be so cruel, SO un
womanly? You are right, Clarence
you acted nobly. think Rosa will on'
day live to repent it"
As Clarence stood there listening II
Lizzv Eldon's impetuous words ant
holding her soft little hand in his own
he wondered that he had never befor'
noticed how very, very pretty she was
softer, more subdued style of beaut,
than Rosa's, yet not less bewitching il
its way.
They haunted him all night long
that oval, earnest face, those swimmin.
blue eyes.
Day by day Rosa's image wa1es
fainter and more faint in his memory
and Lizzy's shy. gentle looks grew NOR
than ever present in his heart.
II do believe I've fallen in love Will
the girl" he thought II wonder wha
she would say if I was to propose t.
her ?"
Next to the wonder came the realiza
ton. One fine October day, when the.
had strayed little way from the ga.
nutting party, whose voices made tn
old yellow-leaved woods musical, Nh
Hyde asked Liuy Eldon II she woul
accept the love her sister had sighted
and Lizzy, smiling and trembling, an
swered him, yes.
| You see, Uncle Cuthbert,' sai'
Clarence, eagerly, as he explained III