The National tribune., 1884-05-29
A STRANGE PROPOSAL.
TINE Love, that Never Did Run
Smooth.

49,
text night. Numerous guests had arrived to
Share in these festivities, and among these was
a very prettv young girl named Florence
M0lynenx She found herself consigned to the
care OF a very good-lool1ing young man, whom
,A.aGy Brandon had introduced TO her as Cap
-1ain Chichester When they had taken
their places Mt the dinner table, which glittered
-bgth crystal and was tasteiully decorated with
jeroaths of Covers, she yentured a remark,
iI0W pretty az this is / never saw any
'Nhing Ike il before. The flowers are laid IN
twreashs upon the tabe-cloth, and i see some
iol my OLD country friends, wild flowers aud
eferns. 4 am afraid they must feel very awk-
ward
( "Oh. no." said Captain Chichester smiling.
u" lf Is very pleasant 10 be admired and thought
tFretiy. do you not find il SO? i believe this
y yOur first dinner party, is ii not2"
4 how do you know inquired Florence,
fsnzicusly. Am j very awizwardf Have l
$G0ne anything wrong?
Not at ali,' laaghed Captain Chichester.
y Lady Brandon told me. so 1 thought you
fwoald know how the flowers felt"
4 But thai is quite different Flowers can't
lido wrong, aud, besides they viii be al dead
x t0-In0rToW; they viii ply ior their pleasure
ana afraid you VIII find pleasure aad PAIN
fgo hand in hand, said Captain Chichester,
\ looking at her pretty, blushing face.
"Maat pain shall / have 10 bear? she
geaiANA NAt4 inns ID NA N1Ns SefAA
4 tomorrow have neycr been at ball. At
4 this no.1ent her next noishbor aTkwagdly up-
4 SCI q glass 0i champ payne into her lap Florence
x uttered AZ exclamation OF 0ismay.
z / lee quite guilty sad Captain Chich-
I ester; Z" ana prophet OF i'll Here is trouble
come already; let lne help yoa. Is your dress
II quite sP0ilty"
+ Oh. thank YOU cried Florence; 1T is no
! matter. Yes, 1t does matter, though; for this
\ was the dress ! was TO wear 10 morrow night"
Z Bat WAIST VIII you dog7
4 Well I have an old black dress, not nearly
as nice as ills. Int it must do
3 But coUiG you not put IL q piece2" said
Z Captain Chichester. WHAT IS the STUFF called
2 calico?
4 Oh. no-tarlatann said Florence, laughing
But If yoa spoke 10 Lady Brandon, she
would get you some"
oh. no. besought Florence. "Pray, say
nothing about il.
must say yea bear your pain heroicallY,"
said Captain Chichester; - and now ! have the
pain Of telling you Lady Brandon is bowling 10
you. and you must 60"
Florence ran upstairs and changed her dress,
making as little as she could CT her misfortune;
but as soon rs she had left the room she be-
came The subject OF discussion among the other
ladies. Miss Jane Morris, a sour faced, plain,
and net very young lady leading the attack.
SO that is Miss Molyneux," she said, adj
thought you said she was pretty Why, she is
not good looking, and she is such a firt, and
SO very forwards not she, Jane? If you
only heard the way she went on with Captain
Chichester? she never let him say word TO
me. Once he tried, bat she instantly upset a
glass OF wine into her lap, and such a fuss as
she made about Il i heard her telling him
she had no other dress to wear al the ball."
On, I am so sorry" said Ada. Al must go
and see what i can do for her.
1ou need lot trouble yourself Depend
upon il, that young lady can take care of
herself She probably has piece OF muslin in
her box"
Oh. nonsense janet You are too hard, /"
said Ada; and think she is very pretty: she
mas slcl lovely complexion, and such pen
ellicd eyebrows
" PeHcilled indeed" said Miss Morris.
black lead pencils! / wonder does she know
Captain Chichester is engaged TO Lady Ida
Leigh. II not. somebody ought TO tell her
there is no use IN her setting her cap at him"
Next day, OF going TO her room, Florence to
her surprise found Ada's maid busiiy engaged
n repairing her damaged dress. On being
asked where she had got the muslin. she said
the tOOtman mad found 4 on the hail table and
Is It was addressed TO Hiss Aolyneux, he sent
II upstairs.
Florence few to thank Lady Brandon, but
neither she nor ada knew anything about IL
She tried 70 pursue her inquiries, but the
gentleman turned Of the conversation, Captain
Chichester having apparently forgotten the ac-
cident
Mary and Jane Morris exchanged chances
and smiles, and whispered:
told you so. Just as If he cared about
her dress You VIII see ne viii not go near
her TO night; / prophecy that
Miss Morris prophecy was not fulfilled, how
ever, Tor Captain Chichester danced so often
with Florence and paid her so much attention,
that Miss Morris thought ii her duty to tell
her next morning that he was engaged to Lady
Ida Leigh, and that there was no use wasting
her time trying 20 catch him.
" And, oh If you had seen her face. nv dear
Ada! size was red as 8 turkey cock, and
almost told me was impairment
meanwhile the days few by agreeably 70
Florence. Captain Chichester was always by
her side, ever charming and tender She did
not dare 20 anaiyze her feelings She was
drifting down a rapid current, leading she knew
not where, but there was no escape. No one
spoke Of Lady Ida now. Every day Captain
Chichester's looks and words seemed to give
fresh proof Of his affection, and she lived in a
dream OF Joy and love. The awakening came,
when one morning at breakfast she heard Sir
Charles Brandon say Chichester, here is an
inEIt2tion lor you from Lord Wildwood. / am
going 70 shoot with him tomorrow, and he
hopes Will bring YOU with me: the shooting
MI
Chichester hesitated. BE had promised his
1atner 70 return al the end Of the week
The day passed By heavily. The gentlemen
were OFT shooting, the ladies took drive At
dinner Jane Morris seated herself between
Captain Chichester and Florence. In the even
ing Sir Charles asked him to play ecarte, and
1t was only when bidding goodnight that
Gaptain Chichester made his adieux
suppose must say good-by now" be said
70 Florence. We start 50 early IN the morn
ing
Florence could not command her voice, but
gave him her hand.
We shall meet again, hope? We must
meet again. do you ever come TO town?n
On, Go move on, Miss Molyneux,v said
Jane Morris you arc keeping US all stand
ing"
Florence disengaged her hand and went mn
stairs. Her happiness was at an end. They
would never meet again, and he had said
nothing 10 her. Nay, it almost seemed as If he
had avoided speaking 70 her. What a fool She
had been 10 think he cared for herl An un.
opened letter lay on the top Of the pineushion
Who could be writing 10 herr She took ID up
There were Initials upon the envelope and q
motto. The initials were g /. c." the motto
True TIL death" The words danced before
her eyes. IL was his motto 1t was not :
dream, il was letter from Captain Chichester
She pressed il 10 her lips, then tore il open, and
read the contents as quickly as her agitation
would permit 1t began:
have in vain tried 10 speak 20 you alone; but
cannot leave you without learning my fate
You must have SEGA that loved you Geyo;edly
mn