The Wilmingtonian., 1885-06-27
brought flush to her transparent rose

cheek.
Helen Macy prided herself on being a
matter-of-fact young woman. 1t was her
wont to boast that she could get to sleep
any time within five minutes after her head
touched the pillow. But next morning the
sun himself shot ray into her wide-open,
blinking eyes, and smiled.
As for Albert Miramon, that night he
threw off his coat and his highly fashionable
shoes, too fashionable for comfortable think
ing, alasl Then he tilted his chair back,
balanced his feet upon the window sill, and
sat SO, half the night, smoking.
The thoughts that revolved and twined
with the smoke, and with it scattered into
air. were like this:
How would it seem, bjou home, with a
lady in it who had transparent pink cheeks
and liquid dark eyes? "A wife like that,
in short. He felt the blood rise warm
about his ears as he thought that the word
'fwife.''
To sing in that exquisite voice to pet him
| as all the mascline gender like to be petted,
| to cuddle down beside him and talk books
| to talk everything, in fact.
If he ever had a wife, he should not want
a fool. Helen Macy seemed to know about
everything he was most interested in, She
was a woman of superior intelligence.
| How would the touch of her hand upon a
| fellows forehead feel? He had noticed the
beauty of her hand. 1t was not the soft,
pudgy, pudding kind, the kind that sticks
to ones fingers, but white, slender and firm
looking.
"Shows good blood" said the gentleman
to himself
They sang together again at the Zion
Sunday schools, and this time certainly the
two voices sang only to each other. Music
draws young hearts together; old ones, too
sometimes it is to be feared.
There were other meetings at Wilson's
Spring. There were walks and calls at
| Wilson's farmhouse, and rides. If Mramon
wondered at first that his lady had nc
chaperone, not even maid with her, he
SOON forget all about it in the new, sweet
fascination which drew him to her presence
day by day.
"But she's very offish," he was obliged
to confess to himself.
One evening, as they sat in Wilson'S
porch, he said to her:
81 can't make you out. You show mt
sometimes a deep-hearted tenderness to all
living creatures. Yet again you talk lik,
disappointed old politician of sixty, who
hated the human race"
81 do, sometimes, " she said, very grave
iy.
ooh, no, you don't Only, if l ddn'
know you SO well, should fancy that you
have had such cruel experience as a gr
could not have"
eyes, she repeated, "if you didn't know
me so WELL"
She was sarcastic and half-tender to hin
by turns But he could not have toll,
whether she cared for him-no, not if hi
life had depended on it.
In moment when she seemed gentlest, h
leaned towards her and said, in low voice
"rdlke to tell you something, if kney
q how you would take it,"
Don't risk it, she answered, gayly.
A "blt I shall tell you soon. It's abou
going away. Tomorrow, perhaps"
1','ra = NOW wv 1 go away myself" sal
the morning"
"GoingP" He turned towa.u. a., II,
dow, where the light was streaming tho.
into the porch, that it might shine full upC
his face. The rascal had an expressi'
| fo11 1,.1,o ha J;et, II,
;, staltled--perhaps little grieved. 'Loc
at me-" he said. "Now tell me ifyou met
that"
She raised her eyes, and dropped then
1t was the sweetest moment of her life, al
:. then the bitterest.
"Yes," she answered; SIT is time"
elias it occurred to you, Miss Macy, th
= you have never told me where you lived
y New York want to see you can thin
May call?"
She was silent. She looked down al
- beat pit-a-pat with the toe of the bead
e bronze slipper Her heart beat pit-a-p
to match.
What should she answer?
He reached out and took her hand.
% "Dear Miss Macy" he said, in SC
unsteady voice, ''it means mcnh to me. NJ
Icome?"
An unfathomable expression passed oV
her eountenance, Then she looked at hi
calm as a stone, and answered:
"Yes, Mr.. Miramon, you may come
I'd You wish. live at the Miramon Hou
IN which was named for your father"
i "Why," he began, in surprise, show dc
it happen-"
81 leave very early" she interruptt
~ ''and have oceans to do tonight. Belle
me, regret it must be goodby !"
O. So she left him. He did not see
to again. His mother summoned him ST
denly to join her at Mount Desert, and kt
him hanging about her for weeks. 1t W
1e ate in September when he came home.
OF had writted Helen note, but received
rs. reply. He had been passing through
H. a strange phase of feeling in the two mont
he was away from her No woman had
&C. taken hold of him before. He dreamed
ot her. Her face rose before him in the s.
a foam, half-tender, as of old.
no lie scarcely knew himslf what was uppt
de most in his mind, when he called, the seco
lis morning after reaching home, at the Mi
mon.
he A bebuttoned person met him in
H..