The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-12-18

rapid, wondering expression offender
ness, as he repeated them.
"My dear little Phebe! May God
bless you'll"
stole quietly away from him out
of the house, with that fervent bene-
diction lying fresh and deep upon my
childish heart, and threw myself down
in the shade of the old orchard trees
and sobbed out the heaviness that
pressed upon my spirits. For hours 1
lay there in the mellow September sun
shine, brooding over the little romance
that had SO silently and strangely
grown into the woof of my almost ba-
by life. Iwept before my time for the
delicious griefs that forever cling to a
sweet and conscious womanhood.
When 1 returned to the house Frank
had taken his leave, but in my little
work-basket he left a small pearl box,
which contained a plain gold ring! Did
l wear it? Are you a woman, reader,
and ask it?
"Phebe, Phebe! mother says come
downstairs! There is gentleman in
the parlor who wishes to see you'
The words broke harshly into my
pleasant dreams which I had been
weaving all the long, golden July
afternoon, i'll the unbroken stiffness OF
my little chamber. At my feet, upon
the carpet, with it's leaves rumpled
and crushed, lay my neglected Virgil
in close proximity to a huge Latin
dictionary, while upon my lap, in
wrlnkled condition, my sewing was
lying, with needle hanging by a long
line of thread, nearly to the floor, as
if escaped luckily from a round of
monotonous hemming, which as yet
boasted but two stitches at it's COM
mencement.
"Who can it be that wishes to see
me?" exclaimed, rising hastily and
calling after my little 6-year-old
brother. "Who is it, Charlie?''
"Don't know; it's somebody. Moth
er says come down."
"Who can it be! An hour since I
had seen a gentleman with a heavily
bearded face come up the walk, but l
was too busy with my dreams to
notice him very particularly. Still,
as I recalled his face and figure, and
his quick, springing step, there seemed
something strangely familiar in them.
Who could it be? My heart beat rap
idly. Surely / had seen that face and
form before, and q name that was sim
gularly dear to me trembled upon my
lips-"Frank Haynes!'
But 1 could not go down to meet
him, though was summoned a thou
sand times. I did not wish to see him;
why should 1? There was no occasion
for it. 1 was not the foolish little girl
of IL summers whom he had left five
in ch0rt fp0al-c on6 c11r1c
but a full-grown woman instead. No,
l was not the same. l would not go
down. Besides, a sudden headache
not ask it OF me when [ was hardly
able to sit up. But what would he
think? Would he care? Would he
still remember tenderly the little Mrs.
Haynes of five years ago?
Little! I repeated the word as l
stood before the long mirror, which
gave back to me an accurate picture
of myself. A slender. passable form;
O. dark, clear complexion; large, gray
eyes; a mouth whose redness seemed
to have robbed my cheeks of their
color; white teeth; a forehead broad,
but not high; large, heavy braids of
chestnut-brown hair, was the likeness
framed before my eyes. l turned
away with D. sigh, and glanced down to
my hand. Upon the third finger of the
left was plain gold circlet. The hot
blood rushed up into my cheeks as I
looked at it. would wear it no long.
er. He should never know that Ihad
worn it at all. Just then my brother
came again to the door of my room,
crying out q new message.
Mother says little Mrs. Haynes is
wanted downstairs"
II have terrible headache. Charlie
Please tell mother so," and sank
down upon a chair close by the win
dow, and leaned my head upon chair
handle.
''Dear. dear! if they would but forget
mel" l murmured to myself, as the
hum of their conversation came clear
ly to my ears. An hour passed away
and heard the sound of voices in the
hall, then steps in the walk below. l
did not glance eagerly from the win
dow, or peer carefully from the half
closed shutters, but cltsped my hands
tightly over my eyes till the sound of
footsteps died away in the distance,
then crept steaithily downstairs and
stepped softly into the silent parlor,
where so lately he had been. l was
half across the room before l noticed
that 1 was not alone, and then, before
Icould make hasty retreat, q glad,
merry voice, rich with it's golden music,
exclaimed: "My own dear little Mrs.
Haynes, as 1 live! How happy am
to see you!" and a hand clasped mine |
tightly, while a pair OF bearded lips |
were bent down to mine. l drew my
head back haughtily. I was a little
child no longer. would not accept,
even from him, the caresses that he
had bestowed upon me five years be-
fore.
"Ah, Mr. Haynes" said, bowing
in dignified way, II am pleased to
see you"
My manner chilled at once his warm,
genial nature. Stepping backward
from me and releasing my hand he
said, with curl of his finely cut lips:
"Your pardon, Miss Lester; 1 had
quite forgotten that you had grown to
be such a fine lady!"
Ibowed him back reply, flashing