Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1886-05-29
CASSIA.

A great rambling house facine
an acre of thick trees and dense
Towering shrubs, with the murmur
OF ever-beating waves in the dis
tance-a house that hid itself
among the elms and oaks, and
Shr0uded even its doors and win.
dows in thick-hanglng jasmine and
cypress vines.
Nine o'clock in the morning, but
not creature was visible outside;
the matted balconies were empty,
the hammocks all unoccupied. III
deed, every room opening from the
lower balcony was darkened ex.
cepting one. In this room the
blinds we're reversed, and a faint
breeze moved the thin white cur.
tainS. A table was laid here for
three people, and the preparations
on it seemed to imply that their
event was momentarily expected,
Presently the door opened, and a
beautiful girlof about sixteen years
of age entered. She was dressed
in fine long robe of white muslin,
trimmed with knots OF pale green
ribbon, and in her hand she carried
a bunch Of pansies and lilies.
"Leroyw
eyes, Miss Cassia."
"Tell Colonel Bauvare l am wait.
ing"
In a few moments a stout, hand
some man dressed in white linen
entered. He kissed the girl on the
brow softly.
"Where is mamma?'
"She will not appear this morn
Ing. She lay awake all night plan,
ming about the ball, and is too Ia
tigued to RISE"
"But surely to give a party is
not such a very important affair,
papa7"
'.The people whom Ientertain in
a very important affair indeed,
Cassia"
"Dear me! I had not thought of
vite ali the good dancers and nice
people in the neighborhood. There
are plenty Of nlce people arc nd
u.s."
Fortunately this is a very select
neighborhood; there are no better
families in the counrry-in the
world, l might say-than the Bau.
wares, the Peytons, the LeCroixS,
the Des Moines-"
"And the Riveses, papa. Ire
member young Herbert Rives so
well! He was the bandsomest
youth l ever saw. We must not
forget Herbert Rives, papa"
"Cassia, I wish you to distinctly
understand that Mr.. Rives and l
have had a bitter guardian IT.
reconcilable quarrel. II the public
sentiment was raised to a proper
pitch here, should shoot him with
a great deal of pleasure. | hope L
shall never hear you speak OF either
the father or son again."
IL want Herbert RiveS to come
to my ball, papa"
sit is impossible, Cassia."
Cassia was silenced, but not con-
WINGED. Toward evening she went
out to walk. The negro girl with
her had little bucket, and was
gathering wild strawberries as they
walked. AS she entered the grove
skirting the Rives estate the thick,
intensely green turf, as soft as vel.
vet, delighted her; the shade and
warmth and sweet earthly smell
filed her with a delicious, drowsy
sense of repose.
"Ob, how nice it would be to lie
down on this turf and Sleep" she
thought. 81 wonder what ones
dreams would be in such aplace7"
She had scarcely ceased wonder
ing when she saw splendid black
horse quietly feeding, and under a
tree not far away a man lay either
dead or sleeping. Not dead sure
ly? She must at least see to that.
In a moment she stood over him.
He was q young man, handsome as
Endymion. and fast asleep.
When they had gone al little apart
she paused, thought minute, and
then took her handkerchief, aud
with the little gold pencil on her
chain wrote. Love has been with
thee, and thou knew it not" Then
stepping softly back, she laid it on
the turf beside his head.
Not until they were a quarter OF
a mile away did Cassia speak; then
she said, softly, "Milly, do you know
who that ISL"
"Lor, yes. Miss Cassia-Massa
Herbert Riyes. Done forget my
berries. Miss Cassia. Kin l go
back fur 'ems"
"Yes; 1 can see the house now
Go back if you WISH"
When Milly got back to where
she had lett her bucket, the horse
was saddled, and the young man
slowly riding away. Milly watched
him out Of sight, and saw him ex.
anime the handkerchief carefully,
then kiss it and put it in his breast;
all Of which proceedings she re-
ported, with some slight additions,
to her mistress.
1t was very natural that both
young people shonld revisit the
scene Of this adventure. But fol