The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-09-27
THE SILENT GOSSIP,

coolly 81 feel very much honored, I'm sure,
but don't think we are suited to each 9TH
er," the young man who is most interested
in the conversation can do nothing better
than to depart as soon asIdonsistent with his
dignity.
So Richard went out and banged the door,
leaving Dolly in the library.
Dolly was eighteen, Richard was twenty
three, the ages at which man and woman
are most given to tormenting each other.
Dolly thought Richard the handsomest and
wisest of human beings; Richard thought
Dolly the loveliest and most lovable ofwom-
en-, so there is no use describing either OF
them. That Dolly should refuse Richard, or
that Richard should propose to Dolly IN an
unfavorable moment, may seem strange, but
it was the fault of gossip, silent gossip,
who or which had circulated most eXtraordl-
nary intelligence concerning Richard.
One fine afternoon, less than week be-
fore this painful interview, Richard walked
down Main street enjoying the mild spring
air, thinking of Dolly and tennis, Dolly and
his canoe, Dolly and his tandem and Dolly
and his buggy, as had been his habit ever
since he returned from college and found
that Dolly had treasured up all his letters to
her brother.
Main street was crowded; the evening
train, the supper train from town, had
lust arrived, and Richard, who had come
down by an earlier train on some business
with old Mr.. FARMLAND, met the crowd, and
beamed serenely on every one. People meet
very closely On the marrow sidewalk OF a vii
lage street; that was the reason why the two
Poulett girls, apparently struck by Richards
new scarf pin, stared and giggled as they
passed. Then Miss Lawndes, the dressmak-
er, peered at him with eager eyes; Mrs AL
Ian, the doctors wife, stout and slow, came
to full stop in front of him, and as he
stepped aside to give her room she turned
and looked at him again before she passed
on. Richards special friend, the boys, as
the young lawyers, clerks and railroad men
of his own age were called, were nearly all
on the other side Of the street, but Bobby
Price just through college, and on his way
home from the tennis ground, sauntered
slowly to meet Richard. Lulie Cameron was
with him, giggling as usual, and they both
stopped and talked to Richard for minute
or two Then it was tea time, and everyone
in well regulated Sunnydale went home.
Within the next three days all Sunnydale
was talking about Richard Dale and Julie
FARMLAND, of the outrageous Irritation be-
tween them. for Julie was engaged to George
Lane, who was in Europe ON long business
trip. The first that Dolly Firth heard Of it
was from her Aunt Julia Dorr. "We all
know how Julie firted before she got en-
gagged" said Aunt Julia, after announcing
the facts of the case, 'but l never would
have believed she could have behaved so at
forwards. George will be furious. OF course
he will break off, and can't blame him."
Dolly kept silent. Richard had been devot-
ed to her since they were children; they had
quarrelled and made up dozen times, and
he had occasionally invited other girls to
parties and picnics when he thought Dolly
had shown signs of underwriting him, but
never in their lives had there been anything
like this. And to think how he had kept
on calling on her three times week, while
he was, no doubt, calling on Julie the other
four evenings! And then to come down in
the early train to see herl "The detesta-
BILE little flirt, it was all her fault" thought
Dolly. bending over her work, and blushing
with shame and anger. But though Dolly
inwardly ragged, she showed no signs OF ais
turbance, and serenely met Richard when he
called, as usual, two days after she had
learned of his falseness.
"If it were not that the whole village had
seen it, believe l should be deceiN ed by him
again" thought Dolly, as she looked into
the eyes that were dearer toher than all 9th
ers, as they beamed at her from under Rich
ards straight brows.
When Richard, who had lately made GER
tain satisfactory business arrangements, and
felt that now his lifelong devotion deserved
to be rewarded, made what he considered a
neat and creditable proposal, his wrath at
her refusal was net greater than Dolly's at
his presumption.
81 didn't need to lead up to it, as if had
only known her month! She's been fool
ing me all this time!'' was Richards angry
comment, as he went down the steps.
"He thinks because she's engaged and
flirts he can be engaged and fiirt too! was
Dolly's meditation, mingled with tears
"But I would take him! Oh, / would be
lust such fool! and forgive him-if the
whole village hadn't seen it!' and Dolly
wept above the new mantel cover, regard
less of decorative art.
Dolly was not one to tell when she had re-
fused an offer, so she had no one to sympa-
thize with her. The friendship between her
brother Fred and Richard had been long and
mistaken, and possibly Dolly might have
begged Fred to call him back and try to clear
him of the charges against him; but Fred
was in Texas, not to be home for weeks, so
Dolly had her trouble all to herself and tried
to be amiable.
Not so did Richard That young man APP
peared on the next mornings train with a
face so forbidding that none of ''the boys
ventured to sit with him. A short morn
ing" was all the greeting he.returned to any
one, and he was left to his paper and his
thoughts. Meaning glances and masculine
chuckles went on about him. All imagined
he had learned what an amazing amount Of
work had been accomplished by the silen
gossip, and they rather unwisely concluded
to drop the subject, for it would have short
ened various troubles if Richard and Juli'
had known about the talk. But Richard haC
not even heard his name connected witt
jules and was simply in furious tempe
over his unexpected rejection by the onl!
girl he had ever loved.
At least two people in Sunnydale experl
enced nothing but clouds and rain for thu
next three weeks, no matter what the wealth
er report said Then came two letters. One
from George Lane, in Vienna, bitterly re
preached Julie FARMLAND for her conduc
toward Richard Dale, and offered to release
her from her engagement if she wished. The
other from Frederick Firth to Richard Dale
reproached him for his flirting with an en-
gagged girl, and regretted that he should have
lost the high sense of honor which had Sc
ennobled his boyhood.
The young people in Sunnydale have tenn
pers. They do not pine in secret or let a foe
of misunderstanding nOurish poisonous va
pors. 1t is well known that thunderstorms
clear the air; thus Richard and Julie pres
emily developed a social thunderstorm which
cleared the social atmosphere OF Sunnydale
Julie with her black eyes flashing an'
cheeks ablaze, wrote the following emphatl
telegram to George Lane in Vienna: 1T
all crazy nonsense. 1 will investigate AM
exnlain" And Grandpa FARMLAND speedet