The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-10-29

and as Ellen spoke she gave him the
dreaded letter. Hastily glancing over
it, his countenance grew white as a
sheet, and he felt himself about to
faint from the deadly sickness that
attacked him. He made q desperate
effort to bear against it, but the inter
nal fight he had so long held had
prostrated his strength more than he
thought, and he sank, with a groan,
upon the chair.
H"For heavens love, Henry, what
ails your" cried Ellen in turn. ALIAS,
have carried this to too cruel an ex-
tremity!" she murmured, as Henry
began slowly to open his eyes.
The letter was, in fact, an excellent
ly we'll written but formal proposition
for her hand, and as the writer was
not ten years the lady's senior, though
of a cold and pompous disposition,
there could not be any very serious
obstacle in the way. 1t was TO Hen
ry Morland like the receiving of a death
blow; q sense OF duty, of propriety,
of manliness, came to his aid, how
ever; and, with a desperate effort he
said: Undergraduates you, Miss
Vernon"
81 won't be congratulated" broke
in Ellen, "and you are not in earnest
when you say so; and | won't be call
ed Miss Vernon-yOu may as well say
Lady BeazIey, of Beazley hall, at once
its odious-its shameful" and she
walked impatiently about him. There
was q pause on his part, for he knew
not what to say.
"Why don't you speak to me, Hen
ry?" began Ellen. "HaVe you no feel,
ing?" -,
"You have a proposal, said Henry,
"that many a lady in the country
would envy. l should wish you we'd
| ded to O. man you love; for, whatever
you may think of me, | cannot forget
| that we have been children together,
and your happiness has always been
the object of my thoughts"
THANK you, Henry! thank your
and with a frank, unconscious and un-
speakably tender manner, she laid
both hands upon his shoulders, and
bent her deep, beautiful eyes upon his
face.
1t was next to impossible for any,
one to resist the fascination OF that
glance, and Henry, attracted without
the power of resisting, took her face in
his hands and kissed her forehead.
1t recalled him to himself; and the
sudden revulsion was absolute tor
ture.
81 cannot pretend to advise you in
this matter, my sweet cousin" he be-
gan; 'but if you entertain the thought.
l trust you will be happy"
81 detest the mani" cried Ellen
1inging away his hand angrily. Zone
would think that all were tnrned
against me-"
ado not believe it," said Henry
gravely. "And as this may be the
last interview"
"The last?" echoed Ellen.
'That we may have for years tt
come, let us not part with a misun
Outstanding. Had my own prospects
been different / should havefound my
self in a condition TOTO advise yor
better"
"In what way, Henry?" asked Ellen
with an arch smile.
81 cannot tell you now. Let i
suffice to say that my inability to d.
aught prevents me from saying wha.
/ would. Poor and dependent as
am, with a debt of gratitude to pay
which / would not have lessened by
sentiment of false pride, / must tel
you that for my own happiness, m.
own advancement, / must make
bold step in the world end figh
for my own share of good or i'll for
tune, as fate Wills it."
"But what necessity is there TO
this?" demanded Ellen, with q toucl
of her old impatience. "Does not m,
father love you? Has he not mad
your future prospects his study? Be
sides it will be necessary for you t.
attend, as q nea relative, at my bri
dali"
A faint smile crossed his pale lips a
he said, Sin this, without accusin
me of unkindness, you must hold m
excused. / can make some sacrifice {
feeling, but this Is beyond my power.
"Will you, if youplease, speak plair
er, and tell me what you mean an
why you cannot do this?" asked e
len, with mock gravity; 'for," though
she, ehe will tell me now that helove
me-"
Every sentiment which makes
mar respect himself-every impulse {
honor will tie my tongue forever o
that head. Spare me then, Elem" b
added mournfully. "Icannot prolon
, this interview. ! am SO little tutore
in Disgusting my feelings, that mus
say / regret this, while / trust it wi
eventually be for the security of you
own happiness"
you love me, Henry-youloveme mel
cried Ellen, catching him by the arm
Ellen felt that ne trembled fror
head to foot. She saw that he turne
as pale as death; but the firm con
preston of those pallid lips told he
| that nothinO r0uld wripo forth q cny