Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-06-16
BRIEF COURTSHIP.
DO | look nice, auntie ?"

oO IOOA A'CS, duHUlG
The speaker was standing before a
full-length mirror, her pretty head
twisted to one side to survey the null
titudinous founces of white tulle over
pale blue silk, constituting the elabor-
ate evening dress covering her slender,
graceful figure.
"You look very nice, my dear"
Miss Della Merriman had taken q
long survey of the exquisite face before
she spoke, and was satisfied with the
appearance of her protege.
Every nicey' she repeated. "Hor-
tense has fitted you perfectly, and the
dress is most becoming. Now, if you
will get my jewel case, you shall wear
my pearls"
''Thanksp cried Elsie, carefully lift
ing the heavy casket and putting it on
q table beside Miss Merriman. "Oh,
auntie," she continued, opening q
small box in the jewel case, ''I never
saw this before!"
She held up, as she spoke, O. slender
chain, from which depended q gold
locket, upon whose surface cleaned
one pearl of great beauty, pure and
large.
ooh, how lovely" Elsie cried, clasp
ing the chain around her slender
throat. ''May wear it?'
Miss Merrlman had grown very pale
as the locket was held up before her.
Some strong memory stirred her
usually placid face, for thesoft, brown
eyes grew troubled, and her lips quiv-
cred,
"Had you rather 1 took it Off"
Elsie asked, gently.
"No, dear, you may wear it. Put
IN the solitaire pearl earrings"
Elsie kissed her so-called aunt, and
fitted away.
''Miss Della Merriman, who had in
herited a hundred thousand dollars
from a second cousin, greatly to her
own amaZement, was not Elsie Gar
mans aunt. Nineteen years before
she had closed the eyes of the girls
dead mother, lifted a week-old babe to
her own bosom, and taken her home.
Though but forty, her hair was
thickly streaked with gray, and pre-
mature age was the fruit of toilful life
and a sorroWful heart. Yet she was
lovely still, goodness ever looking from
her sad, pitying eyes, and sweetness
lurking around the perfectly-shaped
mouth.
Memory was very busy In Della
Merriman's heart, as she sat over the
fire during Elsie's absence-so busy
that she started as if from q dream,
when the carriage rolled up to the
hour of two.
There were words of parting, then
light steps on the stairs, and Elsie
came IN, not as usual, full of bright
animation, but with an earnestness OF
purpose in her large, blue eyes, quite
unusual there.
''Did you have a pleasant evening,
dear?" Miss Della asked.
"Yes-no-I don't know. I have a
strange message for you, auntie.'
"For me-?
eyes, from stranger who was at
Mrs. Walton's-Mr. Darlington
Ralph Darlington"
Miss Della Merriman rose to her
feet, her face CHASTITY, her eyes staring,
and her breath coming IN short, quick
gasps. She tried to speak, but the
words would not come.
''kuntie!" the girl cried, terrified,
''don't look so-don't!"
1.-THE MESSAGE" Miss Merriman
whispered.
HE told NE to tell you that the
murderer of Henry Garman was
Charles Ralston, the cashier of the
Hope Bank, who had confessed his
guilt. He said, Tell Miss Merriman
tomorrow I will see her.
"Auntie," continued Elsie, her eyes
full OF piteous entreaty, "what does it
mean? Was not Henry Garman my
father?"
eyes, child. It MEANS" Miss Merri-
man said, solemnly, that the cross
that for twenty years has lain upon
my Life, is lifted tonight. will not
send you to O. sleepless bed, child, with
your heart so troubled. But give ma
few moments TO think of your tidings,
and tell me how this message came to
be entrusted to you."s9o -
"Mrs. Walton came TO me late in
the evening, and asked permission to
introduce AR. Carrington.s [ had no.
ticed q stranger, auntie, who had been
looking at me very earnestly"
ga tall, handsome man, with curl
ing brown hair, and large, merry blue
eyes, wearing full beard of waving
golden brown ?"
"No-a tall man, with grave, stern
face, smoothly shaver, and hair al
most white; quite an old man"
'True, true! had forgotten. He
must be So"
"When he was introduced to me.
auntie, he touched the locket upon