The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-07-23
THE SILENT GOSSIP.

to each other, . the young man who is most
interested in the conversation can do moth
ing better than to depart as soon as con-
sistent with his dignity.
So Richard went out and banged The door
leaving Dolly in the library.
Dolly was 1S, Richard was 90, the ages
at which a man and a woman are most
given TO tormenting each other.
Dolly thought Richard the handsomest
and wiscst of human beings; Richard
thought Dolly the loveliest and most low
able OF woman: SO there is no use describ-
ing either Of them. That Dolly should re-
fuse Richard, or that Richard should pro-
pose to Dolly in an u~nfavorabie moment,
may seem strange, but it was the fault of
a gossip, a silent gossip, who or which
had circulated most extraordinary %intelli-
gcncc concerning Richard.
One fine afternoon, less than a week be-
fore this painful evening interview, Richard
walked down Main Street, enjoying the
mild spring air thinking of Dolly and tennis,
'CoitJ tRt us bHiH'ts 1pIJ dHh Hln bii-
dem and Dolly and his buggy, as had been
his habit ever since he returned from col
lege and found that Dolly had treasured up
all his letters to her brother.
Main street was crowded the evening
train, the s'supper train from town, had
just arrived, and Richard, who had come
down by an earlier train on some business
with old Mr.. FARMLAND, met the crowd,
and beamed s~orcnely on every one. Pco-
pie met very closely on the narrow side
walk of a village street; that was the
reason why the two Poulett girls, appar-
emily struck by Richards new scarf pin,
stared and giggled as they passed. Then
Miss Lawndes, the dressmakcr, peered at
him with eager eyes; Mrs. Allen, the loo
tors wife, stout and slow, CANT to a 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 friends, ''the boys" as
the young lawyers, clerks and railroad
men of his w 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 tcnnis-ground,
sauntercd slowly to meet Richard. Lulie
Cameron was with him, giggling as usual,
and they both stopped and talked to Rich
ard for a moment or two. Then it was
tea-time, and every one i'll well-regulated
Sunnydale went home.
Within the next three daysall 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 i'll Europe on a 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 engaged said Aunt Julia, after an
nouncing the facts in the same ease. ''But
| never would have believed she could have
misbehaved so afterwards. George will be
furious. OF course he will break off and |
don't blame him"
Dolly kept silent. Richard had been
devoted to her since they were children;
they had quarrelcd and made mp Il dozen
times, and he had occasionally invited
other girls to parties and picnics, when he
thought Dolly had shown signs of under
valning 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 a week, while he was, no doubt.
calling on Julie the other four evenings
And then to come DOWN i'll the early train
to see her '"Thc deteStable little firt, it
ing over her work, and blushing with
shame and anger. But though Dolly ill.,
wardly ragged she showed no signs of dis
turbance, and s~erenely met Richard when
he called, as usual, two days after she had
learned of his falseness.
eff it were not that the whole village
had seen it, | believe | should be deceived
by him again. thought Dolly, as she
looked into the eyes that were dearer to
her than all others, as they bcamed at her
from under Richards straight brows.
When Richard, who. had lately made
certain satisfactory business arrangements,
and felt that now his lifelong devotion de
served to be rewarded, made what he con-
sidered a neat and creditable proposal, his
wrath at her refusal was not greater than
Dolly's at his presumption.
Il didn't need to lead up to it, as if had
only known her a month"; She's been fool
ing me all this time - was Richards an
CRY comment, as he went down the steps.
ale thinks because she's engaged and
f~lirts, he can be engaged and flirt, too"
was Dolly's meditation, mingled with
tears. "But | would take linn, Oh, |
would he just such a fool! and forgive him
If the whole village hadn't seen it!' and
Dolly wept above the new mantle-covcr,
regardless of decorative art.
Dolly was not one to tell when She had
refused an offer, so she had no one to sym
pathize 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 several weeks, so Dolly had her
trouble all to herself and tried to be ami
able.
Not SO did Richard, That young man