The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-04-15
AGREEABLY DECEIVED.

AGREEABLY DECEIVED.
''She has got story, I'm almost GER
tain," says Fanny Tullan. Il can see
it in the expression of her face. only
wish had courage to ask her about it. !"
1t was dull. rainy day-one of the
bleak premonitors of the equinoctial
storm-and as there was not much doing
in the post-office, the girls took longer
than usual at their lunch.
Fanny sat on a packing-box, turned
upside down, under the stairway that
led down to the sorting room, slowly
munching her cake; and Ella Hay, her
companion at the counter, was nestled
at her feet, eating bread and butter and
raspberry jam with the heartiest of ap-
petites.
At the same moment, Verona Gordon,
the telegraphist, came lightly down the
stairs in her dark-blue serge gown, and
her satin-brown braids of hair shining
in the oblique light of the dust-dimmed
window. She caught Fanny's last sem
tences, and paused abruptly.
ITO ask whomP" said she. "Who has
got story?"
And Fanny, spurred on by a sudden
upward blaze of courage, answered:
your
Verona smiled. In repose, her face
was cold and grave; but when it lighted
up with that rare smile, it was absolute
ly beautiful. Instead of being offended,
however, she sat cheerfully down on the
other half of the packing-box.
"You are right, Miss Tullan," said
she. 81 have got story, else l never
81 in off II
brought up to work, and l don't like
working the instrument from morning
until night any better than other peo-
pie do"
Fanny Tullan's great grey eyes OPEN
ed wide.
.'Oh, Verona" said she, won't you
tell it to us?"
''Of course will, said Verona. "Why
shouldn't L? You were very kind to me,
Fanny Tullan, when first came, lonely
and inexperienced, to the office. 1t
would be hard indeed if l couldn't do
as much to please and amuse you"
''Of course you have already surmised
that am lady by birth" said she.
THAT goes without saying. But you
would scarcely have imagined that l
was once an heiress. Westerndale Hall
that was the name of the place-a
beautiful old house, down by the sea.
t.rh, loved that house!-and now I
ne yer shall see it any morer'
h 'er lip quivered; the tears came into
her yes for a second, and then she
went .bravely on:
"Bua> / didn't know until quite lately
that there was a lawsuit about Western
dale Hall: that some other branch of
family beloved that they had better
rioht to it than my mother and l.
Mamma never told me about it; and,
luckily it was not until after her death
that that hateful l;ewyer's letter came
H'he letter. I mean, that notified me,
W eth a mock respect fiat was worse than
any amount of downright insolence
wo,uld have been. that Essterndale Hall
belo uged to my fourth or fifth cousin,
inste ad of me. There was something
in il ,>bout nv not being disturbed in
tbe oc :1pancy, if it suited me to remain,
but 7 RI Sild listen to no such beiitling
proposit ION as that. I tore the letter In
to pieces. and packed my personal be,
lonpings i, Hto one little trunk and came
away 1 to ok refuge with q reiative OF
nv mother. Who lives, in a very quiet
way, IN LOndt w. anu ~ ""' ON
helped me to gC'k the school' ana ge'
this place; and IT, ,efe Is my story.
1.-The beginning" SAID Fanny Iuilan'
nibbling up the lasNcf >umo Oh her l'iiich
''but not the endr'
"Why not the end.T
"Oh, because you'll see hat the end
will be that you'll som chow 40 back tG =;
Westerndale Hall, and she Coz >usln WI
be stately, dark-eyed .sristocrA T. WI.
will fall headlong in love with ya u ~
the very first sight, nodd ed Fanny.
IN Miss Verona laughed in spite of b. 'r
Then he may fall out ;sgain,' said
she. There goes the clockN must get
back to work-and so must you, chill
dren. The fairy story is ovels; the work
a-day hour is beginning once more"
1t was still raining hard when Verona
came out into the dreary autumn night,
where the wet pools glistene,d on the
pavement, and the gas-lamps shone
sulkily through the mist.
From the other side of the street
shadow-like figure approached. the ra-
dius of an umbrella extended itself over
her head, and her arm was calmly pull
ed under that of altal young man in
waterproof coat
.'Oh, Paul, is itjyouP" said Verona.
"Yes, it is l." answered a firm, cheer
full voice. 81 knew you would forget
your umbrella
Yesterdays wind turned it inside
out and split the giHgham into ribbons" "
said Verona, laughing, as she hurried
along by the side of her cousin, Paul
Rothermel. '.WeN, at all events, it was
thoughtful of you to come for me, Paul.
But you are always thoughtful
Paul did not answer; 1t was his way to
be silent and abstracted.
"Well, what luck have you had to-
day." asked Verona
| sThe best of luck" he answered.
.AChey have decided ito accept my inven-
tom, and put it into immediate use. l
am, to have f1,000 down, and f5O0
yea1 royalty on my patent as long as
they use (which, IF it don't turn out a
poorer thing than I,believe, will be for
ever and ever"
..Oh, Paulr' cried Verona, breath
lessIy.
Il am very glad of this, Verona" he
said, DO you know whya"
II can guess"
..lJo, don't believe you can quite
guess" he said. gently. 1T is because
this has prompted me to speak out what
has long been ON my mind-to ask you
to be my wife. You are one of the wo-
men, dear, who should be born prin-
cess, instead of a post-offlce clerk,
drudging all the day long behind desk.
again. . AMI ~ YOU ol 'oSi {, '~'A'