The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1888-06-28

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marched me of and prrssntsd me.
An old friend ot your isthsr's Alice.
she aided, after the formal introductior
had been gone through.
Nov that vas really spiisiai. snd w
occupied in trying to discover hov hai
deserved such treatment 81 hsr hands thai
stood like dummy uatil heard ,
voice saying
Were you really friend Of psps's .
college r.
mo, my dear youug lady, ! was not"
answered With much irritation. "Youl
father graduated years bsiore Was old
enough to enter college; but Il please soul
friend Mrs. A.. to make ne out resu.
lar old fossil tonight"
"Bnt papa il not 80 very ala. said ny
companion In surprise. And now for The
drst time ! noticed hov veg lovely she
vas, and wished myself q Guinss ios
hsxiag avian such IN saswss 6hs would
Be sure 70 put me down - orusty old
bachelor after that. and il was the vidow's
fault l would get even with her for ii.
Never before did remember 70 have
met SO interesting girl, and yet one Who
seemed so totally unconscious Of her
charms / went 70 work 10 good earnest
10 try aud obliterate The unplessant i'm
preston my first speech must have made.
Finding she bore me no III will for il, We
we're soon deeply engaged in comparing
notes on our travels, and for the first time
that evening felt that l was appreciated.
All too soon il came to On end, for .
miserable whipper snapper appeared and
bore her sway for waltz She wss too
sensible girl TO care for such senselsss
amusement, l thought; but a. watched
her gliding gracefully about with her part.
ner. there was no mistaking her expression
for anything but one Of thorough enjoy
ment. Why had never walizsd 4? Was
il too late to begin now ? But what was
l coming too Il. John Graham, who had
always rallied at dancing in general az Q
pastime fit for idiots, 10 think OF taking il
up at this late day and oil because 9
pretty girl. whom had known but half
an hour, looked happy as she whirled
away, aud made me jealous Of the youug
idiot who had carried her of. must be
drifting into my second childhood.
l started out that evening perfectly self.
satisfied. and feeling that my presence
was something most desirable; yet ss l
walked home two words kept ringing 10
my ears-de trop. de trop. For the first
time had felt out Of place. When !
reached my apartments / walked straight
TO the mirror. Ageing' Yes; there were
lines 10 my face had never sssn before;
and the longer l looked the lower fell the
mercury Of my spirits. dropped into
my arm chair in front Of the dying en-
bers. Long sat there thinking. My
cosy apartment struck me q cold aud
cheerless; it needed something the wo
mans hand probably; and yet bad new.
er missed it before. When d last arose
aud went into my bedroom il was another
man; my self conceit was falling away,
and was learning to learning 10 know
John Graham as be really was. not the
man my fancy bad pictured 70 me for SO
many years. The fulallment Of my faith
er's wish did not seem so easy; and 10
stead Of writing to him Immediately, q I
had intended. l put it off from day to day,
not because l had given up the intention
Of gratifying him far from it, Marriage
had never seemed so desirable TO me; but
- the desirability advanced, my qualiica-
tions for it diminished in my own eyes.
There is no fool like an old fool. "
How often ! had quoted the old saying !
but l had never thought Of applying it to
myself II came home 10 me now. and
rarg 10 my ears IS il could never get rid
OF it. Isuppose l was an old fool to oil
outward appearance, for 1 had never
found Jim Randolph attractive before, yet
now hardly day passed but managed
10 one way or another 10 meet him. 10
due course OF time was invited TO the
house; called; ! dined; dropped 10 Of
an evening, generally choosing those 10
which Jim was st the club or visiting the
widow, to whom he was nov very devot
ed. Sometimes saw Alice alone, but
frequently there we're other visitors, and
never could a,tter myself that she trest
ed me more kindly than the others. Shs
was cordial aud pleasant to sll. She often |
referred to our first meeting. and insisted
upon regarding me ~ friend OF her
fathers. Az least il was ss such that she |
introduced me to her friends;
but once or tSice | thought detected
spice Of mischief iu her eyes on such oc-
sssions. One day dropped 10 early 10
The afternoon. aud after . delightful chat
with H.. (which / felt that bad made
greater progress than ever before, asked
Il she would 70 skating with me.
"Oh yes, with pleasure" she answered;
lhen dropping her eyes she demurely
added. Il kDow pspA will not object,
though he rarely allows me TO 60 out
alone; but he said he slwsys felt - II
we're we'll cbaperoned when you we're With
me. being such an old friend Of bis. you
know"
The long lAshes hid her eyes, bat let
hat she vas laughing st me a. replied:
"Oh. Of course 90 old house dog who
has los, all bis teeth is perfectly safe for
he children 10 play with"
Yes, eIac,iy." wss the reply. Add this
anne she raised her laughing eyes TO mide.
md With an "su revoir" snd Low courtesy
he ran up stairs, while / departed, 10
A. A. -. -