The Princeton union., 1889-08-15

Il. Call at two, and Jenny will receive you
very kindly, and will show you are in the
Now, won't that be nice?'
u will 60, !" said Edward, gravely,
They parted. Where Alfred went the read
or can perhaps guess; Edward to luncheon
Mamma, said he, with that tranquility
which sat SO we'll on him, don't you think
Alfred Hardie is spoony upon our Julia?'
Mrs.o Dodd suppressed q start, and (per-
haps t egain time before replying sincerely
said shS had not the honor of knowing what
"spoony" meant
Why sighs for her, and dies for her, and
fancies she is prettier than Miss Hardie. He
must be over head and ears,
"Fie, child!" was the answer. "If |
thought SO, l should withdraw from their
ac4uaint ance. Excuse me: must put on
my bonnet at once, not to lose this fine
afternoon"
Edward did not relish her remark; it
menaced more Spoons than one However
he was not the man to be cnst down at O
word; he lighted q cigar, and strolled to-
ward Hardie's house. Mr. Hnrdie, senior,
had left three days ago on visit to Lon
don; Miss Hardie received him; he passed the
afternoon in calm complacency, listening
Teverentiy to her admonitions, and looking
earthly affections with his lion eyes.
Meantime his remark, so far from really
seeming foolish to Mrs. Dodd, was the tue
reason for leaving him abruptly. Gwen
this dear slow Thing sees it, thought she.
She must talk to Julia more seriously, and
would go to school at once. She went up
stairs, and put on her bonnet and shawl be-
fore the glass, then nodded on her gloves;
and came down equipped. On the stairs was
large window, looking upon the open field;
she naturally cast her eyes through it, in the
direction she was going, and what did shesee
but @ young lady and enteman coming
slowly down the path toward the villa. Mrs.
Dodd bit her lip with vexation. and looked
keenly at them. to divine on what terms
they We're. And the more she looked the
more uneasy she grew.
The head the hand, the whole person of a.
young woman walking beside one she loves,
betrays her heart to experienced eyes watch
ing unseen: and most female eyes are expert
enced at this sort Of inspection Why did
Julia move so slowly? especially after that
warning. Why was her head averted from
th at encroaching boy, and herself SO near
him? The anxious mother would much
rather have seen her keep her distance, and
look him full in the face. Her first
lionesses, hens, and all the mothers
in nature to dart from her ambush and
protect her young; but she controlled it by
a strong effort: it seemed wiser to descry the
truth, and then act with resolution; besides,
the young people we're now almost at the
schrubbery; SO the mischief, if any. was done
They entered the shrubbery.
To Mrs. Dodd's surprise and dismav they
did not come out this side so quickly. She
darted her eye into the plantation; and 10!
Alfred had seized the fatal opportunity TO-
lin nron nffo rrho /. l..
lia's hand, and was pleading eagerly for
something she seemed not disposed to grant;
for she turned away and made an effort to
leave him. But Mrs. Dodd, standing there
quivering with maternal anxiety, and hot
with shame, could not but doubt the sinceri-
ty of that graceful resistance If she had
been quite in earnest, Julia had fire enough
in her to box the little wretch's ears. She
ceased even to doubt, when she saw that her
daughters opposition ended in his getting
hold of two hands instead of one, and de-
vouring them with kisses, while Julia still
drew her head and neck quito away, but the
rest of her supple frame seemed to yield and
incline, and draw softly toward her besieger,
by some irresistible spell.
81 can bear no more!" gasped Mrs. Dodd
aloud. and turned to hasten and part them;
but even as she curved her stately neck to
go, she caught the lovers parting; and a
very pretty one too, if she could have looked
at it, as these things ought always to be
looked at Artistically. ~ sf't...>
Julia's head and lovely throat, unable to
draw the st Of her away. compromised:
they turn declined, dropped, and rested
one half moment on her captor's shoulder,
like settling dove; the next, she scudded
from him, and made for the house alone.
Mrs. Dodd, deeply indignant, but too wise
to court q painful interview With her own
heart beating high, went into the drawing
room; and there sat down, to recover some
little composure. But she was hardly
seated when Julia's innocent voice was heard
calling.
Mammal mammal and soon she came
bounding into the drawing-room, brimful OF
good news, her cheeks red as fire. and her
eyes wet with happy tears; and there CON
fronted her mother, who had started up at
her footstep, and now, with one hand nip
ping the back of the chair rconvulsivey, stood
lofty, looking strangely agitated and hostile.
The two ladies eyed one another, silent,
yetexpressive; like a picture facing O. statue:
but soon the color died out ofJulia' g face as
WELL and she began to cover with vague fears
before that stately figure, so gentle and plac-
id usually, but now SO discomposed and
stern. ~
& sss,,-.'