Nevada County picayune., 1889-03-06

music lessons. and, perhaps, true earnest love behind her forever. Sc she assured herself.
 Her welcome was warm one from her aunt, but Frank was stiff and embarrassed. Every wish of the little heart was gratlied in the new home. Dresses. bonnets, jewelry, were given her with lavish hands, and she fitted from one superb room to another, trying to fancy herself the mistress of the wealth around her.
 The grand piano, under her skilled fingers, gave forth treasures of music. all of the showy, brilliant type, and her voice like birds. enrolled the bithest ballads.
 But surely no bird or butterfly was never more restless in q gilded cage than Elsie in her new home. She was never still. Walking, riding, driving, gardening, Hitting here and there, till Aunt Jane, model of repose, wondered she did not drop down with actual exhaustion.
 Il don't sleep well unless I am tired" she said once, in answer to some gentle remonstrance.
 "But. my dear, at twenty. you surely know, you ought to sleep we'll"
 ''Twenty, feol as If were fifty !" and having made this tremendous assertion, she fitted from French window and down the balcony steps like child of ten,
 It was April when old MT, Reed died and in September his grand children were to be married. There was only Aunt Jane to care for the details of Elsies rousseau, for the young girl was an orphan, and her fathers marriage had been displeas- ing to her grandfather. But for the kindness of Aunt Jane and Frank, she would have had scant welcome at L. during the old mans life time.
 But Aunt Jane was equal to the emergency, and the prQfusiQn of Elsie's bridal wardrobe was a good earnest of the luxuries to come after her marriage.
 'I wonder, now" Elsie thought, after the rapid flight into the garden already described, "what is Frank s opinion of all this. Four blessed months have l been in this house, and he has not once spoken a word of love to me. He is all courtesy, gentleness, and-l will say it once stupidity, hut as much like lover as q walking cane. 1 suppose he don't like having his wife willed to him, like a teapot or cake-basket. Why couldn't my grandfather have left me tiny, tiny little fortune all my own? cant wear more than one dress at a time. after all, and nobody can eat more than one dinner, if they order enough for fifty. Oh, dear There is Frank now, in the summer-house, looking like-h'm. let me see. Downcast face, breeding eyes, hands clenched fast! Not like happiness-grief is too mild word he looks like despair Why? l believe I'll have it out with him now !''
 In pursuance of which design Elsie presented herself before her betrothed, rousing him from his gloomy abstraction to his usual gen tie courtesy.
 "What were you thinking of as l came down the walk?" she asked abruptly,
 For moment he looked confused but answered very gently:
 "A mans thoughts are not always ready for a dress parade, Elsie"
 "Were you thinking of me?''
 No"
 II am glad of that. l should ex- pect to find dose of arsenic in my next cup of tea, if you had been"
 ''Dld l really look so murderous;" he said, smiling as old people smile at the vagaries of their children.
 "You looked" then she paused and came nearer to him upon the rustic seat. Frank" she said softly, and with eyes of womanly tenderness, giving new beauty to her winsome face, will you answer me one question truthfully! Only onen n'
 For q moment he hesitated, then with il louU deeD breath. he hraCed