Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-01-10
A FAIR EXCHANGE.

young man hurried forward and
clasped the girl to his breast-clasped
her and kissed her, and looked down
joyfully into the startled Yiolct-blue
eyes; but she, laughing and blushing
in lovely embarrassment, tore her.
self ont Of his arms and stood shyly be-
fore him.
'Im not Diana-I'm only Dolly. -
she explained demurely. "And YOU
must be Rupert Leslie, though | did
not know Diana was expecting you
home so soon"
"She was not expecting me:
planned to take her by surprise. Is it
possible this is little DollvP You are
the living image of your sister, he
said, regarding her with a mingled
look of surprise, confusion. and adj
miration.
"Oh, indeedl" answered Miss Dolly,
not particularly flattered. But she is
a great deal older than | am
"Of course murmured the young
man, more and more confounded;
you are the picture Of what she was
five years ago, when say her last"
Il am eighteen, and my sister is
twenty-three," remarked Dolly. with a
little air of superiority. But Diana is
just as pretty as ever" she added,
palronisingly, 'and viii be awtully
glad &c have YOU back, / suppose.
Shall ] run to the house and tell herr"
81 have been in the house and spoken
TO your mother. Diana was out here
in the garden. she said, and that was
one reason | made the mistake, / sup
pose he said dreamily, his eyes still
lingering on the beautiful, flower-like
face, so fresh so piquant so perfect.
Dolly was Il born c0quette, and
selfish to the core of her heart. She was
fully aware of the impression she was
making; even now she was thinking,
with thrill, would it be possible to
cut Diana out, and catch this handsome
and generous fellow for herself?
For the Davenports were poor, and
Dolly longed for costlier dresses and
jewels to set of her beauty; she envied
her elder sister her good luck; beaux
Miss Dolly had. in superabundance,
but among them no such excellent
pafti as this-rich and fascinating. She
glanced up at him from under her
long curling lashes
"lts too bad | got the first kissm
she laughed, the soft color flying to
her wild-rose face. Diana will be
furious"
Don't tell her them murmured
Leslie, laughing a little, too, and un-
able to Withdraw his admring gaze
from the lovely young girl. Five
years. l never thought about Cheir
Diana; yet, Of course, l am
Older as well as she.
ooh, out mania man ought to be
eight or ten years the older!'
Have YOU anyone in particular in
your minds eye, DollyP' he asked,
laughing because She laughed.
mot vet" with little affected sigh.
but, really, | must look about formy
sister. You must be dying to see her,
! know, after all these years. Why,
five years seem to me like half life
timel | wonder you've had the patience
To stand here, listening TO my nom
sense; | won't tell Diana, nor how you
took me for herr
Rupert Leslie himself wondered why
he had remained by Dolly and let her
talk without demanding to see his
sweetheart He had come into that
sweet June garden, eyes and heart
aglow, his whole soul rushing in al
vance of his footsteps; for now, at last,
after long "toil aud endeavor." the
supreme hour, SO intensely longed for
was here. when he ''should feel the
arms of his true love round him once
again.
He had seen her, he thought, fairer
than ever, standing there IN the old
rose-arbor dressed in white, and he
had stolen forward and caught her to
his breast in burst OF rapture; aud
after all. il had not been his Diana, but
that little sister of hers grown up. lie
was conscious of a slight shrinking
from the idea of the first meeting, now
with the real Diana.
Meantime. not six feet away. out
side the leafy arbor, sitting in the
decp, glistening fragrant grass, a book
in her lap, showers of roSe-potals drop
ping over her golden hair and pale
blue dress. was Diana Davenport
moment ago dreaming happily of her
coming lover. but now white as death,
her hands clinched, her lips quiyering
She gave no token other nearness. and
the two moving away in search of her.
did not learn that she had overheard
their little chat
Dolly was always entirely selfish,
she whispered to herself, after time.
Il have given up everything else to
her, and now She will try to win bin. =
She crept carefully cut Of the garden
into the house.
My dear, Rupert has Gomez her
mother called out joyfully, as she was
slipping up to her room.
Yes, mamma; | must smooth my
hair
Once safe i'm her room she looked at
herself long and sadly in her mirror.
IF am pale and grave aud thought
full. p she murmured, Il have become
so waiting and watching for him. II
! had loved him less | might not have
pinned away my roses. Yes, Dolly Is
lovely soft and tender and lovely as
the roses out there and as soulless;