Huntsville gazette., 1889-02-16


her voice, like birds, carolled the
blithest ballads.
But surely no bird or butterfly was
ever more restless in q gilded cage
than Elsie in.her new home. She was
never still. Walking, riding. driving,
gardening. fitting here and there, till
Aunt Jane, model of repose, won
dered she did not drop down with
| actual exhaustion.
II don't sleep well unless / 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! l feel as if l were fifty!"
and having made this tremendous as
sertion. she fitted from French win
dow and down the balcony steps like a
child of ten.
1t was April when old Mr.. Reed died,
| and in September his grandchildren
| were to be married. There was only
Aunt Jane to care for the details Of
Elsie's trousseau, for the young girl
| was an orphan, and her fathers mar
| riage had been displeasing to her
grandfather. But for the kindness Of
Aunt Jane and Frank, she would have
had scant welcome at L during the
old mans lifetime.
But Aunt Jane was equal to the
emergency, and the profusion of Elsie's
bridal wardrobe was good earnest of
the luxuries to come after her mar
riage.
Il wonder, now," Elsie thought,
after the rapid flight into the garden
| already described, "what is Franks
opinion of all this. Four blessed
months have l been in this house, and
he has not once spoken word of love
to me. He is all courtesy, gentleness,
and-I will say it once-stupidity, but
as much like a lover as walking cane.
| suppose he don't like having his wife
willed to him, like a teapot or cake
basket Why couldn't my grand
father have left me tiny, tiny little
fortune all my own? | can't wear
ulOI bluu OHO utCoo gu dlUCl
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, brooding eyes,
hands clenched fast! Not like happi-
ness-grief is too mild a word-he
looks like despair! Why? l believe
I'll have it out with him nowr
In pursuance of which design Elsie
presented herself before her betrothed,
rousing him from his gloomy abstrac-
tion to his usual gentle courtesy.
What were you thinking of as I
came down the walk" she asked alb
ruptly.
For moment he looked confused, but
| answered, very gently:
"a mans thoughts are not always
| ready for dress parade, Elsie"
Were you thinking of me?"
No"
II am glad of that. / should expect
to find a dose of arsenic in my next
| cup of tea, if you had been"
"Did | 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 rus
| tic seat. Frank, she said softly, and
with eyes of womanly tenderness,
giving a new beauty to her winsome
face, "will you answer me one ques-
tion truthfully? Only oner'
For a moment he hesitated, then
with a long deep breath, he braced
| himself as if to meet blow, and said:
Il willr'
did you love somebody else when
grandfather died?"
Somebody else?"
"Besides me! Are you keeping the
terms of the will because you will
not thrust me out of share of grand
fathers will? Are you breaking your
| own heart"
stop, Elsie! There are many
| questions.
ANSWER my first one, then. Do
you love somebody else better than
| your little cousin?"
"Yes!" was the murmured answer.
'sOh, so do so do | 1t is all a
wretched mistake! Oh, Frankr' in a
passion of tears.
Never had he been so lover-like
as now, when he had renounced her.
He took her in his arms, soothed her,
kissed her, called her pet names.
Don't Elsie, don't sob so. My dear
child, there shall be no compulsion.
1 thought you We're heart whole
$50 | ought to be. | treated him
shamefully l told him | wanted
money, money, lots of money. l was
hatefulr'
Then there was sobbing confession,
and cousinly confidence; and Aunt
Jane. seeing the pair coming arm in
| arm, thought:
"Why, dear me, the dear children
have come to an understanding, and
Frank will forget Agnes, after all. |
am so glad!''