The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-01-04

as sorted them over and picked out the
most respectable looking.
The summer passed quickly away, and
although DR.. John had come to pay his
mother ''only flying visit" somehow
he stayed on, and autumn came and
found him still at Silver Brooks and at
our house very often. l was silly
young thing, and mother scolded very
frequently about my Observation-Disclosures
l would blush very hard all the while
she was speaking, and then rush up
stairs into my room and weep my eyes
red over dainty blue satin box that
contained the relics of five or six sus-
piciously familiar withered nosegays.
| A day came which convinced me that
I had not been shedding tears at the
shrine of blue satin unrequited. l had
run over to Mrs. Brownlow's with a
basket of fresh laid eggs and mothers
compliments, and found the old lady
| busily mending away at a torn gray coat.
put the basket on the table, forgot
| what | came for, and remarked that it
was warm day. / had on light shawl
and the fire cracked merrily on Mrs.
| Brownlow's hearth. She looked at me
over her specks and l looked steadily
out of the window while l united my
bonnet strings.
60" she said, when she had looked at
me closely for half minute, ''you have
been running, l see by your red face, SO
of course you are warm"
did not tell her that it had taken
three-quarters of an hour to ''run" a
quarter of a mile.
After awhile she found she needed a
button that John had told her lay in his
room on top of his desk.
Just run up and get it for me, there's
dear! 1t will be right on top, for John
never forgets."
So up went, slowly, step by step,
feeling as though were walking on my
head. | hated to go near his room, and
yet l longed to see it. What if he
should come home and find me in it!
The thought lent wings to my feet. and
in moment / stood before the desk.
On its smooth. polished top lay the but
ton. and | laid my fingers on it. The
desk was open and number of papers
and thick books lay scattered about on
it, and as my eyes fell downward came
as near fainting as have ever done in
my life. Percy. Percy, Percy" scrib-
bled all over visiting card and John
entirely scratched out! l snatched the
button and few down stairs. did not
hear a word dear old Mrs. Brownlow
said after that. All l could think of
was the card that lay on DIR. Johns desk
and of a large sheet of paper that Law at
home in my bureau drawer with DIR
John Brownlow,' and-and sometimes a
very feminine substitute for doctor
written all over it in my own irregular
chirography. There seemed to be pins
and needles in the chair in which | sat.
and | never knew how got out of the
house. only came to after had care
fully torn up and burned, bit by bit, the
paper | Fad treasured for so long.
DIR. John came over the next day, and
we went off together for walk. He
gave me great deal of highly instruct
i've information about some flowers had
picked, calling them by all sorts of in
comprehensive Latin names, and | said
yes and no like an ignorant school girl,
and was evidently expecting to find
something in the road. We were coming
back, and suddenly he stopped talking.
There was dreadful pause. Like min
ny. could think of nothing to say, and
at the same moment exactly stopped to
the right side of the road ana pulled a
reed, and he stopped to the left side of
the road ard pulled a reed, and then we
both laughed little and blushed great
deal and walked on.
Percy" The name sounded very
sweet and my heart beat madly, after
stopping for a moment. ''What is the
use of all this? You know mother told
me she sent you up for that button yes
terday. and you must have seen.
Little girl you saw the card that lay
there?'
He paused for an answer, but we kept
on, walking. l could not have stopped
for the world. 'Yes.'
Percy, sweetheart, you were not
angry?"
lie took my hand in simple fashion
and tried to see my eyes. l turned my
LSS'u away -NO'
He put his arm around me-his great
strong ARMAND drew me gently to him.
Il love you. Little girl, will you tell
me that, too?'
lost my head completely. With a
wild cry broke from him and rushed
down the road. never stopping until l
reached the back stoop of our house. He
was not far behind me and | waited I'M
til he came up.
Goodbye, Percy He only said that
after we had stood side by side for long
time. His tone was just as always, only
there was ring of sadness in it that
went straight to my heart and sent the
hot tears to my eyes. 1 knew he had
not understood me at all, and, indeed,
it would have been difficult matter for
any one to have done that. / was not
responsible for any thing might do to-
day. | loved him, and he had said Il
love you," and was foolishly ashamed
and gloriously happy. l just threw my
arms around his neck and looked into
his loving eyes and kissed the dear lips,
and then l slammed the door in his face
and flew to take refuge with my old
blue-satin friend.
The next evening there was a hall at