The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-08-16

ance ON this fair one, he seated himself
one evening at his desk and wrote an
offer Of marriage (Which" he added
"surely cannot surprise you-you must
know 10y my manner how l feel"
This he addressed to Miss Cora East
man and carried to the house with his
/ own hands
-"For Miss Cora, he said to the serv.
ant Don't make any mistake"
"Not /, sor," said old William. "a
/ know right well which lady it's for"
Now old William had been in the fam
lily many years. He well remembered
those old days when this gentleman was
spoken OF as Mr. Samuel Miss Cora's
sweetheart, in the kitchen. He had nc
doubt whatever that the letter in his
hand was meant for his young lady
! The ''bit OF girl, her niece, he sill,
considered a child, and so with slow and
solemn steps he made his way to Miss
| Eashnan's own room, raped on the
/ door, opened it and entered on tiptoe.
Miss Cora, said he in an awful whis
per, Master Samuwell-I mean Mr.
Wadleigh- tould me to give you thii
quite private, and to be particular about
it,
Thank you, William" said Miss East
man, and when he was gone she sat
looking at the envelope rather dismally
At last she opened and read it.
Il thought so, she commented, with
a little groan.
On the evening he had appointed in his
letter Mr.. Wadleigh rang the door bell
a little apprehensively He had a
carnation in his buttonhole and big
bouquet in his hand.
William opened the door His smile
was confidential.
''Miss Cora said if you would take d
safe in the library she'd resave you in a
few minutes" he whispered, and Mr.
Wadleigh entered the library. Here all
was very quiet and no callers would
intrude. Here he would learn his fate
'And why should / fear it," he asked
surveying himself in the glass over the
mantelpiece. Yet all the same he was
conscious of a certain tremor, rather
inward than outward, and his ears
burned
Ten minutes at least were given him
in which to quiet himself. Then door
opened a5 the end Of the library and q
figure entered--Cora He started III
and advanced toward it. 1t was Cora
certainly, but not the one he expected
not his new love, but his old He
stopped-stood still She advanced: she
held his letter in her hand. 1t suddenly
dawned upon him that William had
made a mistake.
"Pray be seated, said Miss Eastman
and lie was very glad to sit down.
Il beg said the lady, "that you will
give me little time 1 can not forlnu
late my ideas as desire to. p
ooh, take time, take timer said he
and walked away to the window.
1t was all up with him, he felt. She
would shortly exclaim, "Samuel, an
yours" and perhaps fall into his arms
All the mistaken spinsters and widows il
the plays did that, and he must make NJ
his mind to it. There had been tacit
engagement between them. 1t had never
been broken off He had written tC
Cora Eastman. She was Cora Eastman
Nothing could alter that, and he could
not injure and insult her. After all
she was a nice little woman, and of the
proper age for his wife.
She was pretty still, she was good
He had not the strength Of mind to gel
out of this fix, unless it had been baC
enough to warrant him in cutting his
throat. And at this moment she spoke
Samuel" she said-she had not called
him Samuel since his Samuel
I have found words at last. Come
here"
He came and sat down in great chaii
opposite her
you can't tell how feel, said she
"You tell me I must have expected thi.
letter, but did not. thought youhaG
forgotten. If you had said IA word -on'
word. / was very constant for years
but time has an influence I've altered
so have you. l did not know you wher
1 first saw you, but still had 1 guessed
should have thought it my duty to tlJ
-I-I-it must come out somehow.
am engaged to be married to our pastor
Mr.. Sweetsmile, and feel that hav,
chosen for my happiness. Don't feel too
bad, Samuel. will always be a sister
to you"
Ten minutes before this Mr.. Wadleigl
would have fancied that he must rejoic,
at this termination of their meeting
Here he was out of his dilemma, FIRE,
again. All he had to do was TO bow
look grave, accept the position of frieni
and brother, and retire gracefully; but
after all, he had been refused, and he fel
angry, He had been informed that h,
was no longer an Adonis, and he wa
hurt; and somehow Cora, in her excite
ment under the influence Of emotion
and in the shadows of the library, lool1ci
so charming that some portion of his ole
love sprung to life again. Now that h
knew he could not get her, and tina
some one else wanted her, she became
desirable.
Il am an idiot, he said aloud, ant
Cora answered:
"Oh, dear, mol 1 shall always remem
Der your truth and constancy very ten
derly" He bowed and took his hat. HI
bowed again and retired to the door, A
he went along the passage to the oentra
hall of the large house he heard th,
front door open.
civilian, where is auntie;7 said Cora
voice.
"In the library" said William. ''Bu
don't You go there. Mr.. Samuel is il
there Offering of hisself Poor gentle
man, Tn afraid it's the day after tn
fair; but such is life"
Then Cora giggled and ran upstairs
Mr. Wadleigh never proposed to tn
youngest Miss Eastman. Later he mar
ried a snowy widow who admired hin
intensely, She had no young Samue
Wadleigh with hyacinthine locks am
slender waist to compare him with. AM