The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-08-08
ETTA'S ROMANCE.

Eat was very kind OF Mis-. Grayley to give him
IN an opportunity 10 plead his suit TO her pretty,
& winfu daughter. Was il not for that pur-
%A' pose she had gone away and interviewed her
maids 10 the kcheu9 Aud when Eta followed
her thither, Insisting on her return. had she not
discovered that some OF her carnations wanted
iyibg up, ana tlotled out into tile garden 10 at
lend TO them.
But 1t was to no good purpose that the good
lady-mOre compassionate than her daughter
took pity ON the young fellow, whose unsteady
and anxious blue eyes showed but too plainly the
depth of his lealings. Eta tacity refused to be
woOed, and when he pleaded for hearing she
shook her head. and kept SO close 10 he mothers
SIDE that al last he heayed great sigh and took
his leave.
Then Mrs. Grayley put down her gardening
gloves ana scissors, and turned 10 lie cruel
maiden Indignantly.
Il AIN ashamed OF you, Eta Have you no
feeling, that you treat an old friend IN this way
Poor DOlph Ernsleln deserves better usage"
Let nim come as a friend, aud viii welcome
him gladly; buI you know, mamma that he Will
BOg be content Will that"
YES" letorted Mrs. Grayley, 81 DO know that
for years be las liked you, ana cherished nope
that some day you would be his wife; ana you
encouraged that hope"
"Oh, no, mamma; never !"
"But l say you did, until was silly enough to
be pei suaded TO give you have dozen Terms al
J Flushing school"
college, mamma" Eta corrected.
"Call II what you WILL very much regret that
! ever let you 60 TO il. You went simple, sensi.
bic girl eager 10 study AMI improve yourself; you
came BAGS 10 me seliabsorbed, sentimental and
silly"
Mamma I"
My dear, I'm sorry 10 say this; but il is too
True. You managed 10 get into set of Idle, ex-
ciTable girls, vino imbued you with all their Owl
extravagant ideas Instead OF being loving.
Intelligent companion TO Inc, you're always
dreaming or reading what you Call esJbeIlc
poetry aud l should designate trashi aud
for lhei EInsIelns, you have affrOuted Lola and
meet her VITA your GOODNESS, While Dolph, II lie
were wise, would think no more OF you"
Eta grew crimson with modification. To be
lectufed so sharply by the dear, indulgent
mother, Who hitherto had been SO patient With
her was bad enough, but TO he threatened with
tile loss OF her lover, as If il would be a serious
calamity, hurt her pride.
ant. ETnSteln cannot accuse me OF flirting
with him, and I've told him frankly that do not
wish To marry"
"Wny?" queried Mrs, Grayley.
Thai is curious question TO come from you,
mamma. Are you IN such Il hurry 10 get lid OF
your Troublesome daughter that You would give
me 10 Tie flrsI that asks my hand?
Never mind what would or would not do"
was Tue grave IetorI 'FOr that Pm answerable
10 my own conscience. But answer my inquiry.
Why do you not wish 10 marry Ad0lpn En-
stelhY Have you heard anything 10 his disad-
vantage ?"
oh, 10 Every one knows that he is the best
OF sons and brothers"
That only responds to my second question.
Now for the first You confess that YOU do moi
dislike The young man You've long been aware
thai he loves You Win all his heat and thai his
patents ale guile willing 10 receive you as
daughter? one OF your motives for going TO col
leg was 10 improve yourself in German because
II i ,helr naive tongue yet now you refuse
ibelr sous proposals, and ask agaln-why?"
Il am sery happy at home with you, mamma"
iaeted Eta, letting her head drOup that she
might avoid Tie piercing scrutiny OF her mothers
eye; hut quickly conQuering an emotion OF which
she was ashamed, she raised herself 10 her full
rata md nL.ah Mra HflaUh n1d In he
face.
II viii not stoOp to prevaricate. would have
liked, perhaps loved Dol, if We were not so dia-
nleliically opposed 10 each other In III ought,
sentiment and feeling and-and II he were not
IN trade 20
Mrs. Grayley raised her eyebrows.
"Please TO remember, Eta, that your father
was only struggling county practitioners yet
liz was eenlemani and SO is MIR Ernsteiu, al
mlnd you that my annuity dies With me, and my
small savings will not amount to a sum that will
place you on an equality with the upper classes.
As Tor he Ernsielns, they are well 10 do; they
Keep handsome establishment and country
house II you were Dolph's wife yon would
have
But here Eta interposeu. crying, Historically:
what could they give that could atone for the
horrible fact that they are taiors2 Oh, mamma,
TO be known as tailOr's wife; how could en-
duTe IL p"
Very deliberately Mrs Grayley picked up her
scissors aud drew on The glove she had cast
aside.
pray wipe your eyes, Eta; your tears are
guile uncalled for" she said, cody. 81 begin 10
agree with you That Dolph has made mistake.
1he girl who desDises him because he manfully
does bis best III the stale OF life In which he was
called cannot be worthy Of his love, and L shall
90 all In my powe 10 induce him to forget you"
Elta walked away, writing under the
eaSm OF her mothers tones. and entering the
house assembled TO her chamber, where, though
not given 10 contemplating ber own CHAINS, she
STOOD before the cheyal glass gazing at herself
III mnurniul musing.
II Dolnh had been professor or a poet-lf he
lad gn=F hs4ra
entail lie had possessed the merest spark OF
romance I'D bis cUmpOstiOn-She could NOT have
Treated him so Colby, but-"should have been
thrown away upon him. she cried passionateIy.
"He has no soul. All my aspirations would
have been dragged down 10 earth by his grOsser
materially, ana should have been a most I'M
happy woman, pitied by none, for who would ex-
pend any sympa by on the wife of tailor ?''
Then Ella sat down, and opening her desk
wrote lille note TO her rejected suitor.
They were wholly UNITED for each other"
she Told him; 'tBeir minds were not tuned TO
the same chord; they must be content to dwell
apart MI shaking on the bonds Of earth they
scared Into that higher life where they should
be able 10 understand all that was now dim and
misty aud incOmprehensiDie."
Ella was rather duubtI vi whether DOlph would
comprehend this last sentence; she was not
quite clear about it herself; but IL sounded well
and was written In her best hand; 80 she ad-
dressed The letter aud resolved 10 take 1t To the
post al once, lest that reucIancs 10 give him
pain she often experienced should withhold her
from posting IL at all.
When dropped inlO the box Eta thought she
should feel relieved, but She did not; and, I'M
willing TO risk another encounter with her
mother, she stroled past The cottage and wan.
dered down leafy lane where few came at noon
but herself and the birds. and she could reciIe
her favorlte verses from Oscar Wilde and Tenly-
son without fear OF being overheard.
"Oh heart, how is II with thee now?" quoted
Eta
lis this yours 7'' breaibed a low voice In her
ear. With start aud blush she turned TO tnG
stranger beside her with Marechal Neil rose
DolDh ErnStein had brought her; the exquisite
blossom she had pinned IN her brooch 50 care
lessly that Il had fallen. and LIS delicate metals