Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-17

room sofa. She was rather surprised and
began retreating toward the door, 81
thought Miss Sophia was here" she said
hastily. But the young soldier sprang up
saying: pray don't GO. Allow me to cali
Cousin Sophia for you" Then, as the light
from the lamp fell on the girls face and
figure, he exclaimed, joyfully: "why, it's
Mary's friend, Miss Grant, isn't it?''
"Mr. Markham exclaimed Leslie.
''This is indeed surprise. How did you
come here?"
''By the train," he replied gayly. "The
fact is, Mary is away in Scotland. and so,
having no one to go to, volunteered visit
to my cousins-at least my mothers cousins
they are really-I am awfulIy glad came,
though" he continued.
"Oh," said Leslie demureIy; and at that
moment the door opened and Miss Sophia
came in.
'I hope, my Gear Geoffrey," she began,
but, catching sight of Leslie, she stopped.
HAS nv cousin been introducing HIMSELF"
she inquired pleasantly.
"Oh, no." answered the young man, 1--WE
are old friends, aren't we, Miss Grant?"
every" returned Leslie, smiling; and,
then, seeing the look of surprise on Miss
Sopnia's face, she explained that she and
Mary Markham had always been great
friends, and thus she had become acquaint-
ed with Marv's brother Geofrey. Then,
having delivered her message from Mrs.
Tracy. she went off home to ponder over the
strange chance which had brought her old
friend and playfellow into her neighbor-
hood.
OF course, after this the intercourse be.
tween the two houses became greater than
ever. The Colonel was great gardener,
and he used to 60 on long rambling walks
with his cousin in search of rare ferns or
plants, and very often Miss Grant and her
charges were of the party. Needless to
say, the children stuck BY their friend the
Colonel, and thus their governess was
forced to accept the companionship of
Geofrey.
The Belminster ladies said Mrs. Tracy
was very wrong in letting her children tor
ment "that poor Colonel Chalmers, while
they strongly disapproved of the "fast con-
duct of that Miss Grant" in going out SO
often with two gentlemen, and they SIN
cerely pitied ''those poor, dear Miss Chal-
merses" in "having such an eccentric
brother-such a peculiar man, my dear!
Used to hate women, now positively Wor-
ships themp'
Had the Belminster ladies seen the ador-
ing glances which Geofrey cast at Les
lie, when no one was looking, not even her
seli-had then seen the girls happy smile
as she sat at night by her bedroom window
and recalled the hundred little tokens of a
certain persons admiration, they would
probably have been still more horrifed. The
fact of the matter was that Geoffrey was
growing more and more in love every day.
He had always secretly admired his sis
ter's FREUD, but by the time his turlough
was drawing to an end he knew that he
loved her honestly and sincerely, and he
could not bear the idea of going away with
out knowing his fate. So one day at dinner
he announced casually that he would run in
next door to take Norman some soldiers he
had promised him and to borrow a song from
Mrs. Tracy.
''I shan't be very long, don't suppose"
he added, as he donned his hat, and the
next moment he was gone.
About an hour after this Colonel Chal-
mers suddenly bethought himself that he
ought to give Mrs. Tracy book he had
promised her, and not caring to trust the
work, valued one, to the servants, he
strolled across himself.
Mrs. Tracy imp" he inquired.
Eyes; in the drawing room, sir" replied
the maid.
'Oh, well, I'll just take this up myself"
and he ascended the softly-carpeted stairs to
the first floor. The drawing-room door was
slightly open, and lifting the crimson
portiere, he glanced in to see if Mrs. Tracy
were indeed there.
But the sight which met his ewes drove
all thought of Mrs. Tracy and the book from
his mind, for there, standing with their
backs to the door, and thus unable to see the
intruder. were Geoffrey and Leslie. The
head of the young man was bent over the
fair girlish one which leaned trustfully
cho xrhi
my darling, do you really and truly love
me?" smote on the ear of the astonished
colonel. He did not wait for an answer
that was legible enough in the confiding
attitude of the bent golden head and in the
movement of little white hand into the
strong brown one near it. Softly he let tall
the curtain, and turned toward the stars
with half-stunned feeling, for that short
glimpse had shown him that for him at least
the world only contained one woman, and
she was the afianced OF another.
Fool dolt that have beenT' he MUIR
INJURED as be turned down the garden path.
why did let her think me nothing but
crusty old bachelor? Why, oh, why, didn't
find out how dear she was before Geofrey
came between usl''
By the time he reached home, after a wild
and apparently aimless walk, ne had come
to view the matter from a more rational
point, and, although his heart was aching
as much as ever, he yet managed to summon
up smile and a gruff "Wish you joy, lad"
when his cousin came to him with the good
news.
He did not stay in Belminster; he felt he
couldn't, and when, day or SO afterward,
he found Miss Sophia suffering from her old
enemy, rheumatism, he declared that it
would be a good plan for them all three to
L..
did he make the proposal that no one except
Miss Janet suspected anything, and she,
having suffered the same sorrow in her
time. probably had sharper eyes than the
rest.
Very sorry were the children to bid good
by to their old friend, whom they were
never to see again-for about a month after
ward they got letter from Miss Janet tell
ing them that dear Frederick" had passed
away, the cause of his death being cold
which had attacked his lungs. To the utter
surprise of all Belminster, and of the Miss
Chalmers themselves, it was found that alter
legacies to one or two people and the sum of
e5, 900 to each of his sisters, the bulk of
Colonel Chalmers fortune, which was not
was bequeathed to Leslie
Grant, to be by her received on the day she
married Geoffrey Markham.
Only Miss Janet, by the light OF past ex-
perience. read between tie lines of this un-
expected will. and very tender was she to
the girl her brother had loved. 1t was she
who, at her own request, arrayei the girl in
her glistening bridal dress when about
week later Godfrey led her, happy and
contented bride, to the altar o. ST. Mar
garet's, Belminister, and il was she who,
when the ceremony was over, gathered mp
few Of the flowers which had carpeted the
brides path and placed them secretly upon
a quiet grave in the churchyard hard by.
two or three tears trickling down upon their
snowy petals as she thought lovingly of
"Brother Frederick. boston Traveller.