Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-06-21
IFtiy of timidity and partly
L=1 Elon Of perfect ladyhood, and

gnnt pieceB OF JeWelry, Dut ENC eViHceu
no pleasure in his gifts, and her father
noted, without comment, that she left
them lying on the table.
Tho next morning he rode over 10 his
sister -in-law's place. He hoped toreceive
from Flora q welcome that should make
amends for what he missed in his own
home, nor was he disappointed. His
pretty niece met him with an affectionate
efY,isiveness that almost did away with
the effect Of his little daughters coldness;
but 1t did rot escape his observation
later that Aleck Gage was In the back
ground, deporting himself with conf
dent air.
Mrs. Leonard talked garrulously Of
various things; of the improvements she
wished to make, of tho sale OF her cotton,
the investment Of her surplus funds, the
purchase OF mules, even OF her poultry;
but never word Of Aleck Gage.
The colonel deemed this reticence sig.
niflcant, and he rode home vexed. He
had thought to order his small world &C.
cording to his own will and pleasure, and
now he found 1t fast slipping from his
grasp-his son an alien, the niece whom
he had hoped to make his daughter ready
to marry one whom he had not chosen,
and his own little daughter Indifferent to
him.
But when Flora came, two days later,
to say that she had promised to marry
Aleck Gage in December, the colonel,
perforce, resigned himself to her choice
with dignifled philosophy.
az had nllnwad M yealf IN n ppct N lif.
ferent marriage for you, Flora, as you
know" he could not resist saying, nor
could he say It without a sigh; but he did
not say it harshly.
1t was the first expression he had ever
given to his disappointed hopes, and
Flora, eager to console him, exclaimed,
with the indiscreet enthusiasm of youth
"Aleck hasn't fault In the world,
Uncle Jasper; he will be the best Of sons
to you, If you will only let himr'
The colonel did not say that he had no
desire to claim Aleck Gage for a son.
He broke away from her abruptly and
stood looking out OF the window some
little time, struggling for command Of
himself. He was still pale when he re-
turned; but he spoke with courtly dig
nifty:
II claim the privilege of giving the
bride.away."
"That is just what I wanted!' cried
Flora, and with q sudden impulse Of
gratitude, affection and sympathy she
threw her arms around his neck and
kissed him and cried little.
The news Of Flora's engagement threw
Miss Elvira into great flutter. She de-
clared that It was just what she had al
ways expected. and that she was never
more surprised in her life, and then she
looked helplessly at her brother.
Flora will be married in her mother .
house, of COURSE" said the colonel; "but
Thorne Hill must homer the occasion
with merry making, and all our friends
must be invited"
"Yes, oh, yes!" Miss Elvira responded,
with sigh Of relief. Her brothers dis
approval Of the match would have been
sore embarrassment; the entertainment
the colonel wished to give was trifls
In comparison, though 1t meant three
weeks Of incessant work at seeding rails
ins, washing currants, blanching almond.
and frosting cakes; but those burdens
were to be borne by Glory-Ann and
CLANCY and Dicey, Tom Quash and Grit.
fin Jim.
"And since Flora is such a favorite,
said Mrs. Henry, when she heard OF
these great preparations, "why doesn't
she put In a good word for Nicholas:
The arrant little coward, she knows very
well that it was to save her from embar.
rassment, while she was the colonel's
guest, that the boy delayed his confes
sion, and SO made matters worse. The
colonel is pining for reconciliation with
his son, though he won't own it, ant
Flora might do something to bring il
about. As for me, I've only meddled tt
mar, SO there's an end of my efforts"
Mrs. Thorne was very angry will
Cousin Myrtilla for this speech.
Il dout see how you can talk Of rec
onciliation with Nicholas!" said she. 81
am surprised at you! AS if We Th6rnes
ever could consort with Furnival!'
To which Mrs. Herry made the exas
perating retort that Nick's wife wa:
every bit as much Thorne as Mrs. Leon
ard herself
For all this, however, Mrs. Herry was
not omitted in the list of invitations
either TO the wedding or to the merry
making at Thorne Hill; for the colone
the family, far and near, should be in
vited to the entertainment he meant t.
give in honor OF his niece's marriage.
"And amt Brer Nicholas and his wife
kinfolksy" asked Missy, with bold signiti
cance. She did not fear her father, anC
yet her poor little heart fluttered wildl.
when she put this daring question.
The colonel's only answer was q dark
forbidding frown, and Missy betook her
self to a corner.
Don't you fret bout dat, honey,
whispered Nom Bee. "now don't you
fur de is gwan be dc fiddlers en- d
dancin, en- plum cake a-plenty."
Don't want none" said Missy, VIII
had given herself an indigestion by tn
surreptitious gormandizing of raisins an,
citron.
EN- besides all dat, proceeded Glory
Ann TO her overwhelming climax, "yo
gwan be dressed SO spruce en- gay; "
cousins, Miss Lofty en- Miss Bess, in pink
en- you in q hebenly blue"
Poor little Missy, who was fond c
dress, dried her tears and reconsidere
her determination to abstain from tn
wedding festivities for her absent brotl
er's sake.
But not even the companionship {
Lottie and Bess, not even the dress {
"hebenly blue" nor the sound of IL
music, nor the sight Of the mazy dane
could shut out the memory of Nicholas
"Oh, Lottie, amt them tiddles Jui
dreadful" she lamented They're a
ways sayin'. Nicholas, Nicholas, whey
Brer Nicholas no matter what Il
chune they play"
"Why, Missy, what a funny child yC