The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-11-22

(szzlS ZIG
"THIs is WHAT 1 WANTED TO SHOW YOU
THE GIRL I'm ENGAGED TO-"
There was another long pause, during
which I felt as guilty as ever e~avesdrop'
per before me yet ! was glued to the
spot. l could hardly escape. At last
Bernard spoke again. II should like to
have gone around with you or your tour,
Melissa" he said; 81 don't know Italy. ]
don't suppose by myself / could even ap-
p~reciate it. But if you were by my side
you'd have taught me what it all meant,
and then I think I might perhaps under
stand it,"
Melissa drew a deep breath. 81 wish
/ could take it all over again" she an
swered, half signing. "And I didn't see
Naples either. That was a great disap-
pointment. I should like to have seen
Naples, l must confess, so as to know l
could at least in the end die happy"
"Why do you go back?" Bernard asked
suddenly with a bounce, looking down
at that wee hand that trembled upon the
taffrail.
because I can't help myself" Melissa
answered in a quivering voice. 81
should LIKE should like to live always
in England"
"Have you any special preference for
any particular town." Bernard asked,
moving closer to her-though, to be
sure, he was very, very near already.
"N-no; in particular" Me-
LISA stammered out family, half siding
away from him.
"Not Cambridge, for exampleT Ber-
nard asked, with a deep gulp and an
audible effort.
I felt it would be objectionable for
nae to hear any more. l had heard al
ready many things not intended for me.
/ sneaked off unperceived, and left those
two alone to complete that conversation.
Half an hour later-it was a calm,
moonlight night-Bernard rushed down
eagerly into the saloon to find us.
.Father and mother" he said, with a
burst, 81 want you up on deck for just
ten minutes. There's something up
there I should like so much to show
you"
Mot whales?" I asked hypocritically,
suppressing a smile.
"No, not whales" he replied; 'some-
thing much more interesting"
We followed him blindly; Lucy much
in doubt what the thing might be, and ]
much in wonder, after Mrs. Wade's let
ter, how Lucy might take it.
At the top of the companion ladder
Melissa stood waiting for us, demure
but subdued, with a still timider look
than ever upon that sweet, shrinking,
small face others. Her heart beat hard, ]
could see by the movement of her bodice,
and her breath came and went; but she
stood there like dove, in her dove col.
ored travelling dress.
"Mother," Bernard began. "Melissa's
obliged to come back to America, don't
you know, without having over seen
Naples. 1t seems a horrid shame she
should mis3 seeing it. She hadn't money
enough left, you recollect, to take hei
there"
Lucy gazed at him uns~uspicious. SIT
does seem a pity" she answered sympa-
t~hetically. "She'd enjoy it SO much
I'm sorry she hasn't been able to carry
out all her programme"
"And, mother" Bernard went on, hi
eyes fixed hard on hers, show awfully
she'd be thrown away o. Kansas City
/ can't bear to think Of her going bacl
to keep store there"
For my part, I think it positively
wicked" Lucy answered with a smile
"and / can't think what-well, people
in England-are about to allow her tx
do it."
had opened my eyes wide. Did Lucy
know what she was saying? Or had
Melissa then fascinated her-the arcl
little witch!-as she had fascinated tn
rest of us?
But Bernard, emboldened by this ex
cellent opening, took Melissa by thu
hand, as il in due form to present her
Mother" he said tenderly, leading tn
wee thing forward, "and father too
this is what l wanted to show youths
girl I'm engaged to-"
l paused and trembled. / waited TO
the thunderbolt. But no thunderbol
fell. On the contrary Lucy stepped for
ward and. under cover of the mast
caught Melissa in her arms and kisse'
her twice over. "My dear child" sh
cried, pressing her hard, my dear littl
daughter. l don't know which of you tw
/ ought most TO congratulate"
"But l do" Bernard murmured low
And, his father though l am, / mul
INJURED to myself, "And so do l also"
Then you're not ashamed of me
mother dear" Melissa whispered, bury
ing her dainty little head on Lucy
shoulder, because / kept store in Kar
sas CityY'
Lucy rose above herself, in the excite
ment of the moment. "My darling we
daughter" she answered, kissing he
tendc~lv again, 'it's Kansas City alon
int to be ashamed of itself fo
putting you to keep store-such a swee
little gem as you areP
A maa who has p~racticed medicine for
years ought 10 know salt from sugar; read wha
he says: