The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-12-24

b., deserted i'm thi- winter weather, but
there were. Lcn"he, there under the bare
tree HcrfDr,i led her i'm az he gate and
p.adc her 1T down. 1t IS 20 mild that you
cannot catch cold" he said. Il ought to he
ashamed Of myself I've walked TOO fast
for yoa." lie seated himself beside her, but
her features kept their woebegone express
sion.
ooh. haven't walked too far" she said
"only don't want to exhibit my common,
homemade things any longer among those
elegant costumes. l should be as good
looking as those others II / had their
clothes, their jewelry. You asked me If ]
was tired, Herford. am, but not Of walk.
ing; I'm tired of living, if must be poor
and never have anything nice-neyer-
neyer-never."
my pet" he said, "what ails you! You
are ten. times prettier than the Clipper
girls-twerty times. Pm sure your frock
is very nice and i. becomes you; and all
that is worth nothing ii one has enough,
as you always have and always shall while
| live
'EnOugh," she answered; why should
common things be enough for me when
others have but to wish and take Why
shouldn't have velvets and real laces and
carriage;'
ooh, you shall,'' said he, some day.
I'm certain TO get on, and then you shall
have thousands of blank checks, and III
send a messenger to the mines Of Golconda
for specially big diamonds, or if GOlconda
isn't worked nowadays, wherever they are
to be found. Meanwhile We can be happy
together happy and CONTENT
You make light Of everything" she
said; you have no ambition. | think
you'd be content forever in a little shanty
in IA by street where the negroes live, with
sunflowers III the garden behind the clam
shell borders and stovepipe through the
kitchen ceiling'
"Assuredly, if you shared it, Herford
answered
Sharing it would only double the mis-
cry" Marjorie cried passionately.
But since we shall never live in
shanty in by street, where so many sun
flowers flourish" said Wayne, why think
of it?"
most as bad compared to these avenues"
Marjorie said. st seems criminal to be
content with common things when there is
so much that is splendid to be had for tax.
ing the trouble. Only lazy folks are not
willing to make sacrifices for future good"
marjorie" said the young man, more
seriously than before, II know fellow
who is engaged to girl. He loves her and
thinks that she loves him. He could marry
her and live together in plain comfort, but
he is going to leave her for long years in
: order to make fortune. I told him that
he was selling his birthright for a mess Of
pottage, but he answered that l did not
know what I was talking of; that women
cared so much for money and all that it
would buy, that poor man had no right
to marry; that the girl he was engaged to
was quite willing to part indefinitely, SO
! that they could some day live in luxury
What do you think of her, Marjorie?"
'';She is very sensible girl" said Mar
jorie
Ierford's face flushed.
, 'Marjore," hesa,l, still trying to laugh,
though it was hard work, ''jilt me and
marry a milionaire.' She did not smile.
NO, she said. Il shall keep my prom
Use, but cannot help wishing"-
That | We're Il millionaire" he said.
"Oh. that goes without saying" she an
swered, shivering little us she rose II
suppose we might as well 80 home And
they left the little park in silence And it
was he who kept the distance between
/ them on their way to her door Arrived
there she said:
'Well, here is the shabby Old place
again." ana he only answered, "Goodby."
Ten minutes afterward she was saying
to herself:
eve parted without kiss for the first
time since our engagement" Half an
hour later she was shedding tears of re-
pentance. But it was a little too late. She
was to pay her penalty for that demon of
discomfort which had so spoiled poor Her.
ford Wayne's holiday afternoon. Mean
while, Herford had gone home to his
| mother