The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-05-31

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'aiities Of life. and firmly refused further invita-
out on an entirely different social scale.
tlefeld. AS say to Northup, with all
his fine ways / guess that young man
viii bear looking after"
Edith heard these things with dropped
head and faint rising flush, but silent
ly refused to enlighten Mrs. Northup
ON her relations with the Ashleys. Her
MS. had been sent some weeks previous
to the magazine, and now she was ON
the anxious seat Of the young author,
who reads life or death in the editors
decree. She knew she ought to set her
self to work, but strange bodily Ian
guor rendered every. effort abortive.
Her imagination seemed unstrung, like
her nerves, and would yield nothing CO.
herent. Her attic chamber was sitting
in the long, hot dog days, and the railway
trains became more and more unendur-
able, while the engine drivers appeared
to take malignant pleasure in startling
her sleep with diabolical shrieks. She
began many things stories, poems,
sketehes-an then threw them aside
half finished. In fact, she was subsist-
Jag on two little poems taken by cflild's
magazine, and which she calculated
would, with the closest economy. carry
her through to September. She had
given up meat and tea and confined her
self to bread and milk and little fruit
as the cheaper diet If the story was re
fused, after all, what was to become of
her? Now that her brain seemed afro
phied, perhaps somebody's kitchen door
would open to her necessities She
dared not think of poor VIII. Hope was
kept alive In her bosom by old Miss
Rivers, to whom she had opened her
heart. Celestina felt as morally certain
that the story would be accepted as that
her half yearly stipend would soon be
coming from England or Switzerland.
Day after day crept by. The heat and
drouth were distressingly prolonged.
Even Mrs. Northup's nerves and temper
had given way, for she had brought her
self to the point of spanking Margery.
Every morning the maids on Grove
street might have seen the young girl
pass on her walk to the postofice with
yearning expectation in her eyes, and
como back bafi1ed, dropping with disap-
pointment and heartache. The editor
in-chief was away fishing in the mount
sins; but how was she to know that
fact2 And Mrs. Archer was i'll In Paris,
and that, too, was hidden from the mind
Of poor Celestina, who walked by faith
and not by sight.
One morning as Edith emerged from
the postofice empty handed, and even
more respondent than usual, she met
Harold Ashley face to face. He lifted
his hat and colored high. Edith, too,
was painfully embarrassed by the unex-
pected encounter.
81 have been trying to see you this long
time, Miss March, to ask you for an ex-
PLANTATION. The whole Ashley family
feel agrieEed and injured by your treat
ment."
lam sorry. said Edith, walking fast,
rs if to get away from him, though with
his long strides he easily kept by her
dde. 81 can give no explanation ex-
cept the one ! gave your ister-the sim
ple.truth."
Eyes. Fanny felt that snub very
deeply"
Don't call it -snub, Mr.. ashley. I
had to say it, though it cost me many a
pang. Perhaps the words were rude
and blunt; but I am working girl. /
have no time, no right to amnse myself.
[ should be disloyal to poor WILL"
"But there-are so many things have
tosay to you, Miss March. and you viii
not listen; you avoid me, you run away
whenever approach"
'1don't understand you, MIR. Ashley, y
returned Edith colby. What can you
have to say to me? You ought to be at
the seashore this moment with Miss
Trevor
Mary Trevor? She is my cousin, and
a-confirnaed invalid. What has she to
do with it? She is great deal older
than am"
81 don't know Edithstunbled along
in her speech, her face burning crimson
''that is, understand--th do say you
are to marry Miss Trevor"
Harold stood stin and turned quite
pale, his gaze fixed searchingly ON her
face. ooh, that explains it. You think
ought to have nothing to say to you
because / am going 10 marry Mary IRE
vor," and he threw back his head and
laughed. "Weil, Miss March, desired
to let you know that am going up to
TaInerack Camp, where your brother is,
to visit Stevens. 1t occurred to me that
You might have some message for him. y
"Eor Williel Oh, how good you are!
Do.teil him am perfectly well and In
the best Of spirits, and hourishing gem
orally"
Il shall tell him no snch thing, Mis-
March, for shoald be telling a false
hood The truth 10 you are looking mis-
erably pale and worn and tagged, and
you are shaving your life out to keep him
going 1t college"
''Oh, MFR. Ashley" and she gave con-
yulsiye little gasp. aHe knows nothing
Of 1t. He thinks we still have our IN
heritanee intact. II would break his
heart and mime If he knew"
Harold looked severe and relentless.
1t win be my duty to tell him, Miss
March, that you refuse to have friends,
TIT yea ~ toe proud aud independent