Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-12-31


Enthusiastically new, and he wore a
dainty ''buttonhole." Uncle Wake
surveyed him with quiet amusement,
and watched to see the effect of all this
splendor on Olive. The effect was GER
tainly depressing. !
The girl looked at her lover doubt
fully and shyly. Samuel Wake knew,
almost as if she had told him in words,
what was passing in her mind. All his
life he had been intensely interested in
other peoples lives, and now he under
stood what Olive was feeling, and what
Michael was not feeling. He saw that
she went unwillingly upstairs to get
ready for their walk, and he was sure
that she would return with an anxious
look, afraid of being seen second time
in that countrifed bonnet.
She came back with just the look that
he had expected to see, and Michael in
stantly made an exasperating remark.
Haven't you another bonnet, Oliver"
he asked. ''That did very well in the
train, but it does not do for this morn
ing"
81 am sorry" she said gently, with a
deep blush. 81 am going to buy some
new things tomorrow"
eff I were young man should not
look at the bonnet while that face was
inside it."
This observation came from Uncle
Wake, and Michael passed it over in
contemptuous silence. A few minutes
later the young couple went out to-
gether into the sunshiny street, and
Olive was utterly dispirited and disap-
pointed
"My dear girl" said Michael, after
pause, you must really begin to study
your appearance. You ought to have
been better dressed Tor my sake. We
may meet some of the people l know.
Sometimes on Sundays have even run
up against Edward Battersby himself
Of course he would expect me to intro
duce him to you, and what would he
think of that bonnet and gown?"
81 am sorry" poor Olive repeated,
''but you know, Michael, that you
wished me to come on Saturday fl
had arrived early in the week I could
have got some new things ready for Sun
| day"
''Why not have bought some better
things before you startel,?" he asked IT.
ritably.
Michael, have you forgotten what
kind of place Eastmeon lisp" His I'M
reasonable words provoked her. 'Have
you forgotten that have been living
miles away from any town."
He had really forgotten it for the mo-
ment. They walked on together in
silence along the Strand, and when
they turned into Trafalgar square
Olive almost forgot her annoyance. She
stood still with Frightening face to
| look at the great stone lions asleep in
the sunlight, and the foam and sparkle
of the fountains. Other people looked
at her as they went by, and half smiled
at the fresh delight that shonc in her
brown eyes. Michael hurried her on.
| 'Do try to take things calmly" he
| implored. THAT brute who has Just
passed us was actually laughing at you,
In London, people don't go into rap
lures in the streets"
| There was no need for d second warm
ing against rapturcs. With such a wet
blanket hanging over her Olive was not
likely to enjoy any more sights that
morning. She walked on dcjectedly by
his side, and asked herself if this was
the life she had dreamed of? Must she
always live in dreary state Of self-re-
preston, forbidden to rejoice? And
this was that first walk together which
she had longed for SO blindly; this was
''the distant and the dim" that she had
been so sick to greet"
1t seemed to her an interminabei
walk, and yet her limbs were not
weary. They got at last to the Marble
Arch, and her heart revived a little Of
the sight of grass and trees. Michael
led her to a bench, and they sat down.
"We won't go to church this morn
ing" he said. 81 confess I'm not a
church-going man. 1 like fresh air, it
clears my brain and Strengthens me for
the weeks work; and now we can talk
quietly, Olive, and can tell you about
something which has been in my mind
for nearly two years"
She prepared herself to listen. After
all, it was silly of her to be unhappy
because he had found fault with her
rustic ways. She supposed that train