The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-04-12

you it you would not like to mako
your present home permanent one.
If, in fact, you would snarry me-"
'Sir9" gasped Miss Burns, unable to
believe her own ears. sMarry you?"
Yes, me!' said Mr.. Harmony. "Is
there anything very strange about
thatp don't ask you to love me- /
merely want you to make the homo
pleasant for my children. They need
you, and what they need need. You
need not give me IN answer now"
beginning to pull on his gloves. "Take
time to think it over-say Sunday.
That's three days for consideration.
DO not decide hastily, but think it over
carefully;" and, bowling himself out of
the parlor, Mr.. Harmony was gone.
Poor Miriam sat for some minutes
stupefied by the proposal Then, 81
lently and with white face, she made
her way to her own room, and, opening
her writing desk, took out her treasure
box. She opened it, read n letter or
two and then stained the photograph
with her loving tears
81 cannot! 1 cannot!" she cried.
Bnt when, after the morning in the
nursery. with her loving charges call
around her, vieing with each other in
attentions, she came again to consider
the question, with her love for them as
an argument. She found that she
could never give them up. She cried a
little when she thought of the dear
face in the treasure box, but she gave
MIR. Harmony his answer before Sum
day. The next morning she told him
that she was willing.
Mr.. Harmony thanked her and was
about to leave the house, when, sud-
denly remembering something, he came
back to say:
''By the way, Miss Burns, nephew
OF mine who has bought junior inter-
est in the business will be here on
Sunday. 1 wish you would see that n
room Is prepared for him. He will live
with u.s.
Miriam had come to govern the
household as well as the children.
She promised to see to the room and
returned to the nursery, glad of relief
from her trial
Saturday night Mr.. Harmony an
,nounced that his nephew would be in
at midnight. The household retired
with hearts and minds busy with the
new conner.
Especially Miriam. She wondered
what he would be like. She had never
heard of him, and ever now she knew
nothing of his name. She went to
sleep, dreaming that he was a proto-
type of Mr. Harmony, and awole the
next morning convinced that she would
like him for the little girls sake.
She found after she had made her
morning toilet that she was an hour
too early for breakfast and she re-
solved on q trip through the grounds
She slipped on her big straw hat, ran
out of u side entrance and-collided
headlong with tall stranger who was
standing with his back to her ut the
outer entrance, TRANQUILITY sending
whirls of tobacco smoke toward the
heavens. 1t was the nephew, she
knew, and she hesitated "a moment
whether she should stand her ground
or fly. She had half formed the apol-
ogy she knew she should make when
the big FORMS hat went off as he
whirled on his heel. He stammered:
Eek -why-Miriamr'
The little governess looked just one
moment-a moment which seemed an
age-and then, half Historically cry
ing out, everything began to dance be-
fore her andsshe did the best possible
thing under the circumstances and
tainted.
When she came to herself he was
standing before her. this stranger,
waiting for the water which he had or
dered servant to bring after the first
cutlery. She was lying in sheltered