The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-07-23
A GENUINE HERO.

slung at the most comfortable OF angles
With these conditions it was scarcely
strange that Halcyon Hartford swayed
delightfully."- between dreamland and the
real world that juno afternoon, with
the fleecy gold OF her hair, all guiltless
Of pin or comb, and the bell sleeves,
falling enchantingly away from her
round white arms, while one trim slip
pered foot hung from the edge Of the
hammock.
"Halcyon! Halcyon! Where areyouT
1t was one Of those exasperatinG
voices which, once having been sweet,
had now vibrant jar to its tones, pain
fully akin to shrillness.
Halcyon frowned a little and raised
herself on one elbow.
ooh, Aunt Hal, don't scream sol ]
was Just in such dream of delight"
"Well, you should have answered,
thenW
Aunt Hal came out OF the wide, shady
hall with an ELUSIVE swing OF her dra-
peries, and seated herself in bamboo
chair close to the hammock.
She was comically like her niece-at
least, as much as woman OF thirty
eight could be like maid OF eighteen.
There was the same yellow luxuriance
of hair, but harsher, drier and sugges-
tive Of dye; the same pink and white
complexion, artifcally heightened; sim
liar features, cruelty sharpened by the
memorable hand OF time, and teeth just
one degree too white and regular to be
real.
The white dress she wore was pain
fully trying, and she was compelled to
use gold.rimmed eyeglasses as she held
up letter to the view other niece.
"What has happened2" drowsily de-
manded the latter, lifting pair of blue
eyes. fringed with dark lashes.
1.-THE strangest thingW
"Another offer of marriage2" hazard
ed Halcyon, settling on the unlikekest
thing which could, in her opinion,
happen,
exultant cackle. "Exactly. The dear.
foolish lad--and he SO much younger
than II Why, he couldn't have been
twenty-one when he went. to Bombay,
and I was at least thirty then"
"Thirty-fve, Aunt Hal" said Hal
cyon, the merciless:
"Nas it so much us that? Well, he
seemed desperately in love, then;
though of course never took any notice
of the child. But l suppose in that
country Of blackamoors one can't help
thinking about all the women one has
ever known at home; and he has writ
ten mo two or three letters -"
elias he?"
Halcyon sat straight up in the ham
mock now. Her blue eyes glowed. The
heat had brought a flush to her check
which all Aunt Halls carmine saucets
could otrival.
"But never told you" said the elder
beauty, because l remembered that
there was a sort OF boy and girl affair
between you and Charlie Blossom when
you were at boarding school, and !
thought you would be nettled. And
here's tho proposal at last, dear, with
his photograph enclosed"
"Let me SEQ it"
What a brave, good face it was
slightly older and sterner than she had
looked upon when the Ayancanian
sailed away three years ago, but yet SO
strong and manly.
She laughed hysIerically.
"Shall you accept him?"
Aunt Hal nibb!ed coquettishly at the
edge OF the envelope; tho new false
tooth cleaned in u smile.
misunderstanding
"And you fourteen years older than
he isl"
things as they used to-" reasoned Miss
Hartford the eldor. Eros is immortal,
you know"
Halcyon sank back into the hammock
and rcopened her book.
'You must do as you please, Of
course" said she. cater that quota.
ton about Eros, l have not a sugges.
ton to offer"
jealous, poor darlingp thought
Aunt Hal, with thrill OF pity. And
well, Of course one can't help
those things happening to one, and
your time wlll'come soon, dear, never
fear"
ats good thing" she added to her.
self, ''she does not know anything
about dear old Judge Flostroy. There's
adherence image, II you please, and the
old pet is so infatuated about mol An
old mans darling or young mans
slave-which%
While Halcyon thought on her side:
"The silly goose! He has done it
now! He has been making love to
Aunt Hal, thinking he was counting me.
Oh, I thought he knew her name was
the same as mine. Didn't she STAND
godmotherto me at st. Chrysoline's and
give me a coral and bells aud an en-
6roideried christening robef And now
he has actually proposed to her Well,
il he Is the man take him to be, he'll
stand by his colors, cost him what it
may. A man who could walk up to the
lannon's mouth at Bey-ldonna surely
won't shrink, even from Aunt Hal.
And I'd rather know that he was q
true hero th-than have poltroon for
my husbandW
And Halcyon turned her face toward
the pillow, and cried great sparkling
tears like dewdrops.
$50 you're back again, Lieutenant
Beg pardon, I'd orter said Colonel, do
suppose" said the old cab driver at the
station, whom Charlie Blossom had re-
memberod ever since he was a child.
"Wall declare i Rhouldn't hardly