Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1892-09-30
PLAYED AND LOST.

A slight. palc-faced girl sat silently
toying with piece of nccdlewolk on
the low porch of her mothers house;
a handsome young man lay stretched
at her feet. On the lawn another
young couple were engaged in a game
of croquet. Tho suns last CLEAN
lighted up Grace Munson's facc with
halo of beauty, and Bernard Norton
looked at hor with undisguiscd admir-
ion.
"Thcre is nothing so lovely as a
lovely woman" he said aloud.
Tho pale check of C.arico Barton
flushed as she quickly glanced at the
speaker. II was the third iimo within
the hour that he had referred to her
cousin Grace's beauty.
"Gracc is indeed lovely" shc said.
II would give half my life to be as
beautiful"
"And would give half my fortune
to have you so.'
No sooner wcro the words uttered
than Norton would have given mech
to recall them; but he had spoken un-
thinkingly. Clar.co shrank as th"ugh
shc had been struck, arose quickly
and went into the house.
al am in a pretty fix now!" Nor
ton mutIcrc,l. as he arose and walked
across tho lawn. s'That was a nice
speech for fellow TO make TO the
girl he expects to marryl And Cla;-
ice is as proud as Lncifcr-lIigh-
strung as shc is plain, and that is
saying a great dca', by Jovci | never
noticed her lack of beauty so much
before Grace came. A pity one can't
find all things combined in one
womanl Wonder if / ought TO apol-
ogizc? Oh, well, I'm going away in
ten days and she'll forgive aud for
got Absence makes tho heart softer.
And with this consoling thought he
sirol:cd on TO j,in Grace Munson,
whose companion was just taking his
leave.
Grace was like delicate flower
sparkling with the dew Of morning.
She had soft blue eyes, an exquisite
complexion and golden hair. Alto
gether she made a picture of rare
beauty and it was no wonder Bernard
Norton found pleasure in merely look
ing at her.
That evening Clarice did not appear
in the drawing-room, and Norton was
free to devote himself to her lovely
cousin. Mrs. Barton observed his
conduct wi h displeasure; from the
first she had not approved of her
daughters suitor, and wondered what
attraction the careless, frivolous Young
man held for her sensible Clarice.
Next morning a note was handed
Norton. Its contents filed him with
mingled annoyance and relief.
"When you receive this" Claricc
wrote, 81 shall have gone TO my amt
for time. You do not love me, Ber-
nard, and 1t ia best for our engage
mcnt TO end. Be happy in your own
way and DO very sure l shall be in
mine."
That was all, and Bernard's self
esteem was seriously wounded by the
epistle. But he consolcd himself with
the thought that he was now free TO
WOO tho charming Grace, aud at The
end of the month made formal
ayowal of love TO her.
al have loved you ever since we
met" he said. "Claricc saw this aud
generously set me Free" Aad Grace,
who had become very much cnamorcd
OF her handsome suitor, gave him tho
answer he craved.
Two weeks later Mrs. Barton aud
Claricc were on their way to Europe,
and Bernard was trying to submit TO
the stern decree of Gracc's father.
eyes, sir. You can marry my daugh-
ter" Mr.. Munson had said, "lf you
love her well enough to wait three
years. / am opposed to carly mar
riagcs. No girl is fit for wedock be-
fore she is tweuty-one, aud twenty
five is still better"
1t occurred TO Bernard that he was
likely to spend tho greater rart of his
youth in the capacity of an "cngaged
man." and he did not improve in
humor thereby.
Grace was an acknowledged belle
and for time he was pleased at her
success. But there was a secret Bit
terness underlying his pleasure, for
he saw little of his betro,hcd except
in socicty's whirlpool. There would
be no change in this state of affairs
until their time of probation ended,
and feeling in fal-e position. he con-
cluded TO spend the remaining year in
travel.
When he babe Grace goodbye he
was struck with the fact that she
looked much older than she did at the
time of their engagement. Two years
of dissipation had left their mark upon
her delicate beauty.
"Be careful, Grace" he said. "Kecp