Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-06
A GENUINE HERO.

A sky of opal and gold, deep treI-
Used veranda, a novel, and hammock
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 June afternoon, with
the fleecy gold of her hair, all guiltless
of pin or comb, and the bell sleeves, fall
ing enchantingly away from her round
white arms, while one trim slippered
foot hung from the edge of the ham
mock.
"Halcyonl Halcyon! Where are your"
twas one of those exasperating voices
which, once having been sweet, had now
vibrant jar to its tones, painfully akin
to shrillness.
Halcyon frowned little and raised
herself on one elbow.
"Oh, Aunt Hal, don't scream sol
was just in dream of delight"
well. you should have answered
thenr'
Aunt Hal came out of the wide, shady
hall with an effusive swing of her drap-
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 suggest
i've of dye; the same pink and white
complexion, artifcially 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 painful
ly trying, and she was compelled to use
gold trimmed eye glasses as she held up
letter to the view of her niece.
''What has happened?" drowsily de-
manded the latter, lifting pair of blue
eyes, fringed with dark lashes.
"The strangest thingI"
Another offer of marriageT hazarded
Halcyon, settling on the unlikeliest
thing which could, in her opinion, hap
pen.
How did you guess?" with little ex-
ultant cackle. Exactly. The dear,
foolish lad-and he so much younger
than II Why, he couldn't have been
twenty lone when he went to Bombay,
and was at least thirty them
"Thirty-fve, Aunt Hail." said Hal
cyon, the merciless.
"Was it as much as that2 Well, he
seemed desperately in love then, though
of course never took any notice Of the
child. But suppose in that country of
blackamoors one can't help thinking
about all the women one has ever known
at home, and he has written me two or
three letters
"Has he?"
Halcyon sat straight up in the ham
mock now. Her blue eyes glowed. The
heat had brought flush to her cheek
which all Aunt Halls carmine saucers
could not rival.
.'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 Blessen when
you were at boarding school, and l
thonght you would be nettled. And
here's the proposal at last, dear-with
his photograph inclosed.
"Let me see it,"
What brave, good face it was
slightly older and sterner than she had
looked upon when the Avancanian sailed
away three years ago, but yet so strong
and manlyi
She laughed Historically.
"Shall you accept himr
Aunt Hal nibbled coquettishly at the
edge of the envelope; the new false teeth
pl,,amed in smile.
l-think-I-shallp
"And you fourteen years older than
he isl"
.sPeople don't think about such things
as they used to do, reasoned Miss Hart
ford. the elder. "Eros is immortal, you
know
Halcvcn sank back into the hammock
and reopened her book.
"You must do as you please, of
course" said she. "After that quota
tion about Eros, have not suggestion
to offer"
jealous, poor darlingp thought Aunt
Hal, with thrill of pity. And she
said:
ell, OF course one Cdu y ucip IHOoe
things happening to one, and your time
will come soon, dear, never fear"
"It's good thing" she added to her.
self, 'sshe does not know anything about
dear old Judge Flostroy. There's a diff
ference in age, if yon please, and the
old pet is SO infatuated about met Al
old mans darling or young mans
1ave-wljch?"
While Haicyon thought on her side:
1.-The silly goosel He has done it now
Heslras been making love to Aunt Hal
thi uking he was courting me. Oh,
tho. ught he kuew her name was th'
sam,D as mine. Didn't she stand god
motlter to me at Vt, Chrysoline's ant
give me coral and bells and an EN-
broidered christening l'Spe9 And nov
he has actually proposed to her! Wen
If he is the man take him 70 pc, hel
stand by hiscolors, cost him wi at lt may
A man who could walk up to we can
mons mouth at Bey-Idonna surely won
shrink, even from Aunt Hal And a
rather know that he was a true hero til
than have a poltroon for my husbandr'
And Halcyon turned her face toward
the pillow and cried great sparkling
tears like dewdrops
$50 you're back again, lieutenanti
E1or< ~,ox.1<,~.. ia .,..4..