The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1892-06-03

| ehouiu uO hcAPtu Oub Va bhc SAouEu VI
despond.
She was so busy with her own
thoughts and hopes that although Sea-
ward Aylstone came several times to
Che florists shop she scarcely noticed
him. AS in n dream she heard his calm
voice, ordering sprays of ivory and
roses, and in dream still she wove the
flowers and leaves together. She did
not know that his glance always turned
TO the corner where she sat with her
pretty curly brown head bent over her
work. She did not know that he lin
| gered long ut the counter in the vain
hope of seeing her lift her eyes or of
hearing her speak. Another girl less
| absolutely true of heart would have OBJ
served his frequent comings and goings
and have drawn her own conclusions.
But Olive was under potent spell
At last, when the days were sultry
and still and London was emptying
/ fast, Michael came TO see her again.
He came, as he had been wont to do, on
| Sunday afternoon and found Olive in
the parlor upstairs. At the sight OF
| him the Wakes, husband and wife. dis.
creetly vanished. And they said to
/ each other in confidence that they had
never seen him look so worn and
strange. Olive, too, was struck with
this ''strangeness" and met him with
an anxiety that shaded her Joy.
Dear, you have worked too hard"
she said.
Yet as she looked at him again she
saw that he had gained something by
the loss of his fresh color; the pallor
gave IA new refinement TO his face. His
clothes, too, seemed to be worn in a
new and easier fashion. He moved less
stifily and spoke more quietly.
II believe should have broken down
entirely" he said, IF il had not been
for the sea breezes. The Battersbys are
at South sea, and have been running
down TO see them"
"Then you are quite intimate with
them now, Michael? Are they nice
people? Is Mrs. Battersby "a good,
mothcrly woman? Are there any
daughters? Oh, am so glad they are
going to be kind TO u.s." cried poor
Olive in her simplicity.
An uneasy look fitted across Michael's
face.
my dear girl, you should not fly
into raptures on small occasions" he
remarked coldly. How is one 70 an
swer such string of questions? First
of all, there is no Mrs Battersby. And,
as Mr.. Battcrsby is feeble old man
whose mind is failing, cannot get very
intimate with him"
"Oh," said Olive in n disappointed
tone; land there is no daughtcr?"
"Well, yes, there is daughter" He
admitted the fact with curious reluc-
tance. but she is n good deal older
than you are; and-and you would not
find her a sympathetic person, think"
Then she is not nice, is she?" Olive
asked.
II really don't know what you mean
by nice it is woman's word"
Michael tried TO smile naturally, and
only produced n strange contortion of
the lips.
But if people are not sympathetic
they can't be NICE" persisted Olive I'M
wisely. Won think her horrid, and
don't like TO say So"
He flushed angrily.
preposterous, he said Il only meant |
that Miss Battersby was calm and sen.
siblc, and not given TO romantic dream
ing"
The speech was spoken in tone that |
panied Olive deeply. She strove 10 talk |
on as If nothing had hurt her, but she |
was not able to pretend a cheerfulness |
that she did not feel. Michael had not |
saba word about their future plans, |
he did not tell her that she must soon |
come TO n new home. He talked in a |
vague way of changes at the works, and |
of old Mr.. Battersby's uncertain life. |
and said that Edward Battersby hated |
trouble and business And then he
suddenly got up to go, and gave her "A
cold kiss Mt parting.
when shall see You again, Mich
ael?" she asked.
II don't know. I wish could fix n
day, for coming" he answered; but
Edward is always wanting me, and
am so worried and hurried that there is
scarcely time to think. However, |
will write if do not come"
When he had gone, Olive went away
TO her little room and sat down by the
bed in utter bewilderment. The per-
son that she loved, her promised hus-
band, of whom she had thought
hour after hour, what had be-
come of him? II was not
the old Michael who had just left her,
but some one with a different manner
and cold heart. Success had come, !
that success which had been so longed
for, and was this all that it had brought?