The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-08-16
A GENUINE HERO.


With these conditions it was scarcely
strange that Halcyon Hartford swayed
delightfully."- between dreamland and the
real world that June afternoon. with
the fieecy gold of her hair, all guiltlcss
OF pin or comb, and the bell sleeves. fall
ing enchantingly away from her round
white arms, while one trim slipnered
foot hung from the edge of the ham
mock.
"Halcyon! Halcyon! Where are your'
it was one of those exasperating voices
which, once having been sweet, had now
vibrant jar to its tones, painfully akin
to shrillness.
herself on one elbow.
"Oh, Aunt Hal, don't scream so.
was just III dream of delight"
"Well, yon should have answered
them"
Aunt Hal came out of the wide, shady
hall with an ELUSIVE swing of her drap-
cries and seated herself in q bamboo
chair close to the hammock.
She was comically like her niece-at
least as much rs Il woman of thirty
eight could be like maid of eighteen.
There was the same yellow Insurance
OF hair, but harsher, drier and suggest
I've OF dye; the same pink and white
complexion, artificially heightened; sim
liar features. cruelty sharpened by tho
memorable hand of time, and teeth lust
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 strongest thingv
Another offer of marriage:" hazarded
Halcyon, settling on Hle unlikeliest
thing which could, i'll her opinion, hap
pen.
GLOW did you guess?" with a little ex
ultant cackle. Exactly. The dear,
foolish lad-and he so much younger
than l! Why, he couldn't have been
twenty-one when he went to Bombay.
and was ut least thirty them
"Thirty-five, Aunt Hail." said Hal
cyon, the merciless.
WAS it as much as that? 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
ri nj 4 T,1t
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 ut boarding school, and
thought you would be nettled And
heres 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 manly!
She laughed Historically.
'Shall you accept him?"
Aunt Hal nibbled coquettishly at the
edge of the envelope; the new false teeth
cleaned in Il smile.
-think-I-shall"
"And you fourteen years older than
he Isl"
people don't think about such things
as they used to do" reasoned Miss Hart
ford, the elder. Eros is immortal, YOU
know"
Halcyon sank back into the hammock
and reopened her book.
You must do as you please, of
COURSE" said she. "After that quota
ton about Eros, have not q suggestion
to offer"
Jealous, poor darling" thought Aunt
Hal, with n thrill of pity. And she
said:
"Well, Of course one can't help those
things happening to one, and your time
will come soon, dear, never fear"
"It's good thing" she added to her
self, "she does not know anything about
dear old Judge Flostroy. There's diff
ference in age, if you please, and the
old pet is so infatuated about me! 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. On, /
thought he knew her name was the
same as mine. Didn't she stand god
mother to me at st. Chrysolines and
give me coral and bells and an en-
broidered christening robe2 And now
he has actually proposed to her! Well,
if he is the man / take him to be, he'll
stand by his colors, cost him what It'll may.