Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-08-31
ALWAYS TOO LATE.

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Priscilla, who often wondered why
it had been necessary to name her
after her dead and gone great-grand-
aunt, was growing up into fine
young woman. She was 16 and tall
at that.
Her cousin, Tomlinson Perrybrook,
then five and twenty, made up his
mind to marry her if he could get
her, since in his estimation she was
the prettiest, best and sweetest little
darling living. But she was only 16.
He would say nothing yet. He
would wait until she was II and
then speak.
Then Tomlinson Perrybrook, hav-
ing made up his mind quietly, went
back to his occupation, which was
what he called improving his
place"
He laid out new paths, planted
new trees, improved the garden and
gave the parlor fine frescoed wall
and ceiling, a new Persian carpet
and velvet furniture.
Meanwhile he said nothing to Pris-
ella, having not the slightest doubt
that she liked him and would say
"Yes" whenever he said will youG"
Priscilla did like him. She was
secretly good deal in love with
him and very much hurt that he
did not make love to her. Every
one in the house knew this except
Tomlinson himself. He was wait
ing for the seventeenth birthday.
Before that time Priscilla went to
London to pay a visit There, at
the house of fashionable relative,
she met fashionable young man
who fell desperately in love with
her.
In her heart Priscilla wished that
her Cousin Tomlinson had been in
his place, but as far as she knew
her Cousin Tomlinson had no more
than cousinly affection for her.
Consequently, feeling that her youth
was waning with the approach OF
her seventeenth birthday, she ac-
cepted her first offer and came home
to tell her father and mother what
she had done.
They in turn told Cousin Tomlin-
son, who, having contrived to hide
his emotion, escaped from them as
soon as possible and went home to
shut himself up in the frescoed par
lor he had furnished for unconscious
Priscilla and cry like girl.
There was nothing for it now but
10 get over his misery as well as he
could, and he congratulated his cou-
sin in very pretty choice OF words
and went away to distract his mind
by travel. He resolved not to return
until the end of November. This
was May. In June his aunt Prs
cilla's mother, wrote to him. One
of the paragraphs of her letter con-
tanned tremendous piece OF news.
1t was this:
~ am sorry to tell you, dear
nephew, that Priscilla has quarreied
with the gentleman she was TO mar
ry and that the affair Is quite broken
of, 80 that she has even given him
back his ring OF course such events
are unpleasant, though we are glad
to keep our girl little longer. Mr..
Dinwiddie was silly enough TO be
Jealous without reason"
Priscilla was free again. Cousin
Tomlinson's spirits arose. The fires
coed parlor arose before bis imagina-
ton. with Priscilla on one side OF the
CRATE and he upon the other In twin
srmchairs. He saw her driving the
little pony phaeton he intended 70
buy for her down the broad path
leading from the house to the gate,
and he was just three days distance
from home, and q woman whose
heart has Just been hurt is always
reader to accept salve for It In the
shape of a new lover, as we all
know.
II would be wen for him to return
home and exhibit himself as Prs
elias adorer In this moment OF maid
en- humiliation. But this young man
liked 10 carry out the plans he had
formed for himself He had said
that he would travel until November
and Il seemed proper 10 do 90. Con
sequently he proceeded on bis jour
ney.
Nov. Prlscilla. who had not love-