The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-03-08

nest Wynter, was known to rl1a, and
he himself had begun life as mill
hand at 6 shillings a week Still I
was allowed to visit at Darlington hall
and to play tennis with the girls, and
every day grew more ahjectly in love
with ella, whose unaffected charm Of
manner no parvenu surroundings could
impair.
OF course I dared not speak of nv
love for her. In MY position that was
out Of the question. I could only try
to kiss the dogs head just after her
lovely lips had rested there, and to de-
tain her hand as long as possible in
greeting and parting from her
Yet she must have guessed some
thing Of what felt; for she took me
one day into the kitchen garden away
from the children. and there, looking
at me with lovely, tear-dimmed eyes.
she suddenly remarked.
Il am so unhappy, Mr.. Wynter.
Papa wants me to marry Aid. Sir John
Westbury. He's a nice old thcing
and papa says I shall be lady mayor
ess. But think he is quite as fond
or my sister Bertha as he is of me.
and-I am in love with some one
else"
The look with which she accompanied
her last words was revelation She
grew very red the next moment and
began rapidly talking f something else,
while l. like a fool. stood and stared
at her until her wretched young brother
Bob came bawling down the garden
after her and so took my chance Of
speaking from me.
For the rest Of the afternoon Ella
avoided me, and cursing my own
stupidity, went home and wrote her
the following letter:
MY Dear Miss Darlington: I don't
know whether you will think me the
most conceited ass alive for sur posing
that few words Of yours to-day en-
courage me to tell you what 1 meant
to keep secret-that ever since I first
met you, three months ago, have been
so madly in love with you that I
think Of nothing else But as my en-
tire income does not exceed $50 year
have thought it would be presumptu-
GUS to talk OF marriage to you, even
had felt hopeful of gaining your love-
l will not venture into your presence
again until I haze heard from YOU,
1''v. J "ntrnat Won. for thn sake of our
delightful friendship if I have made a
mistake and it is some one else whom
you love, not to write to tell me what
a fool have been. I shall understand
and respect your silence and, much as
[ may suffer, will not intrude upon
you again.
always, my dear Miss Burlington,
what you wish me to be-yonr sincere
friend or your most devoted adorer.
"ERNEST WINTER"
I suppose other men have watched
for the postman. before now, but surely
10 man ever waited upon his foot
steps us I did for three whole weeks.
Even at the end Of that time should
have gone on hoping, but for the fact
that meeting Ella and her sisters in
the street. her manner towards inc left
no doubt rs to her decision. for, where
as the younger members of the family
were as friendly as ever, Elias manner
WAS chilling to u degree. She would
not even lCok at me, nor would she
shake hands when we parted.
/ own [ was thoroughly miserable,
and developed a faculty for caustic cpl
grams at the expense of the sex in
general, writing several stories, enti-
tied respectively. ''Jilted." mo Heart"
"A Coquette's Conquest" etc.
Then. one dreary Noverber day. met
MI. Darlington in the streets Of Rich
mond. He was unusually genial and
insisted upon my coming home to din
ner with him.
Never, mind about dress,' he said.
ut is quite an unceremonious occa-
sion'.' And to tell the truth, shall be
glad of a strangers presence to con-
troll the family weeping. Ny Ella
leaves us tomorrow. as 1 suppose you
know, upon her marriage with my
friend Sir John Westbury, the future
lord mayor Of London"
No, I did not know. but could have
gone home and blown my brains out.
But. instead. I went to dinner with him,
feeling that I must see ELLA for the
last time.
She was looking very lovely, but ex-
tremely pale, and her red-rimmed eyes
seemed to dwell on me reproachf!llly.
I could not congratulate her the words
stuck in my throat. Sir John Westbury
was there-a handsome. well hammered
man, who hardly looked his nIry years
Of age.
After dinner Ella stole out to take
long farewell Of her precious Bull"
Sir John objected to dogs on a honey
moon trip, and she feared she would
be too nervous to attend to him in
the morning.
Suddenly. as Sir John and Mr.. Bar
rington and brother Bob al sat over
our wine and smoke. the dining room
door burst open, and Ella flew in,
in tren,ulous excitement. laughing and
crying Historically.
In her hand she held aloft some
dirty, crumpled pieces Of PAPER, and
at her heels was Bull"
"NIr. Wynter! Ernest!'' she cried.
''rhis letter. Is it from you? When
did you write it? When did you send
it? Bull must have taken it from the
hall table and buried it! It is dated
a month ago, and I have only just
found it in the ground in front Of his
kennel. Oh, please explain to papa and
Sir John! I can't. II thought you
didn't care about me. and that is why
I was going to marry him!'
All this happened three years ago.
Bertha is lady mayoress this year, and
Ella Darlington is Ella WINTER, the
idol Of my heart. And installed in
paIotio1 kennel in tho por6an Of orr