The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-03-15

Truth is not necessary in fiction"
responded the story teller.
"Oblige me, then, by not living any
more than is absolutely necessary"
Miss Vivian was fair and lovable.
Consequently when she met Mr.. Du-
bois at lawn party he fell in love
with her and she reciprocated his affec-
ton"
"A lawn party in Central Africa"
expostulated the young lady. pray
are you telling me romance among the
Manyemas?"
THE color of the skin is immaterial,"
replied Mr.. Dennison, but as YOU OBJ
ject to Africa | will call it Europe
England will do. All went well with
the lovers until, like the snake in the
garden of Eden, third person stepped
in, Mr.. John Halifax Well, one cannot
blame Miss Vivian if she preferred the
corn and wine of Egypt to love in cot
tage with poverty"
There was a pause, which Miss St
John broke by exclaiming irritably:
You are not entertaining at all.
Your story is not worth writing. No
publisher would accept it."
'Why not?' politely. "Have you
never known a similar case?''
mo, never, except in some absurd
story
by and by" continued the young
man, Mr.. Dubois decides to win or
lose it all He asks Miss Vivian to
marry him at once and share his mod
est income, which is, however, a sure
one. He-made fool of himself"
''Most men do" murmured the girl.
That is true, otherwise women
would not care for them, but in this
case the lady shared his folly"
'In what way?"
she threw aside loyal heart"
Probably she had good reasons for
SO doing"
1T occurs to me that you espouse
her cause very warmly"
badly the young man was over
bearing and imperative She very
properly declined to be slave 1t is a
Briton's privilege"
II grant it. But suppose that Du-
bois loved her deeply and truly, that,
realizing that he had spoken hastily
and regretted it and wrote her letter
full of entreaties for pardon, which he
sent by mail with bunch of Parma
| violets."
"Well?' whispered Miss St John;
"well?'' 1t was easy to see that she
was at last deeply interested.
Mr.. Dubois asked her in this letter
if she still loved him to wear his flow
ers the next evening at dance where
they would meet &c called her his
little queen'-he was madly in love
with her"
And then?" The girls voice sound
ed as if she We're crying.
"Oh, then, he went to the dance.
She was there radiant, smiling, beau
tiful. But she did not wear his violets.
Her gown was white, but upon her
bosom nestled bunch of crimson roses
which had been given to her by John
Halifax"
The voice of the narrator trem bled,
but he did not glance at his companion.
Already they were approaching a
tunnel which heralded the end of their
journey. Miss st. John realized it. and
was thankful, for she hoped the semi
darkness might hide her falling tears.
THAT night" continued Mr.. Denni-
son, she met friend who was to sail
for Africa the next day. Impetuous as
ever, Dubois decided to go with him.
He was away four years"
did it occur to him." whispered the
young girl, reaching for a satchel out
ST which she drew small jeweled box
and laid it on her knee, that Miss
Vivian might not have received the let
ter until after the hot headed and inn
petuous lover was beyond recall? Be-
sides, she might have been too much
hurt to evince her desire for his return.
With such men Love flows like Sol
| way but GIBBS like it's tide"
Already they were at the mouth of
the tunnel. The revolving wheels of
the train sounded like thunder, but an
instant before the engine plunged into
| darkness Dennison saw Miss st. John
pinning with trembling fingers bunch
of faded flowers to the bosom of her
dress. On her lap lay the open box and
letter.
"Madeline" cried the young man,
selling her hand and covering it with
kisses. ''Oh, my little queen, my sweet
| heart"
She uttered no word of protest; only
| her tears believed the violets upon her
| bosom, and lay there sparkling like
dMtH'I T., \,