The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-03-22

Aiat DSSCAtAS liz o4sC opIllS W
Bryan Carteret. 1t is many a year
since his name has passed my lips, and
yet l see him as plainly now as that
! first time we metl 1t was at the regi-
mental ball a. Plymouth. How bright
and brave he looked in his scarlet and
gold, with his sunny eyes and sweet
smile! My heart beats faster now when
| think of that night. We We're to be
| married in the autumn, and in June he
came to stay few weeks. We have no
summers now like that! The days
passed like dream of joy and sunshine
by the sparkling sea that / loved so
well, and that was to bring my life's
happiness to an end.
THE night before Bryan left us we
were all going to ball at a neighbor-
ing country house. The next day he
was to join some friends who were on
a yachting cruise round the south
coast, and who were to put into Ply
mouth to pick him up. l was in a
teasing, fiighty mood, delighted to try
and make Bryan jealous, and pretend l
did not mind the prospect of losing
him for some time. How trivial it all
seems now, looking back! At this
ball we met a certain Mr.. Hargraves,
a man who had paid me considerable
amount of attention, and who was
Bryan's special aversion. Some evil
spirit prompted me to fiirt with him
and to dance with him oftener than
was necessary. So often, that Bryan,
who was the least exacting of lovers,
spoke to me ABOUT it towards the end
of the evening, and asked me not to
dance with him again, as l was MAX
ing myself little conspicuous. l re-
member his very words! We were in
the conservatory.
est is not that l mind for myself,
sweetheart, though I would rather YOU
would give me more of yourself this
last evening we shall spend together,
but l don't like people to be able to
make any remarks about you. You
can quite well stay here with me a bit
and say you forgot his other dance.
Such things are allowed in your case. ;
There was such a loving smile in
his blue eyes as he bent over mel
And l, fool that l was, said no, that
l was not in the habit of pretending
to forget an engagement, that | really
could not allow him to be overbearing
already, and that | would be glad if he
would take me back to my place. Then
his dear face grew very grave and he
said: Are you serious, Joan? Don't
you think it is pushing your play a
little too far? Surely, you might be
satisfied with having shown the world
that you can be quite happy with
others besides myself, without giving
me the pain of this refusal of my first
request-the first l have ever made to
you! We shall have no other time to-
gether, either. Have you forgotten
that l shall leave too early to see you
tomorrow? That the next will be the
last dance? Give it to me-
For moment l wavered and near
ly gave in, as in my heart of hearts [
longed to do, and then l remembered
Mr., Hargrave's words as he asked for
this last dance. May l have the last?
That is if you are allowedr and my
own scornful answer: 4 have no ones
leave to ask, and my consent carried
the day and l refused Bryans prayer.
He said no more, for he was too proud,
but took me back to my seat, and no
more passed between us, but he did not
seek to detain Inc a moment in the hall
when he reached home, for last good
night, as he so often did, but babe me
farewell with the rest, saying: Good
night, and good-by, shall be gone to-
morrow before you are down.
This was more than had intended.
l thought he would have tried to make
friends before he went, but my pride
would not let me make any advances