The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1895-02-19

| himself 10 SEMI Matte to New York to
purchase these necessities. She had
been there once before and could stop
all night with her cousin, and he
would direct her to the express Office
and to the booksellers also. And Mat
tie was delighted with tho proposal
and looked happier than she had
looked since Asa went away.
Hannah, looking out of her window,
which commanded view of the rail
road station, saw the young clerk, Mr..
Grown, skurrying along with his va
llse III his hand, and saw him also
enter the car in which Matte had en-
sconsed herself.
Mattie was as innocent of any knowl-
edge OF Mr.. Browns intention of GO
ing TO the city with her rs she was of
Greek or Hebrew. To be sure, 1t was
not unpleasant to sit beside the kind
ly young fellow who enter tained her
with his chatter, nor to bo escorted to
her cousins safely, but he, thoughts
were with Asa all the while, for she
was trying to make up her mind
"whether it would do to call on him. {"
She knew where his room was. Could
it he any harm for his betrothed wife
just to stop in five minutes? He
would not think SO, she was sure; she
would do it,
SO, having left her little bag at
Cousin Smiths, received kisses, an
swered questions aud been directed to
the School Book Repository, she
started out again, and having made
her purchases, turned her feet III the
direction of Asa's abiding place.
a woman was scrupblug the hall
floor when she arrived, and informed
her that the gentleman she was in
search of occupied "thc second floor
back" and picking her way, Matte
climbed the stairs, and stood in lit
tie passageway, quite dark and com
manding view of two small rooms,
dusty and grimy.
In one of these, with his head rest
ing on both his hands, after fashion
of his own, all his black hair rumpled
about by his restless fingers, and n
great book before him, sat Asa l
presume that he would not have been
a particularly attractive object to any
Que else, for Asa was not beautiful,
and just then was not attircd very
freshly or elegantly.
This loving little soul dared not en-
: ter the room and speak to her be-
trothed lover until she had Quilted her
heart little.
"My poor old Asa and no one to
take care of him !" she sighed AS
: she did 50 the door of the other room
opened wide, and somebody came out
Of it.
1t was hard for Mattio to realize
, what it was at first. Such looking
creature she had never seen before 1t
) was dressed in the latest style, and it
) walked directly into Asa's room.
cit is a woman, said Matte to her
self. 'What m object! What eau
she want with Asa?'
And then she saw this object walk
up to Asa, clasp him about the neck
and kiss him.
''Ihe bold, bold wretch !" said Mat
tic
Her hands cinched themselves; but
IN moment they grew clnmmy and
helpless, and she trembled from head
to foot. Asa did not push this crea-
ture from him. Instead. he burst in
} to roar of laughter, caught hold of
his visitor by the shoulders and shook
her i'll iovial manner.
After while Matte found strength
to creep down stairs, and got home to
Cousin Smiths, and. told that good
lady that she had ga headache"
The next evening she took the ring
from her finger and wrote:
"Goo i-by, ASH. 1 shall never write to
you any more. 1t must bc all over between
III. Don't ask mo why; L VIII never tell
You hope You viii! b3 happy, bat now
could not make you so. MATTE BLUME.
And this note came to Asa one morn
ing and fell upon his heart so terribly
that his friend aud chum, Frank
Wertcr, found him, an hour after,
scnseless upon the floor, and telc-
graphed to his sister to come TO him.
Hannah went at once. She found
her brother tossing in a fever. She
looked in his vest pocket and found
the note and the ring.
So when her brothers senses re-
turned Hannah told him as she now
blamed herself for not having told
him before, how Matte had been
''going on" with young Brown.
SO it was over-the romance of two
lives. That beautiful thing, first love,
had died the death.
Matte went on with her school Asa
worked hard ut his profession; gained
his diploma; practiced; began to make
money-not for Matte, alas He
heard funeral bell toll ut his heart
when he thought OF her.
Meanwhile Hannah had returned
home, buyom and fresh and bright,
J. and went about her work singing. A
new light had dawncd upon Der life.
= Frank Werner had fallen in iovo with
hcr, and she loved him in return. He
bad already proposed aud they would
Doe married M six months time.
Jncy were exactly of IN age; they
. he'd tastes iu common; they liked
coch others looks; why should they
not bc happy, thou
tu duo time Aiattic heard that Han
3 ran was married, but thoy, father and
daughter, received no cards. Hannah
] uql not desired her brother to love or
marry Mati', but else bore her "a
ruIgc ioeJiltms him all the 1ne.
Aet mover w,ut home TO visit: ho
u d. q a.