Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-03-14
A TANGLED SKEIA.

"Mary 70 cried the low voice o
Henry Ashton. The maiden looked
up.
MARY have much to tell you
will You listen to me awhile, only fo
a moment?" and he spoke fast and
eagerly.
A moment only, you say-well,
Isuppose must-but what q beauti
full butterfly that is. oh, for the
dear, sweet, tiny thing! Do, pray.
try and catch it for met"
Ashton was stung to the heart. He
had been on the point of declaring
his long cherished passion for Mary
Derwentwater, and he felt that she
knew not only the depth of his affec.
ton, but that the words trembling
on his lips were an avowal of his
love. Her light heartedness at once
changed the current of his feelings
Often had he heard others say that
his beautiful cousin was q coquette,
and more than once had she trifed
: with his own feelings. He had hoped
that her conduct was the result of a
momentary within, but this last act
displayed a confirmed heartlessness OF
which an hour before he would not
have deemed her capable. He sighed
and was silent.
"Oh, dear, how ungallant you
are" continued his cousin. 1.-The
beautiful creature will really escape,
and do 10 love butterflies 70
1T is gone"
$50 il is. / shall never forgive
you. Don't ask me to-" said
Mary, afectedly.
"Then we must part without it, !"
said Henry, carelessly. II leave to-
morrow and shall visit Europe before
/ return. 1t may be years-it may
be forever-that shall be absent. !"
why, Harry, you jest" said his
companion, struggling to appear
composed, although she felt how
cold and pale her cheeks had grown.
''You are not in earnest, and she laid
her soft white hand-that hand
whose touch made every nerve Of
Ashton thrill--on her lovers arm,
looking up into his face with her
dark and melting eyes. But the
cord had been stretched until it had
snapped and her influence over Ash
ton was gone. He half averted his
head as he answered, coldly:
II do not jest especially with a
friend.
The tone, the emphasis, the man
ner, all stung the pride Of Mary.
She felt that his censure was
just, and yet she spurned it. Her
hand fell from his arm, and emulating
his OWE GOODNESS she said: Then l
will not ask you to stay. But as it
is late, and you will have your pre-
partitions to make, | will not intrude
on your time" and courtesying she
withdrew.
And this is the being in whom /
had garnered up all my hearts best
Affections" exclaimed Harry, when
he found himself alone. This the
divinity ! have adored with fervor
no mortal bosom ever yet felt, and
she could talk, heartlessly talk, OF
the merest trfle when she saw that
my whole heart was bound up in her.
Oh would that we had never met.
But my delusion is over. / will fly.
Mary Mary little did / dream that
my love would meet such return !"
Mary hurried to her chamber, and
locking the door she flung herself on
the bed and burst into food of tears.
How bitterly she reproached herself
that her momentary coquetry had
lost the love of the only being for
whom she cared. She did not disguise
from herself her affection; she could
scarcely tell why she yielded to the
impulse OF that fatal moment but
she felt that she had lost irretriev.
ably the esteem and affection OF her
cousin. She would have given worlds
to recall the last hour. Even now
she might, by seeking HIM and throw
ing herself at his feet, perhaps re-
gain his love. She rose to do so. But
when her hand was on the lock she
thought he might spurn her. She
hesitated. In another instant her
pride hsd gained the mastery.
mol cannot-I dare not. He
will turn away from me. He will
despise me. Oil that / had never,
never said those idle words" and
Ringing herself upon the bed she
wept long and bitterly.
Mary appeared that evening at the
supper table, but in the cold, averted
looks of Ashton she saw only new
cause for pride. The evening passed
of heavily. As the time came for
retiring Henry approached her &c
bid her farewell. She thought her
heart would burst her bodice. but
commanding her emotion by VIC
lent effort she returned his adieu as
calmly as it was given.
And they parted, both in seeming
caselessness, but one at least in ag
ony.
Henry Ashton had known his lovely
cousin scarcely two years, but dur
ing that time she had seemed to him
q divinity. Never in his wildest
reums had hr .aeincl a counte
,aec- nor p~-inyy benuiifu