The Van Buren press., 1895-09-14
hen-how can can confes. itq-mv

lifelong creed was thrown to the
winds, my proud ambition humbled In
the dust, and became a willing slave
to the sex had SO long despised and
ignored. My only thought now was
how and in what words I should be.
seech my darling Annie to become nv
wife. Time after time was on the
point OF speaking, but Julia always
turned up at the critical moment.
One evening Julia announced that a
week thence she had an engagement
to play at concert. Then burst upon
me brilliant inspiration. l pur-
chased two stall tickets for the Ly.
ceum for that same evening; and.
making pretense that | had them
given to me, persuaded Annie to
promise to accompany me. This time
Julia would not be able to intrude,
and should know my fate. In two
months time I should be taking my
summer holiday, which would fit In
jtus nicely for the honeymoon.
On the eventful day hastened home.
ward with queer futtcring in my
heart and a fiower-spray for Annie in
my hat. Julia opened the door, and
hardly permitted me to enter before
she informed me that Annie had been
out in the hot sun and had been
obliged to go to bed with very bad
sick headache. My futtering heart
gave one huge bound and then seemed
to stand still. However, to disguise
nv feelings | said
II am sorry; and you have to play at
the concerto"
NO." she replied, 'the concert has
been postponed"
Then may I beg the pleasure Of
your company? did not ask you be-
fore because OF the concert engage
ment."
Thanks. shall enjoy it immense
ly."
What a miserable failure that even
ing proved to be. I do not even know
what the play was called. was think
ing all the time ofmy poor sick darling,
and not of the acting or the woman
who sat by my side wearing the flower
spray that was meant for Annie.
The words were still unspoken when
my holidays arrived, and tearing my
self away from the two sisters, who
stood at the gate and waved their
handkerchiefs as long as remained In
sight it was with no feelings of joyful
anticipation that l betook myself to
Hastings for rest and recreation.
Rest! Where could l find it2 Not
on the parade or pier, amid hundreds
Of couples promenading, as had pic
tured Annie and myself doing; not on
the beach, where the Ethiopian musi-
clans were eternally playing annie
Laurie" Sweet Annie Rooney" and
annie, Dear, I'm Called Away
For whole week ! wandered aim
lessly hither and thither. Then could
stand it no longer So wrote long
letter commencing Darling" and
pouring out the impassioned, pent-up
love that comes but once in a mans
lifetime. l besought and beseeched
her to take rity upon me, or my life
less body should surge in the billows
that beat relentlessly on the rocks Of
Beachy Head.
When had finished happened to
catch sight Of photograph which
had purchased the previous day, repre-
senting one of the yachts preparing to
start on her morning trip, with my own
figure in q prominent position in the
bows.
"Ahl" thought l. "Ill send that to
Julia"
If 1t were possible had now less
rest than before, night or day, while
waiting for the answer. Rising in the
morning with haggard looks and burn
ing brow, the other boarders would
remark that the sea air did not seem to
agree with me, while under the mask
OF assumed indifference there ragged
within me the fercest volcano that
ever burned in the heart OF man.
At last the reply came, and bound
ing up to the privacy of my own room
with trembling fingers tore open the
envelope which hid from me-life or
death?
dearest, | am yours forever. l
cannot sa aur proposal was unex-
pected, for lave felt that you could
mean nothing less, ever since that
evening when you 80 openly expressed
your preference by taking me to the
theater-"
Wha tt whewl wherell looked at
the signature-"Julia- Oh, heavens!
| saw it all. had placed them in the
wrong envelopes, and sent the letter
to Julia and the photograph to Anniel
How ragged and fumed and tore my
hair, until at last, in sheer exhaustion,
| sank into chair and endeavored to
finish reading the letter.
"Annie thanks you very much for
the photo, and she desires me to tell
YOU that yesterday Mr.. Malcolm pro-
posed to her and was accepted. We
will have the two weddings on the
same day. Won't that be nice, dear?''
Nice? This was the last straw. Nice,
indeed, for me to be married to a wom-
an l did not care for, and at the same
time to see the one l loved given to
another man. cannot remember what
did for the next hour or two beyond
cursing my foolishness, and swearing
wouldn't marry Julia. Then. when
became calmer, l saw an action fol
breach of promise looming. l thought
of all my hard-earned savings OF years
being swept away by . sympathetic
Jury to heal .Julia's broken heart.
There was no escape for me.
She had my letter which simply
commenced: Darling" and as no name
was mentioned in it from beginning to
end, was it possible that any body OF
intelligent men could be brought to
believe that l intended it for Annie
when addressed the envelope tc