Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-07-04

seemed to me that the color grew q
Shadc deeper in her lovely cheeks.
oul that may have been due to the
meat or was perhaps but the effect
ol my own Imagination. At any
rate she asSented in the most charm
ing manner in the world, and we
Stolled out into the large and hand :
some conservatory, which was now
quite deserted. 1t was this same
conservatory that we had stood and
talked the evening after we were en-
gagged, and l hoped that memories
Oh this would affect her as thew did
me. But alas! she was evidently
IN very far from sympathetic state
Of mind.
suppose you must be very
much engaged with your profession,
we see SO little Of YOU nowadays -
she remarked, swoetly.
This had all the effect of Dromed-
ltated satire. 1t had not been n
month since we had laughed merrily
together at my briefless condition,
and had agreed that we could be
very happy together without riches.
" Not so deeply engaged but that
! hnd time to call on all who care to
have me-" | answered bitterly.
" Indeed you are very unkind and
unjust to speak so," she replied,
with unrufllod tranquility. at
was only last Thursday that | heard
Uncle Jack say"
"Somcthing very flattering, no
doubt" | broke in, angrily. "A
very fine division Of affection indeed.
enjoy your Uncle Jacks, and yours
goes to that"
81 think we had better 90 back
now, Mr.. Lang. | had supposed
that | might trust you as an old
friend not to try to annoy and vex
me-"
"Mr. Lang! | see | am getting
to be very old friend indeed. So
old that | will soon be quite forgot
ten. You arc right. We had better
go back; your new friends will be
expecting YOU"
Why will you be so pcrverse and
SO cruel, Robert ."
"At least | am not cruel enough
to forget you. But you would ac-
count that kindness, | suppose"
Indeed, | would rather have YOU
forget me than think so unkindly of
me. l had hoped that we might al
ways be good friends"
81 think that you had better in
vest in lapdog. They are much
more manageable" | replied with
objectionable brutality.
You are right" she said, with
Icy sweetness; "and they are at
least grateful to their friends"
/" Forgive me, Alice" | stam-
mered; 81 did not mean to be such a
BRUTE"
"Let us forget everything but
that we are very good friends" she
answered, after a moments pause.
"And l want to put your friend
ship to Il selfish use this very min
ute"
You know very well that would
gladly die for you"
"Oh, my wants are not so eXorbi-
tant as that" she answered lightly.
L merely want your advice, as my
oldest and best friend, in case
where / can't trust my family to
judge impartially. l think you
know Mr.. Hamilton-Mr. Richard
Hamilton, / mean" And fancied
that she blushed a trifie as she men
toned the name.
answered with very bad grace
that l had the great honor Of dis
tant acquaintance with the young
ppnt laman i'm uuaStlOp
81 fancied so. Now, the long
and short of the matter is, that my
people are very anxious to have me
marry him; and Aunt Mary in
particular has her heart set on it,"
"He seems to me very desirable
parti, indeed" l said coldly. 81
suppose you hardly need my con-
gratulations."
"He too, is so silly as to want to
marry me-" she went on, without
seeming to notice my rude speech,
land l have promised to give him
an answer this evening. And what"
here she seemed strangely embar-
rassed, and became deeply absorbed
in the figures on her fan" what
answer shall give him ?"
"What answer? / cried, as her
meaning flashed over my dull COM
prehenSion, "Why tell him that you
are engaged, Of course -
Just what happened next is rather
hazy III my mind-almOst obliterated
by the direful catastrophe which so
soon followed. | dimly recOllect
kissing her upturned face as we stood
in the shadow OF a great South
American cactus, that screened us
from all observation, and drawing
her unresisting form toward divan
that we occupied on the memorable
evening when we had been engaged
before. We knew all the strong
holds of her aunt'S house perfectly.
Chow horribly improper !" she
exclaimed, apropos of something or
other. "Suppose that any one
should see us this way"
"That wOmd he improper, | ad-
nit" replied, serenely but then
you see, nobody can"
The argument was undeniable, and
she let her head rest against my
shoulder, with little sigh of salts
! faction.
Chow absurd to think that we
ever quarrelled," observed pres
emily.
"Oh, don't talk of that horrid
time any more! have nearly cried
NV ewes out over it. Let's just re-
member that we have loved each
other all the while"
For a moment there was silence.
"Alice!" | said, severely, as a