The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-09-01
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Why it Never Came !:


Altogether IL was very curious affair.
He had been paying her such marked at
tcntion for some time, and she had seemed
only too pleased to receive IT, Wherever
she went, he went, too, IL possible, and II
by any chance he was not there she was
dull and restless and found things slow.
All the town knew about IL and was on
the tiptoe of expectation for the announce
mcnt. Then, suddenly, without apparent
rhyme or reason, he went back TO town,
and there was no talk of any engagement
Her sisters could not understand 1t any
better than did tho gossips OF the town, for
from hints she had let fall they felt sure
that she would not be unwilling TO ex-
change her position Of eldest daughter In
the largo family of n doctor whose prac-
tice was greater In Dimensions than In lu-
cratiyeness for the position of wife TO
rising young lawyer with expectations.
She was not very young, either; 27 Is get
ting on, and four other grown up sisters
do not make one appear any younger.
Besides, she 'hatcd helping In household
work and always having 10 tidy mp after
tiresome children" and openly declared
that she would do anything to get away
from it all.
The gossips OF the town wero very i'm
partial In their remarks. They said IL no
had not proposed to her no ought TO have
done so, after making such an obvious
fuss of her, and therefore no must be very
much to blame, for sho certainly would
not have said mo" but they further
stated that If he had proposed to her and
she had refused him, then she was also
very much to blame for having encourag-
ed him to such an extent One thing was
certainly clear, that there Ought to have
been on engagement, and they shook their
heads and said they had always before
thought he was such an honorable young
man and no fiirt, while they had also con-
sidered her very sensible girl, who knew
on which side her bread was buttcred. And
there was a good deal of truth in these re-
fections
Yet he--Roger Blake-wasa a young man
with right intentions, and he had been
very much In love with her and had wish
cd to marry her, and she-Julia Viccars-
was as fond of him as she could be of any
body, and was only waiting, somewhat
impatiently, for the momentous question.
And this is how the little town was dis
appointed of it's fashionable wedding.
They had been at the vicarage garden
party, and he had resolved to get a quiet
half hour with her there and put tho
words TO her which had lain for days at
the tip Of his tongue, and yet somehow he
never got a chance, though both were
willing parties. Once they had really es-
capped from the crowd and were strolling
toward a sequestcred part of the shrub
berry when the wears second son, very
obtuse youth, espied them. He was anx-
To- M 20 lra nm N
good tennis set and rushed up.
''I say, Blake, make n fourth In this
set, will yous"
''I'd rather not thanks I've just been
playing Find some one else"
''I can't find any one good enough.
Jones Is playing on the other side, and we
have no one his equaf bat yeu. De come,
there's n good fellow. / am sure Miss
viccars viii spare you"
"Oh, certainly" said Julia, but X n
tone could be frigid enough to freeze any
mortal the wears son would have been
then and there turned into solid ice.
He persisted in his request, and they
were obliged to go back to the tennis
lawn.
However, that evening, as Roger Blake
escorted Julia and her sisters tho short
distance home, he found opportunity to
say:
''I suppose You will take your usual
constitutional tomorrow morning In the
park Perhaps / may see you there.
Just lately Julia, usually so indolent,
had given out that she had headaches and
required brisk walk every day and had
carefully chosen time and place so that she
might be likely to accidentally meet Roger
Blake and have him for c~npanion.
The next morning she dressed herself
with unusual care, chose her most becom-
ing hat and went to the extravaganza OF
putting on her best gloves and shoes--"a
lady Is always judged by her gloves and
shocs'--and borrowed her sisters crimson
parasol, for It was of newer fashion than
her own, and, moreover, it lent q becom-
ing pink shade TO tho whole effest She
strollcd along toward the park, expecting
every moment TO hear manly step benind
her and a morning greeting In the well
known voice, and as she strolled visions
OF her future grandeur occupied her
thoughts. She resolved that there should
be no unnecessary delay in fixing the we'd
ding day, though, of course, she must
show little girls> hesitation. Her we'd
ding dress shoQld be white satin and-yes
her bridesmaid should certainly wear
pink, and the children could come in, too
nothing was so pretty as children at
wedding, and simple little frocks could be
easily made at home. Ugh, how glad she
would be TO get away from the little brats,
with their everlasting tcasing and noise,
and from the endless contriving how to
make sixpence do tho work OF shillingi
The folks should soon see she knew how TO
do the proper thingl
The town clock struck 12 and then the
quarter, and she began 20 wonder where
Roger was and TO feel little apprehension,
and she mentally abused the wears son
for his tiresomc Interference the day before,
for she was certain that Roger would have
been brought 20 tho point In the shrub
berry. Presently she looked back through
the trees In the park and to her great relief
saw him coming. He had not seen her, and
she walked on unconccrnedly, and her lit
tie start Of surprise when he caught her UP
was quite perfect.
81 was half afraid might miss you this
morning" he said. my aunt kept me
talking long while over her business
matters