Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1897-10-15

you are al $50 happy.
She loo1e back into our little sit
ting room pith smile Of real pleas
ure. And how pleased and happy 1
was.
The merit week Mrs. Marchmont in
vited Ada md me TO come and take tea
with her add 60 with her and her hus-
band TO hear celebrated lecturer in
the evening When Mr.. Marchmont
came homo from the store he brought
with him Henry Earle, one Of his
clerks, whom L had seen before, once
at their hoa Sc and once at the store,
when wsnt there with a message
from Mrs. Marchmont TO her husband.
We oil TOOK tea and went TO the lecture
together. Aud Mrs. Marchmont kept
Ada over Digit with her, but went
home aftef the lecture, and Henry
went with ne as far as my own door.
met hin at the Marchmonts' more
than once otter, for he was favorits
with Mr.. Iarchmont, and they invited
him there often, and sometimes We
went agail as on the evening have
spoken Of, to lecture or reading, and
he always waited upon me home.
Presently be came to see us there.
l did not exactly know why, but
could not help feeling little earnest
ness that my father and mother should
like him. / thought they ought to.
For myself, il had become pleasant
to me to meet him. / had learned to
like his gentle smile, the glance of his
kind eyes, the sound Of his voice, that
seemed always, somehow, TO take q
sweeter tone to me than TO others.
And | was glad when papa and NAM
ma both seemed to like him very much
and asked him to come again.
''He is very sensible, very inteli-
gent, very refned-a gentleman, my
dear Helen yes, like him extremely"
said my father. And mamma said she
thought as nc did, and that it was
quite pleasant to see Mr.. Earle once in
a while of an evening.
Mrs. Marchmont kissed me one day.
$50 Henry comes TO see you now?"
she said, smiling.
blushed-I could not reply.
81 wanted to tell you," answered,
''but--I did mott did not-know ex-
actly how"
She laughed at my stammering con-
fession and kissed me again.
"How did you know he came?" 1 |
managed to ask.
''He told us last night, "she replied. |
"He wanted us to know and approve,
which, of course, we did" she added, |
smiling archly.
Nothing more was said ut the time;
but my cheeks were burning, and I |
was so glal TO get home and hide my
self in my chamber.
''He wanted them to know and-ap-
prove" The words repeated them
selves over and over in nv ears.
What did they mean? What could |
they mean? There was only one thing, !
that my own heart kept telling me
again aud again, telling me that | |
knew knew had known this long
while. And put my fingers On my
ears, but could not keep the sound
out
He came-it was a lovely night in
June, bright with the full moonlight
and sweet with the breath of early
simmer in our little suburban lanes
and asked me to walk with him.
Icaunot tell how far We went IL
was long way, and we said not
great deal, think, oil the while, only
walked and walked, with my arm in
his and his hand holding mine silently
and tenderly.
1t was nearly ten when we got back.
Para and mamma and the children
had all gone upstairs. And we went
in aud stood in the little sitting room,
with the beautiful moonlight falling
all about us, through the windows
curtained and draped with honey.
suckes and roses.
And then Henry, with his arm about
me and his face near mine, told me
how muchhe loved mellow he wanted
me to marry him.
'Will you, Helen?" he said.
And was 80 happy, SO glad, that
l had no words to give him, aud could
only hide my face, But he knew.
He was only clerk in Mr.. March
monts counting room, with salary
that was certainly not fortune, and
he could only give me house as big
as this, he said; but Mr.. Marchmont
said he was to do better soon, and,
meanwhile, loving each other well and
truly, he thought We could get along
nicely, if could be satisfied for his
sake.
was more than satisfied; I was glad
-happy-overioyed beyond words. /,
who had been such a murmurer--so
ungrateful and disconnected and re.
pining.
nnt hal lna..nI Ina.au no,,