Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-01-13


81 can't imagine" said I lightly,
thinking how very pretty Dolly was
with that pink spot in either cheek.
81 think she looks like a cook! !" she
declared triumphantly, while /, in.
wardly agreeing, protested:
"Oh, Dolly, cook u
"Yes," she went on spitefully, "and
not even like good cookl"
"DolIy! Not like bad COOKE"
"Yes," she went on, "like very
poor cook!"
l was obliged to laugh, I couldn't
help it.
"Splendid wife she'd make! |" eaid I,
not meaning to rouse Dolly.
But suddenly she turned and said
the most terrible thing to ME that
she'd ever said since I'd known her.
"Then you'd better marry her"
This from Dolly
ooh" l began, but she was gone,
and there was nothing for me to do
but to pick up my hat and go, which I
did, calling myself q beast and a brute
as went.
That night leaving the theatre We
happened to meet moment. She was
radiant and scornful.
"Dolly," said, resolving not to no.
tice the contretemps of the afternoon,
"who are you going to dance the CO.
tillion with at the TerIy's tomorrow
night?"
"Wish Mr.. Morton" she answered
sweetly.
"What dear you are-I was afraid
you'd promise somebody else."
And then she laughed.
"With the pleasant, agreeable Mr..
Morton" she continued, "who never
says the wrong thing" And then ]
knew she meant the other one I'm
afraid said bad word; her mocking
laugh followed me in the darkness,
and echoed in my dreams that night.
wished I'd never seen her--and took
it back Immediately.
/ debated long time within myself
whether or not I should go to the Ter
rvs, but as usual ended by going. I
could dance stag and take Dolly out,
and-lovely idea-perhaps she would
take me out Then as 1 thought of
the way had left her the night before,
this beautiful hope faded. What
would she want with brute like me?
I never saw her look better than
that night of the Terry's dance; she
was in white, which best became her,
and she seemed to me like an angel.
And that beast!y Morton looked
pretty we'll too. 1 had to admit to
! myself that he was rather we'll ap-
pearing chap.
Mrs. Floyd Hopkins, who aspires to
be something of belle herself, stood
for a moment and followed the direc-
tion of my glance.
"Miss Dalrymple is looking particu-
larly we'll this evening"" said she, a
very gracious speech indeed for her.
very" replied, having sense
enough left not to discuss Dolly with
q woman.
"But what an awful firtl" she went
| Ou Iuio lSlG iuo SoSpidS'
"And engaged, understand, to Mr..
Morton all the time"
"Who said it?" I asked hoarselY.
Dolly engaged-and to that-cad--
with my name.
ooh, everybody snys SO, and then
she looked at me with such an unpleas-
ant smile. "That's your name too,
isn't it?"
eyes, I believe it is," 1 Said bril-
liantly, moving away from her.
Dolly engaged! l couldn't grasp
the full significance ofit; the thought
let me dszed and bewildered. This
very night would decide it. would
90 to her and ask her if there was any
| truth in it. Just then she came toward
me as if she was going to take me out,
but something in my face must have
stopped her.
"lVhat is the matter9" she said,
turning a little white.
Dolly" said sternly, twill you
give me the first two dances after sup
PERI"
"Of course--if you want them; but
won't you dance now?" 1 never saw
Dolly SO meek before.
"No,"I answered, almost roughly,
''not now." She left me with strange
look on her sweet face.
1t seemed centuries until supper; I
tried to think of what should say to
her, but my mind was in such cha
otic state that decided to depend on
the inspiration of the moment.
At last supper was over and I found
her, tucked her arm in mine, and
marching off to quiet nook, put her
in the only seat, and stood accusingly
before her.
"Dolly," | began, look at mel"
This she did, little timidlY, I
thought, and almost forgot what I
was going to say in the joy of looking
at her.
"My darling,"I I went on, 81 have
loved you so long, so well, and hoped
that in the course of years you might
come to care" she dropped her eyes /;
! just then / remembered that horrible
gossip, "but tonight, Dolly, heard
something that turned my heart to
stone.
"What was it?" she asked.
"That you were engaged to"
"Who?" breathlessly.
Morton" gasped, "that wretch
ed, caddish--"
"stopI" she said, with dignity.
sTell me. yor. SHALL" grasped her
wrists; sis it so?"
If it had been any woman in the
world but Dolly I should have said
she was embarrassed. She actually
blushed.
"No," she said slowly, sit is not SO,
but" her hands went up and covered
her face. My heavens suppose she
should cry.
"But whatp" 1 insisted cruelty
"you're not engaged to him, but
you're in love with him?" She took
bar bonds ovav md her fare Was very