Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-11-05

MY COUSIN HARRY.



like brother than so distant a con-
nection. But on that day he told me
how he loved me and how only could
make his life happy, and would | be
his wife?
At first could not believe him; yet,
surely he could not be in sport, and /,
as usual, began to cry. Then, when
he tried to squeeze my hand, l drew
il away and sat, after | had recovered
my first outburst, looking red and tear
full and abashed. / felt as though
Cousin Harry, whom l loved very
much. but not in that way. had really
done something very impolitie and un-
kind.
To tell the truth, it was my first Of
fer, and to accept it would have been
the height of absurdity.
When he looked at me so seriously
and said: "Annie, know you like
me, but do you love me?" 1 only
burst out crying again and said, Lets
go home" continuing to be very lach-
rymose all the rest of the way.
When we got home | ran into the
house, not asking him to come in. Of
course he would do that without my
asking if he wanted-he always did.
But not this time. Instead, he sprang
into his phaeton and drove off without
another word, and l rushed up to
my room to have comfortable cry
and think it all over; and my delib-
crations brought me to this conclu-
sion: That Cousin Harry was very
foolish to think of such thing. l
loved him very dearly, but only as a
brother. Beside, wanted more Of
fers and more flirting before l tied
myself down to any particular indi-
vidual. To be an old lady at IS, for
soothl Indeed l was not going to do
any such thing; and |, who had never
kept a secret from my mother, wisely
concluded, in my new dignity, that l
had better not mention the matter
perhaps Cousin Harry would prefer
that | should not.
So | dressed myself as usual and
went down to the parlor where mamma
sat with her work.
SIT seems to me that your ride was
unusually short, )" she said, as en-
tered.
ooh, it was cold and windy and
forlorn. and wanted to get home" !"
No reply, but look of some sur
prise. Such an excuse from me was
unheard of. After Il pause, she
asked
'eWhy didn't Harry come imp
'Why, l thought he was behind, and
when | turned to the door he was
driving of. +"
Another questioning look. Evil
IDENTIFY mamma saw that something
was wrong and was puzzled at what it
could be, so 1 said: 81 think I'll go
and play little,' glad of a pretext
for getting out of range of her sharp
eyes.
But was too much perturbed to
play and soon closed the piano and
then went up to my room and then
down again to the sitting room, and l
wandered about until l heard my
fathers step and sprang to meet him.
At dinner he and mamma behaved
in the most tantalizing manner. He
was determined to know every partic-
ular of the drive, and evasion was i'm
possible. At last in reply to a very
pressing inquiry as to the subject of
our quarrel-for l had been compelled
to admit that we hal quarreled-I
said, Il shan't tell you"
Whereupon he said, ooh, if l had
known it was anything Of a private
nature | would not have pressed my
inquiries beg your pardon, my
dear" with much courtesy; whereat
they both began to laugh.
Ny vexation seemed to amuse them
nightly, and / arose from the table
in anything but an amiable frame of
mind.
But, as | was expecting company -
no other than the son of the wealthy
banker, Mr.. Thomas Dickerson-I
speedily donned my sweetest smiles
and my most enchanting manner for
his benefit.
"He's almost as nice as Cousin
Harry, and he's so very rich"
This last reflection, bringing with
it the picture of an elegant mansion
and carriages and horses and plenty
of servants and splendid dresses and
rich iewelry, SO elated me, that pre-
pared to be especially brilliant
But Mr.. Thomas Dickerson, Junior,
spite of being tailorized and barber
lied to the last degree, was undeni-
ably commonplace in appearance and
not less so in conversation. His re-
marks had never aeemed so trite and
vapid. l was positively ashamed OF
him, and when he asked mamma and
l to go to the theatre with him on a
certain evening it was only the recol-
lection Of his great name and great
expectations that finally led me to ac-
cept the invitation.
cousin Harry Winnings a great
deal nicerl Indeed, / love him dear
lyl'' and | began to feel very miser-
able again, "but | could not marry a
cousin, and, besides, just think of
Tom Dickerson's wealth. Any girl
would be glad to get Tom Dickerson
I or dafff SlnlhB eitncis anu my hihti
reverted to several of my friends who
were always raying about him.
Nearly a week passed, and Cousin
Harry, who never abssnted himself
more than two days at a time, had
not made his appearance, and, worst
of all, he was at the theatre the night
before with that horrid little Nora
Knapp and her mamma. Some people
called Nora pretty, but never could
see it, and on that particular evening
she was positively frightful. But
Cousin Harry was all devotion, and
she looked as though she was in
heaven.
was so angry that l could have
torn her eyes out, but pretended tc
be perfectly fascinated with Iom.