Cousin Maude

he was on the best of terms. Almost every bright day did the young man draw the little covered wagon through the village, and away t

ut to her a patch of sunburn and a dozen freckles, the result of her outdoor exercise, she declared her intention of remainin

r darling brother. Insensibly the domestic virtues and quiet ways of the black-haired Maude were winning a strong hold upon J.C.'s affections, and still he had never seriously thought of making her his wife. He only, knew that he liked her, that he felt very comfortable where she was, and very uncomfortable where she was not; that the sound of her voice

hose kindly acts were done. Of James De Vere she often thought, repeating sometimes to herself the name of Cousin Maude, which had sounded so sweetly to her ear when he had spoken it. His promise she remembered, too, and as often as the mail came in, bringing her no letter, she sighed involuntarily to think she was forgotten. Not forgotten, Maude, n

prevented me from doing so. 'Better late than never,' is, however, a good motto at times, and I intrust th

elf he would rather she should not see it yet, and though it cost him a struggle to deal thus falsely with both, he resolved to keep it from her until she had promised to be his wife. He never dreamed it possible that she could tell him no, he had been so flattered and admired by the city belles; and the only point which troubled him was what his fashionable friends would say when in place of the Nellie whos

and since he had become interested in her he dared not question them lest they should accuse him of mercenary motives. Was it as large as Nellie's? He wished he knew, while at the same time he declared to himself that it should make no difference.

ently ridiculed in his presence, just because she thought he would laugh at it, and think her witty. But in this she was mistaken, for h

were going; she expected it as a matter of course, just as she expected that Maude would stay at home to look after Louis and the house. But J.C. had his own opinion of the matt

man who came to his door, "and tell her I cannot possibly

nd the angry tears glittered in Nellie's blue

ed the repast, and she had taken especial pains with the pies which Mr. De Vere liked the best, and which, notwi

for Mr. De Vere's society objected, and poutingly tying on her hat, the young lady took her

from a nervous headache, as he was supposed to be. Maude had finished her domestic duties, and in tasteful gingham morning-gown, with the whitest of linen collars upon her neck, she sat reading alone at the foot of the garden beneath a tall cherry tree where John had built her a rough seat of boards. This was her favorite resort, and here J.C. found her, so intent upon her book as not to observe his approach until he

s, and coloring crimson, Maude replied, "You a

eless bubbles with whom I have been associated. But you, Maude Remington, have brought me to my senses, and determined me to be a man instead of a fool. Will you help me, Maude, in this resolution?" and

she attributed to his exceeding good nature; but to be loved by him, by J.C. De Vere, who had been sought after by the fairest ladie

if I meant for certain,' and you were right, for all my life has been a humbug; but I mean 'for certain' now. I love you, Maude, love you for the

untruth, but she could not then say "Yes," for another, and a more melodious voice was still ringing

upon me so suddenly, so unexpectedly, for I have always thought of you as Nellie'

om he spoke kindly, saying she pleased him better than most of his city friends, and as he began really to want a wife he had followed her to Laurel Hill, fully intending to offer her the heart which, ere he was

Maude replied: "I cannot answer you now, Mr. De Vere. I should say

g in intensity with each step he took. He had not expected anything like hesitancy. Everyone else had met his

ng he on his pillow was really suffering all the pangs of a racking headache, brought on by strong nervous excitement. "What if she should say No?" he kept repeating to himself, and at last, maddened by

whom she could go for counsel, she told him of the offer she had received, and asked him what he thought.

to you!" he exclaimed.

ed: "They say he is a great catch, and wouldn't it be nice to get him away fro

on her cheek deepened to a brighter hue as

he was here I fancied you were pleased with hi

ll enough to make her his wife," and she sighed deeply as she t

e sometimes marry for money, and maybe he thinks yo

n she supposed was proved by the earnestness with

an my own," she said; "and by preferring me

cy. This note she sent to him by John, who, naturally quick-witted, read a portion of the truth in her tell-tale face, and giving a loud whistle in token of his approbation he exclaimed, "Thi

her, but resolving to banish him from her mind as one who had long since

against me-no one ever did," he said; but when he read the few brief lines, he dashed it to the floor with an impatient "Psha

nder if she's healthy, this Mrs. Hopkins," soliloquized J.C., until at last a new idea entered his mind, and striking his fist upon the table he exclaimed, "Of course she will. Su

from his mind. "He would marry her, anyway," he said, "five thousand dollars was enough;" and donning his hat he started at once for the doctor's. Maude had returned to the house, and was sitting with her

," answered Maude, "and

a feeble word. I worship you, I love the very air

, and he continued pleading his cause so vehemently that Louis, who was wholly unprepared for so sto

had never aspired to the honor had been chosen from all others to be his wife. He was handsome, agreeable, kind-hearted, and, as she believed, sincere

ence, and in his deep black eyes there was a truthful, earnest look

most know I shall tell you Yes. I like you, Mr. De Vere, and if I hesitate it is because-because-I really don't

g hastily, J.C. took his leave. As the door closed after him, Louis heaved a deep sigh of relief, and

termined not to tell him that James De Vere alone stood between her and the dec

l take you to Rochester away from this lonesome house

bidding her brother say nothing of what he had heard, Maude went down to meet them. Nellie was in the wors

d, "though of course

y opinion that headache was all a sham, for you hadn't been gone an hour, afore he was over here in the ga

e's crimson cheeks, but Mrs. Kelsey had, and very sarcastically she said: "Miss R

ered Maude, her look of embarrassment giving wa

its?" continued Mrs. Kelsey, who suddenly remembered several little incidents which had heretofore passed

lf, and I refer you to him," was

mproper for a woman as old as Aunt Kelsey to go over and see how Mr. De Vere was, part

d for the hotel. J.C. was sitting near the window, watching anxiously for a glimpse of Maude when his visitor was announced

ontinued, "Hannah says you spent the morning there, an

C. replied somewhat stiffly, for he b

hat "J.C. ought not to pay Miss Remington much attention, a

J.C., determining to brave

s wrong to raise hopes which cannot be realized, for of course you have neve

or he was rather dependent on the opinion of others, but it made no difference now, and, warming up in Maude's defense, he repl

gh-bred Mrs. Kelsey. "What will you

"There's something to her," said he, "and with her for my wife I shall make a decent man. What would Nellie and I do together-when neither of us know anything-about business, I mean," he added, while Mrs. Kelse

the coming Sabbath, and soon after her interview with her sister she had gone to the church where she sought to soothe her ruffled spirits by playing a most plaintive air. The music was singularly soft and sweet, and the heart of J.C. De Vere

t expect me to lend a helping hand, for Maude Remington cannot by me be recognized as an equal," and the proud l

ere, and even Mrs. Lane, who lives just opposite, dare not open her parlor blinds until assured by ocular demonstration that Mrs. Kelsey's are open too. Oh, fashion, fashion, what fools you make of your votaries! I am glad that

her regard for him, and when he told her what had passed between himself and Mrs. Kelsey, and urged her to give him a right to defend her against that haughty woman's attacks by engaging herself to him at once, she was more willing to tell him Yes than she had been in the morning. Thoughts of James De Vere did not trouble her now-he had ceased to remember her ere this-had n

ispered in her ear, "I am glad that is so," she thought it very nice to be engaged, and was conscious of a happier, more independent feeling than she had ever known before. It seemed so strange that she, an u

d grateful for so potent a protector, she fell asleep, dreaming alas, not of J.C

oo, he had of a giddy throng who scoffed at the dark-eyed girl, calling her by the name which he himself had given her. It was not meet, they said, that he should wed t

eams so often