180 



KID1VS OWN JOURNAL. 



" naughty," were quite conspicuous, he gave 

 the shoulders another shake, and dragged 

 poor Fanny Forester very rudely after him out 

 of the room. 



In a little while we were all on the portico 

 to see Cousin 'Bel mounted on Zikka ; and 

 beautiful indeed was she, with her queenly 

 figure and animated face. Even my heart 

 swelled with pride to see my pretty palfrey 

 so highly honored. And Walter Sleighton ! 

 Oh ! there was a world of eloquent meaning 

 in his large dark eyes ; and right gallantly 

 did he vault into the saddle, and proudly 

 curve his strong arm to draw in therein, and 

 keep the spirited animal from shooting past 

 its lighter comoanion. 



A low word was spoken, a nod or two, 

 and a profusion of smiles flung back to the 

 admiring group on the portico, and away 

 flew the happy equestrians, almost with the 

 speed of the wind. From that morning 

 Zikka's services were put in requisition every 

 day ; and as I had somehow taken a sudden 

 dislike for riding, it soon became quite un- 

 necessary to consult me about the matter at 

 all. Indeed, if truth must be told, poor 

 Fanny Forester became, by slow degrees, a 

 very unimportant personage, slipping about 

 quietly, and for the most part unobserved ; 

 now filling up an embarrassing pause in con- 

 versation ; now absenting herself at a critical 

 moment, when her woman's wit taught her 

 that she was de trop; sometimes making a 

 third in the " buggy" and usually, though at 

 a respectful distance, in the walk ; always 

 blind, deaf, and dumb, when these qualities 

 could seem to be desirable, and yet not a 

 little piqued by her friends' provoking lack 

 of confidence. To " play third fiddle," and 

 then be deprived of even the crumbs from the 

 table ! it was too bad ! It was no difficult 

 part, however, as far as execution was con- 

 cerned ; for neither Walter nor 'Bel were 

 very sharpsighted to others' actions. But 

 there were some half-dozen curious, quizzing, 

 mischievous children, belonging to our 

 establishment, who were not quite so con- 

 siderate ; and they had the honor of getting 

 up several embarrassing scenes. Still, neither 

 of my cousins thought proper to entrust me 

 with any confidential communications ; and 

 so week after week passed by until the 

 vacation had ended, and Walter was 

 obliged, though reluctantly, to prepare for 

 his return. 



After assisting my mother in putting 

 Walter's wardrobe in order, and watching 

 him and 'Bel till they disappeared alone 

 among the shadows of the trees, I went up 

 again to my cousin's room to see that his 

 books and writing materials were all packed. 

 The room was in confusion ; and, among the 

 tt lumber that strewed the carpet, my 

 attention was particularly attracted by several 



loose strips of very fine paper, and I had the 

 curiosity to pick them up. On one was 

 written, very carefully, " My dear Miss 

 Forester," on another, "Dear Isabella," 

 and another address was familiarised into 

 " Charming Bel ;" but the writer had 

 evidently been puzzled for words to follow. 

 Cousin Walter had found it no easy matter 

 to indite a lover's epistle ! After enjoying 

 these tell-tale scraps to my heart's content, 

 I proceeded to the table; where, lo ! I 

 stumbled on just the neatest little parcel that 

 ever was folded, — measured, I was sure, by 

 line and plummet; and addressed "Miss 

 Isabella Forester." So here was the mystery 

 of the note writing all explained. But what 

 could be in that snowy envelope ? It looked 

 like a book ! it felt like one. But Walter, 

 bold, frank, merry-hearted Cousin Walter, 

 would never be so sentimental. No ! it was 

 doubtless something else, but what ? Ah ! 

 there was a whetstone for curiosity! How 

 my fingers sidled toward the knot, and how 

 I felt the pupils of my eyes dilating at the 

 thought that nothing but a thin fold of paper 

 lay between me and the mystery of a genuine 

 love-token ! But I resisted the temptation, 

 much as the effort cost ; and put back the 

 little package on the table. As I did so, I 

 was startled by the sound of a footstep ; and, 

 on turning round, suddenly encountered my 

 Cousin W'alter. 



"'My dear Miss Forester!' 'Dear 

 Isabella !' < Charming 'Bel !' " repeated I, 

 with provoking volubility ; and then pointed 

 to the little package inquiringly. Walter 

 blushed to the roots of his hair, and looked 

 very foolish. 



11 Now you shall tell me all about it, Walter 

 — how you argued the case, what she said, 

 and when you are to speak to Uncle 

 Forester." 



" Nonsense, Fan ! hush ! You are wrong ; 

 all wrong !" 



" And you are quite indifferent to Cousin 

 'Bel, eh ? and she to you ? — and these stealthy 

 meetings mean nothing?" 



" You and I have been together so, fifty 

 times, Fanny." 



| " Aye, because we are cousins — more, 

 brother and sister. But keep your own 

 counsel, Walter, if you will ; and throwing 

 down the package, and mustering as much 

 of an air of offended dignity as I could 

 conveniently assume, I passed on to the 

 door. 



" Stop, Fanny I" and Walter drew my arm 

 within his ; " you shall not be angry with 

 me after- after all you have done. But in 

 truth I have nothing to tell. I have never 

 said a word to your cousin that you, that all 

 might not hear, — there are reasons why I 



should not. We are both young, and I ' 



an expression of deep pain flashed across the 



