The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-04-19
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ar Oh t5o6erness's GaIs.

How well remember that tmol The little
parlor quite still and quiet, except for the
faint sound Of the waves rolling in !; for it was
rather wild night and our small onc-storicd
cottage stood by itself ip solitary part Of the
beach. How we'll l remember myself sitting
with the pen sin my hand, uncertain how to
begin; for I felt nwl lswnrl, never hnying writ
ten to him since was child AT first al
most forgot what had to write about. While
musing, l was startled by q noise like the
opening of window. Now, as / explained,
our house was all on ono fiat, md we could
easily step from any window to the beach.
Shuddering with alarm, hurried into Zillahs
room. There, by the dim night-light | saw
her bed was empty. She had apparently
dressed herself-for saw none OF her clothes
and crept ont at the window Terrified in.
eapressibly, ! was about to follow her, when |
saw the ilutter Of shawl outside md heard
her speaking.
"No, cousn---no, dear cousinl Don't asls
me. can't go away with you tonight. 1t
would be very wrong when Miss Pryor knows
nothing about 1t. If she had found lis out, or
threatened, and we were Obliged to. go -
Immediately ! saw that with girl OF Zillah's
fierce obstinacy discovery would be most dan
gcrous. l put out the light and kept quite
Silly
~ can't, indeed I can't" pursued Zillah's
voice, in answer to some urging which was
inaudible; adding with childish laugh !:
You know, Cousin Augustus it would never
do for me to go and be married in cotton
dressing-gown; and Miss Pryor keeps all my
best clothes. Dear Miss Pryorl I would
much rather have told her, only you say she
would be so much the more surprised and
pleased when came back married. And You
are quite sure that she shall always live with
us, and never return to Yorkshire again /"
| Her words, SO childish, so unconscious Of the
wrong she was doing perfectly startled me,
All my notions Of girlsh devotion following
| its own wild will were put TO flight. Here was
u mere child led away by the dazzle of new
| toy to tho brink of q prccipics. She evidently
knew no more Of love aud marriage than q
baby. For q little time longer, the wicked
lover cannot call him--suitor urged his suit,
playing with her simplicity in manner that
he must have nwardly laughed ut all the time.
lie lured her to matrimony by puerile pct
names, such as "My angel by idle rhalso-
dies, and pictures Of fine houses and clothes.
81 don't mind these things at all,' said poor
lillah innoccnily "only you say that when
[ am married shall have nothing to do, and
yVu Will SGuiu INV ulilt hiliitI HtiNB
Pryor always with me. Promse!" Here was
a pausc, until the child's simple voice was
heard again: g don't like that cousin.
won't kiss you. Miss Pryor once said we ought
never to kiss anybody unless we love them
very much" ,.l',.
"And don't you love me, my adorable
creaturc?" .-. 4,'
"I-I'm not qnite sure: sometimes I love
| you and Somptiuas MT huf I euppoco 7 cha N
always when we are married"
"'lhat must be very soon," said The lieu
tenant, and | thought L heard him trying to
suppress yawD. Let us settle IL at once,
my dear, for it is late. Ii you will not come
tonight, let me have the happiness the entire
felicity, OF fetching you Tomorrow
mo, no" Lillah answered; "Miss Pryor
will want me to help her to pnck. We leave
this day week: let me stay till the night be-
fore that then come for me, and I'll have my
best frock on, and we can be married in time
to meet them all before the boat sails next
day" a.-.l t
In any other circumstances / should have
smiled at this childs idea Of marriage but
now the crisis was far too real and awful ; and
the more her ignorance lightebed her own error
the more it increased the crime Of that bad
man who was about to ruin her peace for ever
A little he tried to reverse her plan and MAKE
the marriage earlier but Zllah was too steady
In The obstinacy Of her character--in the ittl
: influence which, lover as he was, he seemed t
n have over her~--I read her safeguard, past an
present 1t would just allow me time to say
! her in the only way she could be saved.
! listened till | heard her say good-by to h'
= cousin, creep back into the dark room throue
the open window, and fasten it securely a. b