The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-03-23

THE FALSE FRIEND;
OH
THE OLD MAIDS SECRET.
[From the N. Y. Record ]
[CoNTINUED.l

SIN the evening Edith Gresham came
to talk over the balls of the previous
evening. She asked if | had me-.
| Colonel Gerard at mine, and on my
saying Yes she said that he.hal come
on afterwards to hers, ard actually
/ danced with mep she exclaimed
Imagine my snrprise for never were
two people so nntagonistic as he and r.
"But why p | inquired.
Because he knows / do not like
him, she replied; that ! do not ap-
lrove him. know all his aniecedents
Hester, and he knows do
II am snre,' exclaimed, indignant
! ~ 'tlat there can be '!ins in Colonel
Gcratd's antecedcnts of which he has
reason 10 he asiiamed.'
SIT depends said my friend. show
far any MIN is likely to be ashamed of
his own congnests. You are not the
t.i,st girl, Hester, who has been fascina-
fed 10y him. Oh, ifI could but tell You
all. you would soon be disenchapted.
! assure yon the way he is going on
with you makes me miserable. / have
seep the very same game played over
and over again by him, and when he
has gone as far rs he safely can, he
withhraws quietly
II did not believe it. was fn,ions
AT the accusations. bnt Edith was firm.
81 am much older than yol are she
continued. and, as l often tell son. my
happiness is bound mp in yours. Now
answer me one question Did lie not
sit out with you last night 2
Yes
"And did he not devote himself to
yong
eyes, again.
"And he said he was to come and
see you to-dayg Did he come 2
"Winr could ! answer but 'No?'
.He never meant to GOMEZ said
Edith. 'Oh, Hester, be warned in
time! Don't let him have the satisfac-
ton of adding yon 20 his list of con-
quests! think could tell yon some
thing of him which would start,e you
only will not, if yon will only promise
me one thing. Promise not TO accept
him that is, if he ever proposes she
added in a marked tone; promise to
let me know Instantly, and don't ac-
cept till have seen yon. Hester, will
yon promise 2
81 have told you, Helen, what
Edith Gresham's influence over me-
was. Yon will hardly be surprised
whf.n I tell you thai, though | held
out as long ms could, and ,hough ti,.
struggle was great, and the promise
was rxtorted from M, with the greatest
Idillicnlty, still it was extortetl, and few
creatures were ever more miserable
than I was that night when l laid my
aching head on my pillow.
THE next morning letter came to
my mother from my sister. She put il
into my hand without word. and !ef,
me TO read il alone. 1t ran thus:
wv hat is Hester doing about Coione
ierard7 By this time something def
mite oaslt-to have happened No mal
WAS ever more struck than he was here
only hope and trust that she is MOI
coqurt.ing. us she will ne, er-have sucl
II chance again.
"And bad promised not to aceep
him without Edith Greshani.s lSnnwl
edge. Edith, who was then--il he pro
posed to tell me something She knew
against lin.
ooh, those wretched days! What
suffered l need not say and the suff
. ering was all the greater, because
was borne IN secret. would not har
had my mother know how very nea
he had often been tn a proposal. fl
the world. In her open, honest wa,
she would have said, Then why di
T lie not complete it? What deters him
: But the hour was coming.
I'VE were going one afternoon t
, The Exhibition of the Royal Academy
Just as we entered the carriage Col
!. nnel Gerard came to the door, hea,
where we were going and offered t
s escorts. My mother begged him t
s. take seat in the carriage, aud til
e next moment he was opposite to me-
" All that Edith Gresham had said to III
!" now rose up, most unluckily, befoi
me, and telt all icy atmosphere chill
q ing me. For the very life of me
could not be cordial to him SCENE
to feel a spirit at my elbow, whispe
ing, Remember yonr promise, and
:, answered all his questions and n
marks with monos, Tables.
"Tl,en he began about the day
was to have called upon us with Il
IS Peruvian emeralds. He heard l ";
d quite knocked up by the ball where
&c last had the pleasure of seeing me, a,
had intended coming the day after, b
had been summoned out of town
the sudden illness Of a relation.
4. ,. 1.,s 4