Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-08-23
A CRAVEN IMAGE.

A CRAVEN lMAGE.
THE doctor had finished reading the
chapter, and, folding his gown around
him, sank back into his seat, casting at
the choir resigned glance, which seemed
to say. Snow do your worst" The tenor
had Just begun to praise and acknowledge
the Lord, in the style of Sir Leoline's
mastiff, with sixteen short howls % Mrs.
Hassan braced herself in her pew to en-
dure that long disconnected noise to
which the choir was wont to wed the no.
Bile words of the "Te Deum," when her
attention was diverted from her weekly
agony by an apparation which had at
least the good effect of closing her ears to
the howls, roars and shrieks which the
four musicians above thought proper to
attribute to the prophets, apostles and
martyrs.
This apparstion was pretty woman in
halfmourning, coming up the aisle with
Mrs.Vale and her daughters, who came in
late, as was their custom.
A chill, and then glow of anger, ran
over Mrs. Hassan, and her husband Won
dered what it was that brought such a
sudden flash into his wife's eyes. | am
afraid that Mrs. Hassan's mind during
the prayer and sermon of that morning
was not in Christian frame. Every one
in Menango was ia the habit of exchang-
ing greetings going out of church; but,
to-day, Mrs. Hassan slipped away from
her friends, and went to her Bibie-class
in the Sunday-school room.
The girls wondered why she spoke so
emphatically about the duty and difficult
tv of forgiying those who, having injured
us, never think of needing or asking for
giveness; but girls are creatures given to
curiosity and conjecture, and fear their
minds were rather occupied with guess
ing at Mrs. Hassan's personal experience
than in making practical application OF
the lesson.
"What's the matter, Cassy?' said her
husband as they walked home together
Mrs. Hassan's hand trembled on her
husbands arm, as she said in a low voice:
''I've seen ghost!"
"That is nothing. Ghosts, as you
know, run in the family; but they do no
harm"
"But it's not that sort, James. I'D
rather have seen every spirit that ever
walked in a churchyard, or even wehr-
wolf, than that woman who came into
church this morning with the Vales."
"She was a pretty woman enough y
said Mr.. Hassan. "What is the matter
with her r2'
She is Mrs. Armer. She is widow
now; she was Anna Clayton"
Mr.. Hassan looked as if he were going
to whistle. But, being i'm the street, he
refrained, and only said:
s'The deuce she Is J" which was per-
haps no improvement on first intentions
81 suppose. of course, she knew sgd
ney was fere," said Mrs. Hassan, bitterly
s'She might be satisfied with the mischie
she has done, and let him alone"
- Do Won thipE ha rpc for hQr UQt 2,'
"He cares for her SO much that he can
not care for anything else. She ruined
his life. can't understand it =; 1 can't,
can't'' said Mrs. Hassan, quite passion
ately.
Gas to that, can you understand wha
makes any one care for. any one else
Wtat made you care for me?" said Mr.
Hassan, trying to comfort his wife.
"You! you 70 returned Mrs. Hassan
in most unwonted state of excitement
"Janesl AS if there were any compari
sonis She is cold hearted and cOars
minded, and utterly selfish"
"And Sydney, being the exact revers
of all this, devoted himself to her, an
loved her with all his heart and soul ?'
"He didn't love her. He loved the i'm
age In his mind which he someway mar
aged to pin upon her personality and no'
shouldn't wonder If he married her a
ter all. and was utterly miserable; an
there is no war for him to go away
now."
Mr.. Sydney Devine was Mrs. Hassan
only brother. When quite young ma
he had thrown away upon Miss Ann
CLAYTON love as sincere and intense 8
any man ever gave to woman. Why .
did it cannot explain, for Anna was a
that Mrs. Hassan had pronounced her
be: and, at nineteen, was as worldly,
selfish, and as calculating as though sf
had not been blessed with pretty fgur
fine eyes, and pink and white skin.
Sydney, so to speak. put all his eggs Il
to one basket but Miss Clayton, like
prudent young woman, preferred to hay
two strings to her bow. While she hs
been engaged to Sydney, she had bee
carrying on Irritation, by letter, with
gentleman old enough to be her father
good man, who was no wiser In his TO-
than If he had been one-and-twenty.
Matters had gone so far between Mi
Clayton and Sydney. that the expecta
bridegroom had ordered his wedding sui
10 make he last purchases, married NJ
Armer, aud wrote the day fore her We
ding to break off her engagement wi
Mr.. Devine.
1t is to be supposed that Mr.. Arm
never knew of Mr.. Devine's existenc
and Anna did not at all mind the ia
witch she occasioncd, but rather enjoy
her notorietv.
few weeks after the war broke ol
and Sydne, threw aside h law pratt,
and went into the rank and file. He we
from one end of the struggle to the 9th
He won his epaulets, and rose to be 90