New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-22
AFTER YEARS OF WAITING.

II shall see you, tonight. Mrs. Ka.t
lane?'
'.As the Changers? Yes, ! shall b
there. hope it won't be crush
"Why? ] rather like a crush"
"Oh. A crush makes me fee! vicious.
Rupert Thornbury smiled as he locke
down at the speaker. Something ha
evidently pu: her out. ''Ars you ofte
1iciously disposed. Mrs. Ka'hlane: It;
Il wish you would not call me tina.
I Rupert. Mrs. Kathlane! You do it 0.
purpose, and ! don't like it,
The last words were spoken ike petu
lent child; and there was cloud on the
face which looked up for moment from
the soft, wildly colored woods which tn
white and slender fingers We're knitting
into some incomprehensible fancy
work" A very beautiful face it was, ant
a very beautiful woman was little Mrs
Kathlane; and no one in the wide worli
was more thoroughly convinced Of tina
fact than Rupert Thornbury.
She was slight and small in fgure-girl
ish looking still, despite her four ani
twenty years. No other woman would
have dared, with her complexion, to wea,
the colors which she did, often in defiance
Of ordinary rules. She wore, this morn.
ing, deep, royal purple dress, with pur.
pie bands in her dark lair, and looked, as
no other woman could have looked
charming. Her hair dropped over hel
forehead in lustrous waves, and was mar.
velous in its perfect form and brilliant col.
oring; and her great dark eyes, with thei,
long lashes, were enough Of themselves to
turn en- ordinary man. head.
81 don't like it, she said again, glanc.
ing at her companion, who was abstract
eddy tangling the bright woods, apparently
lost in thought, 'and shall be seriously
angry with you il you persist in being SO
formal. Fo. it is formal. after you have
known me since I was little child, to
speak as though we were strangers.
"Ill not call you SO again, Millicent.
Only Mr.. Thornbury paused.
''Only what:' returned the ;mperious
little lady. giving him another searching
glance.
Things have changed great deal since
you were child, Millicent. You are a
woman now. wealthy. courted, fattered;
and but it is no good talking Of these
things. ! must be going. Will you prom.
Use me the first waltz tonight p
"Certalnly. hope you appreciate my
kindness. waltz very rarely, you know"
IL do appreciate il; and now must go
down to that stupid old office, as you call
it. and make up for lost time. Good
morning, Millicent-don't forget your
promise. aud then he was gone. Gone.
and unconscious, as he walked swiftly
down the street. that when she turned
back to her work soft sigh duttered from
her beautiful! lips, and shadow clouded
her face.
He had known her, as she said. since
she was little child: and he. {. strong.
rude lad, had loved the fower.faced little
Millicent dearly: and when at the age of
eighteen he had been sent away from his
home 70 qualify himself 20 play a part in
the work Of life, it was with a secret de.
termination TO return after years had
passed and claim her. Although she was
q child not dozen years old, she had
taken the warmest place il his warm heart
for her own.
Years passed by. md Rupert Thorn.
bury worked hard and well, bat the for.
tune he so ardently wished 70, never came.
He was an honorable man. and crushing
bis own heart back, he took his fathers
burdens on his strong young shoulders,
md bore them bravely. Only once he
ALTERED. and tina: was when, after scarcely
six years had passed since he first went
out into the world, news came 10 him that
Millicent, his little N1illy." was married.
Il was her fathers wish, the yossips said.
MIR. kathlane, che sutton. was immensely
wealthy, and having been fascinated by
beauty. he parents had used
VI their influence with her; and the end
vas, she married MilGcent. now Mrs.
Aathlane. went away to her husbands
lome, and Rupert Thornbury YEARLY
vent on with his dull, distasteful labor,
With not even the old boyisb dream to
tighten his task.
Six years more passed slowly BY, max. |
ng many changes in the affairs of both.
lr. kathlane died suddenly after two or
hree years Of married life, and Milliceu.
7ent abroad with some friends.
She had been back nearly q wear now.
nd had settled down to a town life. Dur.
ng this period the old childish friendship |
Or Rupert Thornbury had been warmly |
enewed, and Rupert had discovered that. |
harming as she was in her childhood and |
irlhood, now that she vas a woman she |
as infinitely more so.
During this year life had grown a great
cal brighter to Mr.. Thornbury: he was /
slowly and steadily, and had
aimed many friends. Anxious mammas
'oked upon him with favor. and many
right eyes gave him bewitching glances; !
itherto in vain. His whole heart-and
e knew twas still with Millicent Kath-
ne; but her marriage had raised her,
9th as to wealth and position, so far
Dove himself that he did not, except at
,me fond, delusive moment, dare to
,pire to her. He was only a CITY man.
odding on in his close city Office. with
IS three or four clerks under him.
'How beautiful she is T. he though, as
: walked away from the house. .Just
e same little Milly at heart. too. as in
e dear old days. And her glances--oh.
! might dare to believe in them -
EN- as true to me as they were then.
ut what would the world say!"
That night saw him at Mrs. Changers.
woman. with some fashion.
lie daughters. one Of whom. Cornelia.
d made dead set q. Mr.. Thornbury, /
g stood in the lighted rooms. watching
gerly for Millicent: but it wa. not until {
~ late that she arrived. As she came
wn the long rooms. moving as easily !
d gracefully as though she had been. {
,m earliest childhood. accustomed to =,
gn in society. nurtnus Of admiration
lowed her.
She was dressed in a trailing robe Of
lie, silvery blue, with an over dress of l
It, white lace; her beautiful neck and s
rs were bare, save for their ornaments
fretted gold; her face was untouched
paint or powder, and her vivid color i
! made her beauty seem almost un. a