The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-06-22

.ASA6"OoiS, ACltAC1 udu uc any SOlu WAUGH
to consult. He was younger than the doc
tor by ten years, and very much Of boy
still and the rising moon found May, and
sitting together on the lower step of the
porch, talking Of blackberrying, as three
children might.
knot OF blue ribbon in her hair. Marcus
forgot that she was an heiress. 1t was
only dear little girl, just the incest Great
ure he ever met, who looked at him
frankly with her blue eyes-real blue
eyes, not blue gray. He went home in the
flrst stages of love, and sat at the window
looking at the moon, and thinking of her
nearly all the night.
and very willing to think the best of
everybody. At eighteen she was mistress
OF fine fortune, and, being an orphan.
her own mistress altogether. Her heart
was yet white, unwritten sheet, and the
first that made love to her was likely to
win it. Vague longings for that peculiar
tenderness which only lover can offer
already possessed her soul, and she was
just the sort of little woman to forget
her own advantages and feel very CRATE
full for love and admiration. The doctor
was tall and fine-looklng, and she caught
herself blushing as she looked into the
glass after his departure, and thought
what soft look had come into his eyes
as he chopped they should soon meet to-
gether again"
May had never had anything like a
beau in her life. Shut up with an invalid
uncle in great city home that was like
a prisOn-seeing no one but the doctor
and nurse, and now and then some old
gentleman whom her uncle was persuad
ed to admit on the score of old friend
ship-she had no idea that she might be
belle. Life was all new to her. Even
her cousin was new-found relative who
had taken to her when the friends gath
cred at the old mans funeral.
People who had never remembered lit
tie May until the news of her heiresship
brought her to notice had been so very
kind since. The liberty she enjoyed
made the quiet cOuntry-house very hap
py place; and now two admirers dawned
upon her horizon at once, and made life
perfectly splendid" to May, much as
the situation would have bored many an
experienced belle.
Matters naturally assumed this form as
the time passed on. May had two lovers
and hardly knew which she liked best.
Marcus did not make love he did not
dare-but looked it. The doctor made
love scientifically; he had pumped the
farmer, who believed that the young lady's
fortune was something more than CON-
mon." He had even extracted from the
married cousin statement that "Uncle
left everything to May
He had three months to work in before
the heiress knew her power, and learned.
from one gray winter, that lovers follow
money thick and fast, and he was deter
mined sort of fellow where there was
anything to get.
Marcus had no plans. His boys heart
ran away with him-that was all. He
could not keep away from Mays side, nor
forget her when they were apart; and so
summer passed and autumn approached,
and the city folks were going home, and
the district school was to be opened, and
Cousin Helen's husband IA hard driven
Wall street man) came down to spend a
week before he took his family home, and
all this delightful time was at an end.
Marcus was to be examined tor his po-
sition as teacher of the school, mere
form with his fine education. The doctor,
as learned gentleman, was one of COM
mittee to examine the coming school, |
ma'am for the girls department
A pleasanter task, - as he said, jest |
ingly, " if he expected to see anybody
there but only old Miss Cynthia Aiderny
and old Miss Baker"
May heard good deal of the school,
especially as Farmer Parsons was another
of the committee, and she felt an interest
in it, too, as Marcus was to teach. 1t
seemed so odd to think Of.
Cousin Helen's husband went about as
men usually do, and heard more in day
than the ladies could in q year. He re-
turned one evening with solemn face
and informed his wife in confidence that
the talk of the whole place was Mays |
fortune, and that the doctor, who had
done nothing but run after rich women
since he came to the place, was said to |
be latter it,"
"a regular fortune hunter, my DEAR"
said the husband. You must use your
influence with poor May"
May, meanwhile, had been in her favor
ite grove, and there had Marcus Moreland |
betaken himself to say good-by. Poor
boy, he had had some bitter hours of late |
The fact that Mays love was the one thing
worth having upon earth had dawned
upon him and with it the knowledge that
he had no right to offer himself to an
heiress. How he hated her money. It |
stood between them like an awful spell. |
If she had been the poorest girl living
he could have said all that was in his |
heart to her-not now.
So the poor boy uttered q few faltering
words and went his,way.
alt was folly for me to think that he |
liked me much" said May, as he left her. |
How formal and cold after all our So |
and q little pang nipped her |
heart, and she smiled more brightly on |