The weekly echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1868-1876, 1876-05-25

turo. It was Diana's. The widow
boiling with rage, at once cut her ad
I'mirerdead.
1t was Harry's hope to marry q ricf
woman but he felt confident that b
might fnd q prettier and younger one
and 50, nothing dismayed, he set forth
upon his search for a wife; wishing
with every new adventure, that dams
had been rich, and bOmOaning his hard
fate that be could not afford to marry 8
poor girl.
However, the rich ones were sktttish,
had other fancies, did not appreciate
Mr.. Harry Hart either gave him no op.
portunity to ask " yes or said "no"
outright; and five years after he had
Tilted Diana he fOnnd himself still a
bachelor, his estimation of his own
charms greatly lessened by his bad luck
in the matrimonial market, and the
small competence which had heen his
own dwindling away to nothing.
Still, Diana haunted him-a pale,
faded vision, with two hands claspeG
over broken heart-and still he kissed
her picture, and believed himself to
have adored her, and to be the victim of
a cruel fate. -.~ -
he had come to such a state of pecu-
MARY despair, however, that he was about
to offer himself to the landlady Of his
lodging house, who otherwise would soon
have become troublesome in regard to her
little bill, when a rich old uncle, dying
without heirs, saved him from the sacri-
fee. He became the joyful possessor of
a fortune, and independent thenceforth
of both landladies and heiresses.
For a while, Mr.. Hart reveled in the
knowledge of this fact, and satisfied him
self with food and drink and much riding
behind fast horses, in the most fashion
able coats devisable by his tailor; but,
finally, even this palled; romance asserted
her sway. Diana begun to haunt him
once more; and at last he came to the |
heroic resolution of going at once to her |
native village, and offering her his hand,
lis heart, and his fortune. That she
would accept him, he had no doubt.
How could he? Women who loved once
owed forever, the poets had declared;
md if Diana had not loved him he GER
ainly had tried to make her.
Therefore he packed up his most fasci-
lating belongings, placed Diana's picture
ext his heart and started for Tulipgrove
y next mornings early train. He
cached the village at noon. How IA
1iliar it loOkedl Nothing seemed to
ave changed. The old elms nodded
,elcome. The old people sat in their
orches. The flowers in the garden
hight have done the same. And She
she the same2 Alas! her
eauty might have faded; her broken
cart might be visible in her eyes; she
light be dead I
"Oh, no." cried Harry, as this last !
bought entered his mind, d" no; shemust {
We for me-" {
As he spoke he found himself apprOach. !
g the church. It was weekday, but ,
was full-Or rather employing itself of {
s fulness as fast as possible. s
Something must have happened out of J
q usual order Of things to occasion such j
event. A wedding or funeral only :
'uld fill Tulipgrove church on a week t
y. Suddenly well remembered face 7
lshed on him-Caleb Blooms. he was j
ruggling out of the crowd, dressed in t
s Sunday best, and looking about him :
r something. Harry collared him.
"sir," cried Caleb" Mr.. Hart, I de-
are? How dye do?" :
"Thank you," said Harry. "Pm \
" we'll; but 1 want to ask you =
lana 2" B."
"oh, she's there, " said Caleb, pointing .
th his thumb, as Harry thought, to- y
ards the churchyard. J."
Harry staggered back. /"
" Not deadl" he cried. 9
Dead" cried Caleb. "Why, thank 'S e
ayen, no. Here she is. Diana, here's :
i. Hart" l
hr. Hart turned his head. There =
'Od Diana-Diana, as of old, only very =
amp and rosy, and holding in her arms =,
baby of some Ave weeks old, in glo- =