The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1876-10-19
WINFIELD's SWEET
HEART.
BY NJ. r. G.

The solemn hush of midnight was over
4be softly-gwaying trees and fair, luxuri-
ant park Of Winfield Hall; and Ronald
Winfield, grave, quiet, handsome, with
q splendid physical beauty that was in
nerfect accord with his keen, fine intel
ject. and his pure, manly principles Of
right and honor, and religion and duty,
stood in one of the great bay windows of
his library.
"To think my darling has condescend-
ed to love me! To think that, month
400, I never knew such a lovely girl ex-
isted. 1Iadge, my queen, my love, my
darling. If you knew half how love
you"
His ardent, passionate thoughts came
in torrents of ungpoken words, as he
stood on the threshold of the night; and
the glad happiness and perfect content of
his soul was mirrored plainly on his
faultless face-a face women had loved
time and agatha face that had time
and again bowed lowly over fair hands
and smiled in courteous pleasantly in
bright eyes, but that never, for the sake
of the grand chivalrous soul that gov
erned him-that had never lighted with
the warmth Of loye-words whose truth
did not feel, until Madge Ernest had
come and bowed this splendid man Pat
her feet at almost the first glance.
1t had been quick, ardent, passionate
Ronald Winfeld's wooing and Madge
Ernest's conquest-both were rapturOus-
ly congratulating themselves.
And while Ronald Winfield stood in
the starry silence, with her kisses yet
warm on his lips, and his heart exulting
Il the browning glory of his life, Madge
Ernest was standing before the mirror in
her dressing-room, the wide sleeves of
her azure cashmere wrapper falling away
from the perfect, ivory-like arm, as she
slowly removed the hair-pin from her
hair, leaving it fall in tress after tress of
vivid, golden splendor over her pretty
shoulders and swelling bosom and down
past her round, fine waist.
Il am so sick and tired of it all A
month in the country is enough to drive
one wild with ennui; and I believe, If L
wasn't going back to London tomorrow,
where there is excitement and gayety, l
would die ~
She was brushing her hair slowly, and
the light from the shaded lamp CLEANED
on her engagement rings magnificent
solitaire, with thousand gorgeous lights
imprisoned in its cold breast. Her blue
eyes lighted momentarily.
cit has been a success after ala
glorious success, that even my dignltied
hostess and sister dared hardly hope
when she invited me for a month pur,
posely to meet her invulnerable Prince
Charming I wonder what Ronald would
think if he knew l had come down fol
the sole, simple object of having him fall
in love with me p
A curious little smile accompanied hel
reflections.
cat all events, it is settled now, and
shall be mistress of Winfield Hall before
the roses blow as Roland SAID so 70
mantically. But know l am wicked
insane; l would exchange it all this
minute for just one word, just one kiss
from TheObald. TheO, my love, my
love"
1t came in a wall of unspOken agony
and the lips grew pallid and the eye
took in them a yearning of unspeakabl'
VICE.
~ believe l am mad-of course / an
to think of such a thing wheI
Ronald Winfield had such grand, goO(
things to give me! I'll marry him be
fore the roses blow, if he wishes, an'
enjoy my two weeks absence from
him-my reprieye of a fortnight ant
then"
She compressed her lips a second, thel
turned down the light and drowned he
heart-uneasiness in the sleep that cam
to her white, dropping lids.
n
Two handsomer men seldom sat dow
to a tete-a-tete dinner than Ronald Win
field and Theobald Garland, and sur
nier sky never shone over London stree
than shone that lovely April day, an