The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1876-05-06

''COlOrless water beside crimson,
sparkling champagne A pale violet
in the shadow Of a royal rose Pearls
eclipsed by the fiery fash Of ,lia.
monds !" l exclaimed. "Henry Wal.
lis's taste may he very correct and
classical, but give me my radient
brunette ! These bleachel.Out beau.
ties don't correspond with my ideal Of
perfection"
1t was a lovely spring evening as
entered the wide graveled path that
led up to the broad porch Of tile old
fashioned Vernon mansion. Squire
Vernon sat there smoking his meer'
schaum.
"Wont you sit down aud have q
smoke - he demanded, Hospitality
"lt's a real Injury to b. able II take
a Whit out Of doors, after being shn>
up in the house all winter. Or maybe
you'd prefer going in to sec Cecil I"
Sensible old gentleman III had moi
forgotten Ills own young days. in
tin'ated, not without considerable
awkwardness, that the special "|jcc'
Of my visit had Ueen to "sce Cecil"
"Well, she is in the paIlor, all BY
herself" said the Squire, g""'l-
hnmoredly, motioning me in. "Walk
in-walk ill.,"
Cecilia Vernon was sitting in the
parlor alone, as her father had said,
the bright center Of a cheerful circle
If la,nplisht. A bit of crochet- work
was lying in her lap, and an open
volume Of poems-pOems l had sent
her was on the table.
Cecilia Vernon was always fair to
look upon, in my sight Tonight,
however, she seemed more than or.
dinarily beautiful.
sat down, and began hesitatingly
upon the never. failing topic Of the
weather. A proposal had seemed the
easiest thing in the world as walked
along the dewy edges of the peace
full sta,light road, contemplating it
from afar of; but now that l was
face to face with it, alps upon alps Of
difficulty and perplexity seemed to
surround its accomplishment. l would
have given all that l was worth tn
postpone the evil day but twenty
four honrs-all but my self.respect,
and that was imperiled now.
Cecilia tried her best to keep the
ball Of conversation in motion she
introduced new subjects, asked lead
ing questions, and teigned deep id:
terest 10 the most abstruse Of topics.
But even Cecilia could't talk on for
ever, and presently, with u little sigh
of despair, she subsided into silence.
Now was tile eveutfal moment Of
NV S ,eet'nS! !" l said softly.
She raised the liquid brown eyes ia
mine.
II want to con6de in you to night
have / Sour permission to speak e.
"Certainly, Mr.. Markham !"
~ am very mucl. in love, Cecilia ;
in fact my heart has long ago gone
out Of my possession into that Off,
l stopped, with the fatal husky
feeling in my throat. Cecilia was
blushing divincly! l drew my chair
close to hers, with the sensation of a
man who has just pulled the string
% a cold shower.beth.
"Who is the lady :" foltered Cecilia,
as if she dilu't know perfectly well
already.
"shall l show you her picture, Co.
ella I"
Miss Vernon inclined her head al.
most to the level of my shoulder to
look at the little carte de visite | drew
from ny pocket. l skillfully stole One
arm round her waist.
"See, dearest!
But, to my horror and dismay, she
snatched her hand from my clasp,
sprang up and started away, like
some fair avenging goddess
"Hov dare you insult me thus, Mr..
Markham Z"
cecilia how-what--"
Don't presume to cali me Cecilia,
STRIP sobl'ed the Indignant girl, burst.
ing into tears and sweeping from the
room
I ant like one palsied. What had
I dones Why was the gracious
mood Of my enclIantress thus snd-
denly transformed to gall and bitter
ness1 Surely she would presently
return and apologize for her capri.
cons exit: But she did not return,
and, after waiting long in vain, l
sneaked out Of side door AMI crept
dejectedly home, ny heart burning
with wonder and resentment. l had
no mind tn meet the ASA mjlttl f,mi.
" group, 60 I admitted myself with
the latch key and stole noiselessly
up. stairs, where my lamp still burn.
ed-the lamp l had lighted with sucl
high and bounding hopes!
l threw off my coat viciously. A.
l did 40, the forgotten carte dc risite
dropped from my pocket. l stopped
to pick it up. It was the. portrait Of
Bessie Armitage! Aud there 90 the
mantel, where in my needless haste I
had left It, was the divine couute.
nance of my queen. Cecilia
l had shown her the wrong photo
graph!
All was clear now! Her indigna-
ton and resentment-the whole tan.
gled web Of mystery was unraveIe,l
nowl / caught up my hat I" rnsl,
back to her, but 1T that moment tie
clock struck eleven
Il was too late now: Al apology
and explanation must Ike def; fred ul,.
til the morrnw. And viii, a discon:
tented spirit l sought my couch.
Early the next morning l walked
over to the old Vernon mansion; but,
expeditions a. was, Trefoil had been
a. 0.IlA