Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1877-03-24
that on which she had told us she was

coming. There was no one to meet her
at the station; but she had been such
favorite on her previous visits that she
was known to all the neighborheod, and
a neighbor, who had by chance been at
the station when she arrived, brought
her over to Us. The first | knew of her
arrival was when she ran up to me where
| sat with Arthur, listening while he read
Tennyson in that fine, rich voice that
had become the sweetest music Of nv
life. She flung her arms about my neck
and embraced and kissed me with child
like enthusiasm. then turned to in
troduce her to Arthur.
He mad risen and stood gazing On her
with face illuminated with admiration
such an expression as he had never
turned on me in what thought his mort
feryent moments Of devotion. l turned
cold all over, and l felt that the color
had left my face; but | struggled to re-
tain my compOsure and presented them
to each other. Then turned to look
again more closely at Alice.
Her gaze met his with sweet frank
ness that half reflected his admiration,
and the pink in her cheeks deepened to a
blush.
They would love each other they did
already. l saw it and felt it then, as
we'll as when finally knew it by strong,
passionate and ardent words; and al
ready the dark fires of jealousy consumed
my soul. l helped Alice unpack her
trunk and sort her things and fold them
away in the bureau drawers, or hang
them up in the closet, as required; but
| spoke no word Of the tender confession
of nv love for Arthur, which had been
80 longing to tell her of-neither then
nor any time. never spoke oft.
The days glided by fast enough,
though to misery they often drag. But
nv heart and brain were on fire, my
thoughts flew wildly in every direction,
and were 50 constant that seemed al
ways busy.
One evening in the twilight, before the
lights were brought in, sat sad and
wre,ched in our great long parlor, in a
deep armchair in a corner of the room
besides being concealed in the gloom,
when Arthur and Alice entered from he
garden, where they had been walking
among the reses for the past hour. l
was too listless and Observation-Disclosures
being horribly jealous-to care whether
l played the eavesdropper or not; 80 |
kept quite still, although l knew that ]
would be the listener to lovers tete-o-
tete.
"But, Arthur" said Alice, apparently
continuing conversation, 81 thought
when saw YOU two together, that first
day when l came, that you and Evelyn
were lovers"
1--WE have never been so, my darling.
You are my first and only love-"
think he drew her toward him then,
and kissed her. OF course he did, though
could net see them, for my chair was
turned from them and dared not move.
Presently Alice spoke again:
"Of course it is fortunate for Inc, Ar
thur, dear, that you should prefer my
poor beauty to Evelyn's, but you know
I can scarcely understand any man
knowing her we'll and seeing her con-
stansly without falling in love with her"
"Well, sweetheart, if had ever known
her well enough not to feel afraid of her,
and grown accustomed to her style of
beauty, perhaps it is just possible
might have fallen in love with her if l
had never seen you, my darling"
The blood seemed to rush back upon
my heart and then surge up into my
brain; there was a singing in my ears,
and l heard no more.
When l returned to consciousness OF
what was going on about me, they were
gone; but 1 had heard enough-too
much!
Till those last words of Arthur's,
had tried TO bear my misery bravely in
dumb despair. had persuaded myself
not only that be- had not loved me bu,
never could have loved me; that Alice
was the only one he ever could have
loved at all. and so 1 must try to beal
my anguish and my disappointment al
best could--.but now. Those word.
from him let loose fury in me. Had
he never seen her he might have lovej
me-his own lips had said it. HEAVIER
knows what wild and monstrous thought.
pursued each other though my frenzied