Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1878-06-22

very lnteillgenti anu ne owns Tie
house, dear, snd be is such good son
to bis mother. Leo, darling, won't
you reconsider your decision
L certainly shall not said Leona.
We must look out for house some
where else immediately
But l am afraid l cant do that.
Leo said Zoe apologetically; for I
have promised Mrs. Lyn,on to help
with her plain sewing this winter. and
she has two or three little music pu.
pills for NE, and
We'll, let that be as you choose
said Leo, yawning, Il don't mind be-
ing by myself just at frst-it will per-
baps give me more leisure for practice
For practice, Leo?'
Yes said Miss Dracebridge, with
an imperial nod. Mrs. Buckingham
thinks l shall succeed on tho operate
stage-and in the meantime l shall
be writing out a few poems. Mr..
Scribbleton, the English literature
master of old Lureli's, always said
my composition would look well in
print. Don't you see, Zpe, have u
career before me? 1t would be mad
ness to blight it all by becoming o
carpenters wife"
DO You think SOP said Zoe, pen
sively, well, Pm not o genius, dear,
and can't tell how geniuses feel.
But Felix is very nice; and be is So
good to his mother. And good sons
always make good husbands, Leo.
So LeOna Bracebridge went away,
bidding her faithful friends very
cavalier sort Of good bye::'
Felix said Zoe, looking ,imidly
up in her young hosts cad and alb
slracted face, after the last trunk had
departed, you are not vexed with
LeO?'
'Vexed, Zoe? No."
Because I'm sure she never meant
10 hurt your feelings coaxed Zoe.
But she is a genius, you know, and
geniuses are not like other people
But she is a genius. little Zoe.
saiG Felix, with faint smile, 'and !
am fool, Is that what you mean to
say?'
Oh, Felix, how can you be SO cru.
el?' said Zoe: and she retreated into
her little dark bedroom to cry, and
wonder why it was that she was al
ways saying awkward things.
Leona Bracebridge threw herself
heart and soul into the new life. She
prac,iced trills, and ripples, and bigt
C's with unremitting perseverance
she sat ali day at her bired piano. and
spent her evenings in studying up tht
plot of q novelette, which was to take
the unconscious world by storm
And so the year passed by.
'Sing?' said NJ. Peroux, the leader
of the orchestra of the opera house.
you sing, mademoiselle? A very
nice little parlor voice, dare say, bu
you'd be of no more use than a cbirp'
ing sparrow on the stage. | should
think your own common sense might
have taught you that
NJ. Peroux was rough, but be wa!
honest; and Leona went back in tears
to her clearinghouse, where ia
bundle of MSS awaited her, neatly
tied iu brown paper, and labled:
For Miss Bracebridge. Positivel,
declined
is it possible that l am q failure!
said poor Leona to herself. 'Ant
with all these bills to pay. and tn
piano bire due for year. and
But Miss Bracebridge's unpleasan
reverie was cut short BY the tappici
of her lsndlady's knuckles on th
door.
i don't want to intrude. MISS sal
the lady with the belligerent air Q
one who means business. but Nv
several heavy payments to meet mex
week, and would be greatly obliged
YOU could just make it convenient t
let me have o small payment. Fo
it's nearly SIX months, miss-I'm tell
in' YOU gospel truth-since I've see
the color of your money; and it's jus
such boarders as you, miss, as drive
honest folks like US into the baukruE
court
Her nose reddened spitefully. an
ber voice grew louder. as she ut,ere
these words. aud poor Leona shran
away in spite of herself.
Twill communicate with my friend
Mrs. Battersby, said she. and settl
with you very soou.'
4 bope you will, Pm sure, miss
said the laodlady. closing the door b
bind her with o jar that set ever
vein in Leona's frsme in Q quiver.
She sat there in the shabby roor
all the afternoon, crying quietly
herself. thinking, with her aching be'
resting upon her hands. Of the pa
and the present. And then she p'
on her bonnet and went to the lit.
red-hrick house where her father h'
died, two years ago.
I Mrs. Lynton was sitting in the n
|, glow of the 6re-ligh;, knitting ava
as if she bad never let of oil tho
] months Of Leoua's abseuce