The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-28

Don't grieve," whispered Blanche
please don't. She's getting over 1t
See how regularly she breathes. She'll
soon. be we'll again; the doctor said 80,
you know"
"Yes, but think OF mo-" whispered
Mr.. Howe, and whereas BlanChe's whis-
per was soft and melodious, his was
hoarse and broken. "Of course she'll
get over IL, II nothing happens to put
her back; but suppose, when she is re.
covering, she finds out we're engaged
TO be married, it'll kill her, it'll break
her heart, and / shall be her murderer
Great heavenl Blanche, you sec, don't
you, that / cant do 1t? It's tho most
Internally tormenting thing that ever
happened to man but / can't marry
one sister and kill another. / came
here this morning pre- pared to make d
formal proposal for your hand, aud Lei
everything go by the board but our hap.
piness alone; but you know how Lily
feels about me, how she riBked her life
for me all folly, Of course; / Could
have managed the brute myself, but
Lily wHs beside herself with fright, and
didn't know, poor child, what she was
doing and you see-don't you. Blanchei
what position oil this places me In
A man would have to be made Of stone
to go any further just now"
Don't, Mr.. Howe-don't say any
more" said Blanche, In d voice thai
sounded queer to herself, it was sc
strained and harsh. II should be sorry
to hove you feel more ridiculous than
you will when / tell you that you have
made great mistake all through"
Blanche paused moment TO get her
breath. II seemed to her that it almost
had left her body for while there when
this man was speaking. Not that she
loved him oh no, Blanche had never
articularly loved anybody but herself
and her family us accessories to herself
But she was really capable Of vast
amount OF love In this way; and, oh
how cruelty II had been torn and lascer.
ated and trampled upon
"A mistakel" no repeated.
Eyes. mistake" said Blanche
'rather a remarkable one, under the
circumstances. A man should never
take IL prematurely for granted that u
woman will accept his offer of marriage
In this case 1t was impossible My
word Ia already given to another"
What" broke in Mr.. Howe; Zen
gagged TO somebody else2 Oh, that can't
be. ! can't believe that, you know.
This Is all a subterfuge, Blanche. Who
Is the man? what Is his name?"
II cannot understand" sold Blanche,
ooldly, show the matter can concern
you In tho least" Then, seeing a look
Of sharp inoredulity in his face, she
toned the first name that occurred to
her. "It Is Mr.. Brewer" she said.
"The man who holds your fathers
mortgaRe2" said Mr.. Howe.
Yes" replied Blanche: and then
Mr.. Howe got upon his feet, and with
one piercing look Of disdain upon the
beautiful woman at his side, bowed low
to her, and said with her permission he
would go, but would, Of course. COLL
again in the course of the day to ask
aft + her sister. Then he took his
leave without glance at the poor girl
that had caused all this trouble.
AS for Blanche, no sooner was he out
Of the door than she fell to crying
bitterly, but under her breath, aud
without any unladylike demonstrations
had been goaded beyond endurance,
and without this relief of tears, woman s
safety. valve, she could not have been
mistress Of herself and her plans.
All at once the poor girl on the lounge
struggled back to consciousness, and
opening her eyes upon Blanche was
touched beyond measure to find her in
tears. It was really an extraordinary
thing, and Lily was not TO be blamed
for taking these tears In pity to herself
She put out her little cold hand and
pulled the dress Of Blanche, and begged
her not TO cry.
Don't cry for me. Blanche" she
said. Don't, please don't spoil your
beautiful eyes for me. It matters little
whether die or live; ! think I'd so
much rather die IL 1 could. 1t would
be so much better for us all. But tell
me just one thing, Blanche dear, please
oh! do tell me is he hurt?"
Blanche began to respect Lily.
There was q persistency about this pas
sion Of hers that appealed to Blancde's
idea OF power. She had always loved
her child, In her own way, as q Purdy
and part OF herself, but now she be-
gan to respect her.
''He isn't hurt, you dear little goose, 4"
said Blanche; che has just left US, and
will come to see you again to-day"
And was he very much out of pa
tience with my-my absurdity?" said
Lily.
con the contrary" replied Blanche,
sit quite touched the heart OF his ma
jesty;" and then such a sweet gladness
shone in the child's eyes, such a pretty
color rushed to her cheeks, her face
became SO suddenly radiant with an in
applicable warmth Of tenderness and
emotion, that Blanche found it far from
plain. II the couch had been crimson
instead Of blue, II Lily's hair had been
arranged gracefully, IL instead Of that
stiff white collar some soft yellow lace
were about her neck, if-if-and here a
thought that was almost revelation
seized the fertile fancy of Blanche, and
Mrs. Purdy coming In at that mement
to take her place by the couch Of her
daughter, Blanche ran lightly down the
stairs to her father, who was walking
up and down the dining-room, with his
hands behind his back, apparently
studying the diDgy des ign in the faded
carpet there, but really bent upon more
important matters.
When Mr.. Howe called again it was
at the close Of long miserable day to
him, as well as to some other human
creatures, His sensibiIities had also
been torn in their tenderest fibre, and
being u man, he had not been able to
cry and have it out with himself. He
xxtn1 uYtY,nrfnr