St. Landry democrat., 1878-02-09
Her Hearts Secret.

and 1 wash my hands OF your affairs
altogether"
Mrs. Cassowin sails majestically from
the room where Georgina, her niece.
remains nervously clasping and unclasp
ing her slender white fingers, and wonder
ing why matrimony should be positive
duty in the code by which size had beer
educated. She is only twenty two
slender, fair, and looking about sixteen
with her waving golden hair and soft
brown eyes.
She has two hundred pounds year
all her own, and why can't she be
allowed to live quiet life unmolested
Since her own parents died, about three
years ago, she had been dragged from the
country parsonage; in which her father
lived and died, saving the little fortune
for Georgina, by close economy, to bel
aunt's fashionable home, such as hen
mother pined for throughout all Georg
gina's childhood.
"When you marry, | hope you will
return TO your proper sphere" Mrs
Gilroy would say, whenever she spoke ot
Georgiaa's future but she never Needed
much in those days.
Sitting in Mrs Cassowin's grand draw.
ing-room, waiting for Duncan Holcroft
to come and propose to her, as her aunt
informed her he had requested permis'
sion to do, Georgina, timid and gentle,
felt her whole being rise in revolt.
Was life to be to her what it was to her
aunt, round of calling, shopping, party
going, party giving, interviews with
dressmakers and milliners? Could she
not escape to some locality where there
were nobler aims and desires?
Where?
Mrs. Cassowin had expostulated in
vain. Hitherto, Georgina had been
gently firm.
But on this day even her courage
failed before her aunt's wrath at the
proposal to dismiss Duncan Holcroft.
He came across the wide drawing room
as she sat thinking, his football unheard
upon the soft carpet.
He was tall, erect, handsome, past fifty
yet not old his eyes clear as a boys
his iron-gray hair curly and abundant
his gray moustache giving a military all
to his well-cut features.
Faultless in attire, courteous in man
ner, he also possessed half million
attractions in solid investments.
But all else seemed to him worthless
CONF Jared to the possession of that slen,
der, pale child, who, half buried in a
deep arm. chair, realized as yet nothing
of the yearnings of love in the large
dark eyes fixed upon her.
It was scarcely to be supposed that
Duncan Holcroft, bachelor as he was
had travelled over fifty years of life with
untouched heart, but he had lived over
all other love till this one came and con,
quered him.
It stirred his heart with sick pain,
when Georgina, looking up, paled to her
lips, while her eyes were full of fear and
trouble, seeing him.
She had always given him frank,
cordial greeting, and he had hoped to
win sweeter tokens still from her soft
eyes and sweet lips, and instead he had
lost what was already given.
Did you not expect me ~ he said,
gently; " you looked startled"
did not know you were here, and
it did startle me to see you SO close be-
side e?" Georgina said, flaming color
shooting now over cheek and brow, as
she wished herself thousand miles away.
He spoke to her gravely then. and
very, very gently, wooing her most
tenderly, considerate of her youth, her
timidity; and heartily ashamed, she
could only sob and shiver.
Child" he said at last, "do distress
you? Am I so hateful to you-that--
But she interrupted him quickly:
: You are not hateful to me- she said,
II like you ever-ever so
much, only, why do you want to marry
me?"
He could not keep back smile, though
bis heart throbbed heavily with pain.
S love you, dear" he said; "I love
you far tco well to wish to grieye you.
Shall we be friends still %
!. aOh, if you will,'' she said, eagerly.
ignorant Of the stab in every word, "let
US forget to-day
As if he could.
But he was true gentleman, sincere.
unselfsh lover, and he led her ON to talk
Of other matters till the ashy palor left
her cheeks and lips, and she was her
sweet shy self again.
Then he left her.
q Lett her to meet such wrath from Mrs
Cassowin that she rose against her bitter
speeches.
: will go TO Grandfather Gilroy
since You are 20 tired Of ms,' Georgina
said.
2 would !! Go bury yourself in that