The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1878-06-27
TIE BEST BELOVED.
BY ETTIE ROGERS.


nThe lawI has given you your freedom.
You accused me of sins of which you
knew me TO be innocent, and j submitted
to the outrage without word OF defence
or denial. Aud why? Because, SteIhen,
] am too proud to care to me your wife
In name but not In 1--we, and because my
affection is and alwayshss been subject
to your slightest caprices and desires.
You are Tree, and You will marry Clelia
Adair, whose fatal charms have blinded
and beguiled you. But, Stephen, re-
member my parting words al that LIS
vat noble of your manhood is true to me
still, and the day will eDme when In
bitter surrow yuu will acknowledge me
as the first and last and best beloved.
The allowance you offer me i will not
accept. j have our child, and j wish
nothing moe"
"I am glad you are satisfied, Helen"
answered the man, impatient to end tine
interview. asIs there anything more
you wish to say ?"
q" Nothing" she said, turning her
beautiful proud eyes for the last time
upon the face that VISA still to her %
dear and yet--yes, Stephen, forgive
you"
And thus these two, who had been
man and wife, but who now were to each
other legally less than strangers, parted,
and Stephen Darrell hoped and believed,
fOrtvef.
Several months after his marriage to
Clelia Adair he heard incidentally that
Helen bad gone to Europe with a retired
prina donna, and that she was studying
preparatory to becoming public singer.
He was mot surprised. Sine was still
young, Of noble type OF beauty, and
possessed rare and highly cultured
yoicr that would have made her a name
and anne long ago had enc not sacrificed
her ambition and her passion ior song to
love and marriage
Already his mad in tatuatisn for his
new wi - had begun to weaken. She was
The sort OF woman whose charms SOON
satiate Those about whom the siren wiies
are too closely woven. lie deemed her
the incarnation OF all that is sweet and
sympathetic and satisfying, and mis- slow
disenchantment isicRened him. Cieiis
was brilliant, but she was superficial;
shewas ~ beautiful aa flower, and quite
as soulless; tCleiia could puer and caress
and stroke him caquettishiy with her
velsety fingers, hut the tones and pretty
gestures aud ,Crree embraces, that once
had been 80 delicious and mesmeric, new
only amused him as would have done the
fawning of some handsome, petted ami
NAL forever expecting q repletion o.
seliiah delights.
VA lnstrnm of wedlock with Gieiia
brought ont five epochs of tdisenchant
merit. There ewas one year of the
intoxicati0n Of d wild and lheadlOns
passion, then q reckless time ct wagus
dissatisfaction, then indifference, tbez
liberation, and ut the last loatting. Al
the end If tliis time he began 10 fenen
b.r sorrDw,ully the cosy, domestic h0n'
where i,e had been SO happy with Heiea
before the sconqu4fing temptress Smiles
away his ieaity with her dark bswitct
ing eyes.
il Che stately honse whore she had %
proudly enthronsd his new love Ia
missed the wi'ely soiicitude, the delieats
womanly attentions, the ineffable calf
and the pervading spiritof trust and COS
fid4Dce and affection that bad made hi
home like dresm sif Eden. He wa
weary oi The cold splendsr Of the room
thrsngh which the dashing Dlelia faahs
in her 1atins and gems he WAS weary /
the endless pageant of giddy guests; y
was Alarmed ut his wifs's m0HstEps
eyt avagance, and her Pomp Of fasniol
abIe dissipation. But she ieughed !
the remunstFances, and frowaed at h
apxisty. "A Stacy lear, an affects
frcwn, q pretty POut, alOns answeEss !