The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-21

~ uio tdnle, Ia nef pTlvaUe parlOr, 70 pen ne
note. Now this parlor was the next roor
j. 70 that occupied by Charley Rossiter, and, q
the windows of both apartments were opeL
sne heard distinctly every word that wa
o spoken: It was Harry's admission that h
was going abroad which first attracted he
attention.
sudden pang shot through her heart
spasm OF absolute physical pain. Harry ha'
been 80 devoted to her for more than q yea
that she had taken 1t for granted that h
wish to change these pleasant relations; al
Harry had said, she shrank from him wher
ne became too demonstrative; but now that
she found ne was going away, she aWoke t
the consciousness that he was necessary tt
her happiness, and 1t burst on her like reve
latiOn.
She listened spellbound, to what followed
1t never occurred to her that she was caves
While her check flushed, half angrily, more
than once, at Charley's cynical criticisms, her
heart throbbed with strange pleasure at Har-
rvs generous defense OF her; the more gen
was without hope. And it began to dawn on
her that she had been, unintentionally, a little
selfish In expecting to keep him at her side, on
her own terms receiving everything and CIV
ing nothing She, She saw too, that she she had mis-
all along. and her set had said it ALSO
that men were all alike. selfish; that
her sex were the victims of their
high priest Of the Esthetic Club put it up.
1t should be her care, Isabel had early de-
clared, to avoid this weakness Life surely
had enough In it, even for woman, without
the need Of love. But now her fine-spun
one whose society had, somehow, become es-
sential to her, talked Of going away forever,
she suddenly discovered what a dreary waste
OF years lay before her-what a hopeless,
n Fl IND CHI
Harry, mentally, with the other men she
knew, realizing, as she had never done before,
how superior he was to all Of them nobler,
truer manlier more intelligent, better cult
Launcelot In all that was great and good
And she blushed, with secret pleasure, as she
thought it.
But he was going away for years. It was
hope-a slender one, but still hope They
were to meet tomorrow at the picnic; and
though she could not take the initiative,
yet something might happen. Perhaps-per-
haps-
Suddenly she reused herself, with an effort.
for she had been thus musing for long after
the two gentlemen had gone out, and rising,
ran down stairs TO her pony phRton, feeling
like some guilty thing, all at once remember
ing she had been s-dropping.
There was great dinner-party that day, |
where Isabel was guest, but everybody re- |
marked thatsh was not herself She was dull, |
spiritless, absorbed. Her usual gay sallies,
her contagious wit, were absent. Little
thinking all the while that she had discovered |
her secret to late; she called it a secret now
week ago she would have called it q weak
ness scet harry was going and might go, was
She dressed for the picnic next day with
the greatest care, She was in a fever
when she reached the rocks till |
Harry made his appearance, for she
feared fear liz something aaing plight happen to pre-
Join her; and she was in fever Of apprehen-
sion till he did. When, at last, he came l1p.
she welcomed him with bright smile; and
from that moment she was the gayest Of the
gay; never had she been more brilliant. Half
a dozen Of the most intelligent gentlemen
present were about her; she mad retort for
each; the ball OF conversation never tagged
for moment. But, with all, she was rest
less. She was hoping that Harry would give
her chance to see him alone, but he made
no movement to do So
"Why does he not ask me to 20 for walk?"
she said to herself The afternoon was rapidly
passing: her hopes began to grow faint; she
resolved on decided STEP {
How very warm it is she, cried, tanning
more breeze on the beech?"
Immediately her attendants one and all,
among them. She put her arm in his
Il will accept Mr.. Darnleys kind escort, /" '
The said, bowling gracefully to the rest ''They I
ell me e. ne Is going to Europe and it will be
ny y ast o Wak o %th hm The rest Of you
The others took the hint, and, bowling, left
ISABEL and Harry alone. Neither spoke until ,
hey had left the noisy company far behind !
hem, and quite out Of sight, and had reached Il
rocky bluff, with the low level sands n
tretched before them, and the long line Of t
reakers whitening in the distance. t
Let us sit down here" said Isabel. They IL
at down, and as the sun was still warm,
larry put up her silk umbrella and held it G,
yer her. Still he did not speak. Something p
l lsabeFs manner began to give him hope, :,
ct he could hardly believe it; and he feared y
, spoil all by precipitation. - -
Are you really going to Europe ?" asked = =
3abel; and her voice trembled little In spite
her effort to be calm. 'sIs it not very sud-
emp" :,
"It is sudden; but it is the only thing left IL IL
n me to do" "
"Why?" 1
There was a tenderness in the tone that was - -
and such as Harry had never N
,fore heard. He looked at her suddenly and ~
eenly. Her face grew crimson with bushes
J II scarcely knowing what she did, she be- -
IN to draw lines in the sand with Harry's o.
i'm bamboo cane, which he had put down f.
hen he opened the umbrella. IL, IJ
wild, desperate resolution took possession ". W.
her companion. He was no faint-hearted th
hight; but as he had told Charley, never be-
re had Isabel given him even the slightest ~.
to speak as a lover At this vi
dden shyness on her part he took courage. Ia III
I'd resolved to peril all ION the hazard of ~ ~
G die" III III
Only those who have been in such straits tn
emselves, hoping and yet fearing, but fear VI
z more than they hoped, can know how he
oke. His earnestness, his passion, made ;,
m exceptionally eloquent, even for himself d a.,
Isabel listened with a beating heart. and VI
tn fast-changing color. He told how long ia
had worshiped her. how her GOODNESS had u, u,
iven him to despair; how, being about to III
away forever, he could not leave without ~ y.
"Some happier man" he said, in concu-.
Oh, "will yet touch your heart shall not /.
tie him. [ love you too purely for that. al al
eaven bless you bothw OF
She made no reply. But, if Harry could ca ca
iva Sppn her aya,tpd faon ba would b,,,o OIL