The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-28

then went on m calmly; A. before: "I
aoquit you of all blame, Mildred; it
was / shat acted the unworthy part,
taking unmanly advantage OF my power
to help your father and your untried
only sufferer, I could scarcely bear the
retrospect; but am, thank Godl AS
for your father, our fears magnified his
danger; the little help I was able to
give has established his position as
firmly as before. He will repay me :;
you owe me nothing. I have had wild
dream, but [ am awake at last-awake
enough to see it was FOOLS idea that q
man like me could win young girls
heart"
He was calm no longer; but he turned
abruptly away to hide his emotion.
"Mr. Lacy" l cried, striving to stife
the conflict of my love, Il would fain
do right, have a deep esteem for you
time" added, passionately renewing
the effort; II shall conquer this love of
mine-I will become worthy Of you,
after ALI"
Conquer the purest feelings of a
woman's heart! Offer yourself sacri-
fee to my selfishness No, no, Mil
dred, yours is the season Of blessedness
mine is already passed. Presently
will come back to you in my old char
acter, and be able to say with less diff
Guilty than do tonight. God bless you
BOTH I will kiss you for the last time. :"
He clasped me in his arms and kissed
me, seemingly with more earnestness
than passion, but it was the very depth
him a strange impulse seized me. [
longed to call him back. Was it true [
did not love him ?
saw none Of my family that evening,
for L went at once to my room. What
a night Of misery and conflict | passed
The next morning Frank came to my
private sitting-rOo and knocked for
admittance. He held letter in his
hand, his fine eyes were suffused with
happiness.
"Sympathize with me, Mildred" he
said, 81 feel too much to bear it alone.
I have never talked to you about her,
for | could not trust myself with the
subject while q doubt remained. Now
as worthy OF true man s heart as-as
Mr.. Lacy is of yours. BY the way. Mil
dred, I was very anxious about you that
night he came home, for your manner
was no-not what, were | in his place,
would have satisfied me, but that is the
form woman's caprice takes with
you, I have concluded. AS for not low
Ing him at bottom, don't dare to i'm
pugn my noble Cousins heart and un-
I ran once more to the solitude Of my
chamber. | felt abandoned. [ flung
myself on the bed in q transport Of des-
pair. Why, ] had lost all Had | been
so criminal that my punishment was 80
heavy? "Ah, Frank" cried. chow /
have loved you-what life might have
oeen!" Then I reflected, If Mr.. Lacy
loved me as [ loved my cousin, what a |
fine spirit and nature he had shown
what rare gift such heart was! Mis- |
link that | was the cause of his.
was very ill after these events, and |
'ears for my health quite absorbed any
anger my father might have felt at the |
Of a cherished desire, |
or perhaps Mr.. Lacy, by his representa-
ions, had shielded me against it. When |
recovered people said was very much |
Uttered; and so / was. The flush of |
1outh was passed was but twenty, but |
nothing Of the childishness of few |
months back was left. Frank was mar
led and Mr.. Lacy we never saw-at |
east I never saw him. Disappointment
lad made life an earnest thing to me,
md taught by it's discipline the charac-
er OF my former love rose In dignity in
ny eyes.
How was it that what I had thought |
would be lifelong regret-my love for
ny cousin-seemed transient emotion
# which the traces grew gradually
0 a passing fancy? Or was it that at my
zee one cannot long cling to the impos-
ible? Little signified the contrariety
II my heart for the fact remained-if /
lad never loved Mr.. Lacy before loved
lin now. though perpetually Of the
Incidents of our brief engagement-
very word of endearment, every en-
race had its hold on my memory. I
ecalled his opinions, framing my own
by them, and followed his
public career SO far as | was able, aided
n my deep knowledge Of the high prin-
iples and motives that actuated it.
Ny chance came at last. At a large
inner party | unexpectedly met Mr..
lacy. He came to me at once, spoke
indy and gently, as in long past time;
1ea that he still loved memo hesita-
ion in the well-known voice, no latent
enderness in the searching eyes. l
Guild not bear it, and wish he would
cave me to myself and not torture me
nth that cruel friendship. At my first
pportunity turned from him and en-
aged myself in conversation with a
entleman who was well known to be
ne of my suitors. It appeared like
oquetry, but it was the eagerness Of
elf-instinct. That evening seemed
cry long and unexpectedly painful. 1
ad not known how tenaciously had
lung to hope until it failed me. When
1r. Lacy came forward to help me to
~ carriage [ felt l could hardly re-
Give the ordinary civility from him
'ithout betraying myself.
I was surprised when he begged me
, turn into an empty room we passed
q our way to the hall. Mildred" he
lid, II was going to ask you, when we
rst met tonight, whether I might re-
lme my old relations in your family.
early two years have passed since we
Lst met, and I thought [ could bring
Oh back the calm heart of friend.
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