St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1879-03-29
.ow it will not be nv fault"

Vale was inexorable in her refusal.
Then it is true your hand and
heart were promised before knew
you2 People are right when they
SAY
4 little flash from her naughty
black eyes silenced him. Then, as
il sorry that she had given him even
"a look of unkindness, she said:
? People have no right to say any
thing, Miss st. Lawrence, because
they know nothing. But to YOU,
who have always been friend, WHO
always will be, l hope, l will tell the
truth. shall never marry unless
|. the one whom | have loved for years
comes and asks me for myself. Mr..
St. Lawrence, a;n | not good to con-
,fde SO in you?"
And by the look in her eyes, half
pain, half pride, he knew the secret
| Of her life. aud he went away, as
surtd that for him his dream was
nver-.weht away Just as Howard
bennington Went III. a.
Miss Del Vale received him just
laS She had doue st. Lawrence, with
her sweet courtesy of welcome.
Il am real glad you have come,
she said, as lie took her hand.
Then, as he retained it, faint
glow crept to her cheeks.
Il am glad to hear you say that.
Miss Del Vale Dare / take it as a
favorable token? I have come to
lay nv late in your hands--to tell
you howl love you, how l want You
ior my own Qh, my darling, don't
tell Inc | ain presuniptuous in dar-
ing to think you could love mel"
He had icommen, ed quietly, but
passion seized the rein OF speech,
. aud heJstood before her the eager,
ardent lover, in all his bold manli-
ness. Thoo lifted her eyehds al
most shyly.
! "aIr. Leamingfon, did You not
know people say I am already en-
Gagged? Have YOU mot beard the
romantic story of my love for II
friend of my girlhood days-a
grand, noble fellow, who won my
heart, Observation-Disclosures care for
I me?a .ss3
She flushed a little as she spoke.
but her eyes had a radiance Ill them
that was glorious.
'.Nut care for you9"
j. AT least he did not tell me so
htheu. But years ago, Dir. Leaning
ton, / gave my heart to the siver OF
tins. Tell me, then. how can con-
.scientiousiy change my mind?"
She took i small gold chain from
her neck which he had observed
she always wore with the pendant
concealed. She handed it to him
with7a passionate glory in her eyes.
1T was tiny gold-and blue enamel
\ fan. He looked at it, unconscious
| ly, so, far as ANY remembrance went,
, "Oh, don'tNou remember? 1t Was
your own-your own aifd.you gave
lit to mel Don't you remember the
day you told forlorn little Dnshy
Meldred there was hope even for
her to Become ike other girls? Oh,
Mr.. bennington, ever since then
I've worshipped you! Ever since
then / have kept tue blessed little
ffalisman through discouragements
and successes, when l struggled
.Elhrougr the poverty and helpless
ness in which you knew me, until
discovered and adopted by a long
absent uncle, who had made his
fortune III the East Indies. MIR.
/ Observation-Disclosures am SO
happy that my talislnan has fulfilled
its mission, and brought YOU to me,
so might tell you how truly, how
long I have loved YOU"
He listened to the marvellous
story, spoken in quick, impassioned
tones, that went to his very heart.
He was almost stupefed by the
wonder, the beauty. the bliss of it.
"You-you, forlorn little Doshy
Mildred? You, the very queen Of
beauty, peerless for style, and wealth
and eleeance-von?'