The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-02

| shall induce me to come here again. Tonight
| he told me all over again that story about
Sympkin's oxen. / wish Sympkinlwas dead
and his oxen too; shall go. Will you come
with me, Fred p
1T might look rude, our both going to-
gether, don't you think SO, said Ashurst
evasivrly.e Better for me to stay day or
| two longer
| "Ah, Just So" said Farnie, with q smile;
what considerable fellow you are, Fred, and
| what uncommon pretty girls those Heriots
areW
Very though don't quite see what that
mo more do l !; but think like the eldest
one best. She Is In very truth lily. | Won
der" provoktngly, "how you can prefer Miss
Geraldlne-though own she. too, might rout
| many London belle. II stayed lIere much
| longer should lose my head; as it is-did
You ever see anything so fresh and sweet as
her smile when she gave me- that rosebud yes
terday! 1t has haunted ne ever since"
or whom are you speaking-of Miss He
rIotT'
YES, Of Lllias. She gave It the rosebud,
mean with such perfect grace"
II dare say yon asked her for It,.
II dld, certainly; nay, ! begged for it, an =
got IT, She has the prettiest eyes | ever saw
somewhat like q cows when chewing the
cud"
81 would not be coarse II were YOU" said
Fred, coldly
Coarse my dear follow, far be 1t from me.
Viii bntIC De EubTb ptACflully ptH-
sive than the expression of u cow when chew
ing the cud Of sweet aud bitter meadows
The study of nature, l doubt has had no
charms FOR you, else you would understand
| and appreciate my smile. ! beg pardon II l
have offended her or you | had no Idea 1t had
gone 80 far. What will the mother say How
shall you explain to Diana p
II don't follow you"-stinly-"I know of
nothing that requires explanation. And even
| III did, know no reason why should choose
lIun "a ut hnrf Y, inf
Il thought you were engaged to her" said
Farnie, Pickering a small fra ment Of cigar
| ash with great care from his coat sleeve.
Engaged! nonsensel or course | am not
engaged to her. | believe my mother and
hers have often spoken Of u marriage between
| us as thing that ought to be- considering
how the estates lie, but have never uttered
a word OF love to her In my life, and never
shall, Tor various reasons one Of the chiefest
being that were to do SO she would not lis
ten to me-"
"Ah that being SO, l wish you luck with
Miss Lilias, said his lordship, rising. Good
night, my dear boy; 1t Is just as well | was
leaving tomorrow, as | was fast losing my
heart TO the braun yeur of your love"
He left the room hastily, without waiting
for a reioinder, but on the corridor outside he
paused, and his whole expression changed
and softened
Diana. | shall chance it with her on my re-
turn from the north. She Is handsome and
distingue, and can hold her own. She likes
me, fancy, and-ah- really: do believe that
/ like her tUo-uncOmmonlyH
So he left but Sir Frederic fingered on at
Linwood until time had grown into month.
1t was night, but night as light as day-so
pale and brilliant were the moonbeams so
faint and shadowy was the veil that lay upon
the land.
Llias stood In her rose-scented garden
alone, her hands clasped loosely behind her,
her eyes fixed upon the tiny stream that CUR
gled at her feet
It floating away from her leaf by leaf upon
the waters bosom. leaving behind it an as
surance sweet as the touch OF lips forbidden
He loves mel she whispered dreamily,
her fingers still pressing the last kind petal.
"He loves mel' she repeated, with q long
drawn, happy sigh.
He does he does" murmured q voice close
beside her in trembling accents. ooh, Liias |
but do you love himY
For an answer she turned and laid her soft,
pink flushed cheek to his.
1t was wonderful thing to the Heriots to
hear that Lilias was going to be married
and to Sir Frederic Ashurst. She would have
titles she would be my Lady Ashurst-it
was as good as Cinderella.
Their father was pleased, but puzzled For
the first time, as he saw one Of them prGpar-
Ing to leave the home nest it dawned upon
approved OF the engagement, but shrank
from naming any immediate day for the
wedding.
thine, time" he said to Frederic, "give
me time. You rob me Of q dear possession
and expect me to rejoice over it. You are
going to Scotland for the grouse shooting
well, when you return we will talk over it,
Then | shall return Immediately" said
Fred, laughing; but so it was arranged; and
after few more days OF lovers raptures,
and hnh had oh oil n,. =,
'and kissed, and kissed" and parted.
Four weeks alone were to separate them;
but when he had gone barely fol might, it SO
happened that one day a carriage drove up to
the Heriots' door, and from it alighted an ell
derby lady, short, but resplendtnt, whose fea-
tures-as Lily gazed upon them from an up
per casement-did not seem to her altogether
unfamiliar
She begged a private audience of Mr.
Heriot and being shown into the library,
made him preSent-aCcOrding to his daugh-
ters calculations of one hour Of her society.
BY the time the school-roon clock chimed q
all four girls were nearly mad with u sup
pressed desire to know; and when the
had departed, and Lilias of them all
was summoned to the mysterious apartment
she had 50 lately occupied, their excitement
knew no bounds.
Half an hour more dragged slowly by, and
then Llias came slowly with uncertain step
!loo 1uc hdll, WHtit Gucy 5JOOu awaiting neE.
Her face was as death, her very figure had
lost some Of its pretty roundness.
"LtIias," they cried, catching hold of her,
''Lilias what is it,?
Nothing" she said, in low voice, twist
ing her slender fingers in and out, with fierce
effort at composure Nothing -only-he is
was engaged all the time-to his |
cousin, Diana Fairfax"
She went from them up the stairs with |
swift steps, while they-stupid with rage |
and grief-stood below and mutely watched !
her.
Presently they knew it ALL The lady who
had been closeted with their father was Lady |
Ashurst, Frederic's mother, and she had come |
TO tell him of her sons engagement to his
cousin, Diana Fairfax. They had been
)etrothed for years, she said, with the consent
If both families. She had heard accidentally
If his imprudent conduct with Miss Heriot,
and has hastened to inform Mr.. Heriot, for
he good OF all parties, how matters really
stood.
Her sons honor was in his hands Would
le not restore 1t to him unbroken? Was his
sudden fancy for Lilias to lower him forever
n the eyes of his world
She WIS an ddToit Uid lady. Of course, as
l9 nut IT, she showed If DOSGihlp more com