Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1880-09-15

his attractions, his handsome face,
his uameless grace, his long stay
abroad, his return home, his strange
ly Indifferent manner, until the color
came into her cheeks, and her trem.
bling hands steadied themselves
while she stopped and regained pos
session of the fallen work.
All, she could thank Mrs. Mere.
dith now for forbidding her entrance
into the gay world. 1t had never
tempted her; she had never reg retted
it. Now she must shun it. Fortu-
natefy the way was easy. Their
two paths would never meet-his
and hers. But, oh! how the old
wound bled.
A week later she sat in her own
room, looking out into the dark
night, while up through the closed
door came sounds of music and
laughter-it was one of Mrs. Mere.
dith's "At homes"-when suddenly
the door flew open, and May, with.
ont knocking, rush~tli into the room.
"Excuse me, Fanny" she ex.
claimed, shut mamma is in such a
state of excitement. Miss Adams,
the soprano, has disappointed her,
and she says you must come down
at once and sing in her place.
"Oh, May, can not! Your
mother must excuse me.n
"My dear child, you must! l
should not dare carry such mes.
sage, and you know the music room
is away from the rest, and / will see
that no one disturbs you. Slip on
your black silk, and pin this white
rose in your hair. There, she
added, few moments later, 81
shall have to keer'xeu in the dark
now, lest you eclipse us all. really
believe, Fanny, one reason mamma
keeps you 80 in the background is
because she is afraid of YOU
"Hush, May! 1t is my wish as
well as her command"
Oh, if she dared ask if he were
there! thought Miss Harlou, as seat.
ing herself at the piano, she caught
a glimpse of the brilliant Assem-.
bfage in the room beyond. But
what mattered III He would not
see her, or, seeing, would pass her
By unrecognized. She must calm
herself. She was glad that all were
so engrossed that only one or two
saw her take her position at the in.
strument.
A moment later every one turned
to his neighbor in silenced amaze,
as the exQuisitely clear, thrilling
notes thrilled through the room.
Louder and louder, and still more
sweet, rose the young voice, until,
looking round among her guests,
Mrs. Meredith congratulated herself
on Miss Adams absence, even while
she determined not again to permit
Miss HarlOn to appear, else it would
he impossible TO keep her in OBJ.
scurity--aud she found her 30 useful.
But, as the song died away one
man stepped from behind a curtain
which had concealed him. His
handsome face was very pale, aud
there was a look both of regret and
anger in his eyes; but both gave
place to great tenderness as be
stepped quietly to Miss Harlon's
side.
"Fay!' he whispered.
AT the old name-the name only
one had ever given her-the girl
grew deathly white.
Gay" he said again, "bave You
no welcome for me after all these
yearsr
She opened her pale lips to an.
swer, but the words of scorn she
meant to utter refused to come.
Pride struggled desperately with
the suffocating feeling that was
growing up about her heart, but in
vain. A veil of darkness shut out
from her Leigh Creighton's face,
and she fell fainting in bis arms.
"Such a ridiculous display" OBJ.
served Mrs. Meredith the next morn.
ing. 81 expected, Fanny, more con.
troll on your part. Inever saw such
disgusting expression as on Mr..
Creighton's face"
To all of which Miss Harlon said
nothing.
Only when, the next afternoon, in
the twilight's dusk, the servant,
with a somewhat amazed expression
on his welltrained face, put into her
hand Leigh Creigbton's card, she
wrote upon her own these words in
answer, and, putting them in