The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1880-05-02
THE PROFESSORS VICTIM.

lie IllOF EOSOh y ' ltllM.
tures pure and undetiled. 1t is all that
have to boast Of
Miss Van Coot has even more broke
IN. "She has condescended to tell me Of
her magnificent origin Go to Miss Van
Coot, Professor Wagner. Her blood is, if
thin, of stupendous antiquity. She has al
| ready in your country cousin who owns a
princlpality. Make haste to get her, before
he comes to her or she goes to him, for they
have fashion of marrying cousins"
Which is bad for their spines," groaned
the professor Then he turned to me- and
the tears were actually in his poor eyes.
Come he said, you are veXed with me,
and it hurts me TO the heart. call not af-
tord to lose your friendship, which has been
dear to Inc for so long will do whatyou
wish. You say that she loves me. The
good God knows that I ain tired of this
suspense We'll, l will marry her. then.
There, now, art thou appeasedl | will 60
after her to New Orleans and bring her
back as my wife, and the conflict will be
over
"Oh, will you, professor said, hold
ing out my hands to him in delight, for |
thought it was generous of him, consider
ing every thing, and l fairly yearned for
my poor Helen's happiness and his own.
"Yes, the sacrifice is made, he said, and
heaved heavy sigh. Now let us think Of
the arrangements. 1t will be better for the
first year that we shall board with you. She
will be happier, and so will |, Can you hire
the suit of rooms above? They ere vacant,
| believe"
Yes, and they are beautiful | said,
clasplng my hands with Joy.
Very we'll, then; will see that they are
properly furnished. You must have good
servant; you must not have too much care
"Care3n | echoed. ut will be delight,
pleasure And the professor flung off his
coat. poured out some coffee for him. and
we began to eat breakfast, for | had not
tasted morsel, and was comforted enough
now to feel hungry.
A fortnight after, the rooms were com
plete, and the professor was to leave Tor
New Orleans the next day. He was CON-
ing to take supper with me and bid me
good-by that night, as the steamer started
! very early in the morning. had made
every thing l could think of to please HIM,
and put few pansies in my hair. The Ia
bic looked wonderfully inviting. II was
about dusk, and expected him every mo-
ment, when the ianitor's little boy came
running in to me with letter. | saw it
was strange, fine handwriting, and
thought it was some new customers; but as
| read it, my blood rushed to my heart, for
it was from Helen, and ran thus;
my DEAR SUSIE have only time
to tell you am the happest crea-
ture in the world All those months
was with you had left my heart with
young person down here, who is the son Of
an aboltionist and Quaker. My father is
tirceater, if you know what that means,
my dear; but he could not swallow the big
bonfire Of love that blazed between that
young Quaker and me, 50 he sent me to the
north, that my share of it should be cooled
by your northern climate. But, if you re.
member, did not see much Of the climate
| was almost always in your cozy parlor,
where the birds sang and the flowers
bloomed, and the dear professor was so
much like my own dear Edward that
could almost fancy that they were one and
the same-the ruddy hair, the same eyes Of
flashing blue, and his thee and thou
brought back to me the sweet Quaker dia.
lect. He had but one iault--of which thou
must cure him, my dear,--a womanish Gu
riosity that thou altogether art happily free
from, 1t at last drove me away. came
home, like the prodigal and my father
gave me my Edward, the more readily that
he was the best match in the country, and
my father, though iire.catcr, is poor. My
! best love to thee and the professor, and
am always thine own HELEN
As finished the last line the professors
footstep was on the stair; and as the night
was warm and the door open, IN he came,
and found me cold and petritied, with this
dreadful letter in my hand.
What is it!' he said, snatching the let
ter. at is from New Orleans. Is she
deadm
NO" said; "she is married."
And the professor read every word of that
cruel letter of Helen's. Then he wiped his
streaming brow, and | bent my head sub
missively, expecting volley Of mpreca-
tons and laments; but he said not word,
and presently sank into a chair, and looked
out upon the western sky A fresh breeze
blew aside the curtains and lifted the hair
from his beautiful white forehead
My tears fell fast and heavily, | was so
sorry tor him | thought my heart would
break
Weep not little one" at last he said.
II think have been fool; Is it not sou
mo, no, no. | cried, going over to him,
and kneeling down by his side "Oh, can
you ever forgive me' Indeed indeed, |
thought it was SO. thought she must love,
she could not help but love you
He looked down upon me and smiled
and patted my little red hand with bis
white and tapcring fingers.
"what is to be done nowI' he sand, "The
altar is ready, but where is the victim!
How can the sacrifice 90 on"
"Therc is Miss Van Coot,' said, timid-
ly, "if you could bring yourself to be salts.
with her. She has houses and lands and
thousands and thousands of dollars in her
own right; and she is very wise and learned
and wonderful musician