Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1880-01-21
Never Loan Your Lover.

l
bright laughing eyes looked plead
ingly iutO mine. ale is 81 hand
some, 40 full OF fun-in fact. ever
so much nicer than any one know;
and | am certain you would not be
afraid OF poor little me-
l looked up quickly. was not
of suspicious nature, but there
seemed to be something unpleasant
in the clear, soft tones of the girls
voice, but the honest eyes gazed
straight into mine, and | reproacbed
myself severely for my unkindly
thoughts.
Helen Egerton was my most in.
innate friend. She was the only
and petted daughter of wealthy
merchant, and rs she had been
travelling during the past year had
only known Phillip since my EN-
gagement to him. She was year
my junior, but we had been play.
mates ever since ! could remember.
She was wondrously beautiful; my
pen fails me when attempt to de.
scribe her. But chief among her
many charms were her eyes
changeable as an April day, with a
look of childlike innocence and
honesty that made you trust her To
the utmost.
| was flattered that this lovely
girl, so rich in physical beauty and
this worlds goods, should plead for
the loan Of my lover. And Phillip,
my handsome Phillip, and, better
than all, a man both noble and
true-cOuld | lend him to any one,
even to Helen Egertoni
1t was "a great sacrifice, but
made it, and gave him over into the
hands of this beautiful and fascin.
aiing creature. Such is the confid.
ing trust and affection a woman
places in those nearest and dearest
to her.
We had only been engaged four
months, Phillip and |, aud natural
~. although not exacting, ! felt n
little bit Jealous that he should have
yielded. almost willingly. | Thought.
TO the evenings arrangement. Yet,
when he called on his way to Hell
ems house, dressed in the costume
of u noble in the time of Louis the
Sixtepnth-when he fingered by me
until past the time that she expect
cd him. telling me that his was an
equal sacrifice with mine-l could
not but believe him.
He did 50 wish that | had chang
ed my mind, and was going; that
Helen was very sweet, and all that
sort of thing, but she was not Ma
hrl-Queen Nab, AZ he called me.
Then starting up, eXclaiming ut the
latenpss of the hour, he kissed ME
good night; and IL never loved
him as did that moment, when he
parted from me with expressions OF
: regret on his lips.
was poor, but, as Phillip said,
"my face was my fortune" | was
not 80 handsome as Helen; she was
blonde aud | brunette. l was very
much the taller, and lacked that
piQnancy of expression aud manner
which made her 40 charming. Still
Phillip loved mel was certain OF
that, and all the Helen Egerrons ia
the world would not be strong
enough to lure him from my side.
The party to which Helen and
Phillip were going was "a nasque
rade. We had been all invited, but,
having just recovered from a slight
illness, it was deemed best that
should not 20. So was left alone
in the little room l called my libra
~. The drop.light cast a soft CLEAN
over my book, my feet rested on the
fender, which surrounded the open
CRATE. Everything seemed calcu
lated to make me happy. But the
book of poems, Phillips gift to me
on my birthday, slipped through
my fingers a. a thought passed
through my mind, and, spinging up.
left the apartment and FASTENED
to my room.'
had been motherless for . long
while, and my father, a man Of stu
dious habits, allowed me perfect
liberty, provided ! did not interfere
With bis enojy ment. So had nc
one 70 consult In what ! was about
to do.
.Rh>rn So q Som,;nn and NAL