The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1880-11-19

As he arose to go she said: "If you
will please take me by the hand will
accompany You to the head OF the stairs.
/ want to scold you little for something
l have heard. With this dreadful shade
that am obliged to wear cannot find
my way without stumbling %iiii you
excuse me for the merest moment, Mr..
st. Ives ?"
Now, it was not really necessary for
Drusilla to be led about in house where
she was perfectly familiar, but she wished
to influence Fred, and knew Of no way
mere certain.
How her soft, magnetic hand thrilled
him. Why, her lightest touch was like a
caress. She talked very earnestly to
him about his growing fondness for cards
and wine. Said she had heard such
iumors, but would not believe them.
Would he promise that the gossip should
be without foundation He would prom
ise anything. He would reform
Re-entering the parlor, she remarked
to Maxwell: "My college boys are 50
much to me like brothers, can reprove
and admonish them in truly orthodox
style without their resenting it, They
need some one to seold them little
sometimes"
Maxwell said, in his abrupt, argu-
mentative way: Fred Devine does not
consider himself merely boy friend
he thinks himself man and comes a
wooing."
The color crept into Drusilla's pale
face seHusl1,, Maxwell ST. Ives, ! will
not believe it. My own regard for this
lad is SO different. want him to re-
gard me as a friend want him to look
up to me, and come to me for counsel
and sympathy; want his esteem;
in short, | want earnest, respectful,
beautiful friendship, instead Of tickle,
passionate, fatal love r.
She was much excited. All the con-
troll she had shown when Lu taunted
her was swept away. She had suffered
SO much through love that she could
bear no mention Of what had darkened
her whole life.
Whenever and wherever ] try to es-
| tablish friendship, ii is shortly trans
formed into reckless and despairing
| love"
All that she said was received i'll utter
silence. Surely he was not man but
marble. All this was such deep grief to
her, and he did not care. Any other man
would have expressed some sympathy ;
not SO this impassive Northerner, who,
cynical and bitter, thought it fine bit
Of acting. He had been drawn toward
her at first, but an anonymous letter had
told him to "beware Of Drusilla Ster-
ling" that she was an actress by birth,
and by education, and utterly without
heart. From that time he had been on
his guard.
"Pardon my emotion" she said, after
moments pause. "Pardon me also il
L go on to say more Of myself.
81 want You to know il there is any
sufficient reason in the past why my
present should be 50 full Of passion ant
pain You have before now accused mt
Of being coquette Upon my honor
do not mean to be. What / do | canno
help. 1t is deep and sad fatality. lie
me tell you the story Of my birth tha
you may Judge for yourself how | came
to inherit my birthright OF sorrow.
"My father YVES an English artist ant
marriee a woman who made her hvlnl
by singing and dancing st the theaters
She was as deceitful as she was beauh
full. NY old nurse jeanette has oftel
told me how mother would say to her
'The Englishman is an ogre But t
him she would say: You are gram
like the gods. She won him, not be
cause she loved him, hut because j
was supposed to be wealthy. He love
her with his imagination rather tina
with his heart. He was very suscept
bic to beauty and gracefulness, and bot
were hers to remarkable degree. Th
fact chat she was married did not prf
vent men loving her. She died when
was but three days old, and father an
Jeanette brought me to England.
"From my tenth year have been col
scious Of possessing my mothers lat
fault Of fascination. There is nothing
|, ! SO much deplore, for 1 have my father
4 honest English heart, and would win 10y
! only where could return it, Until Il
last few months have never know
| what that word meant. You are still
j lent. / have lost your esteem by co.
Tossing my mothers profession. Ol
= Maxwell ST. Ives, I trusted you A
a you not still my friend? ?"
In her earnestness she laid both b
: little caressing hands over both
Q his. All his reserve and skepticls
5 were swept away. Hepressed her han
like rose leaves in his own, and q
swered:
: fFor life-for death P'l
Before theyparted they were betroth
/ lovers. Drusilla had some misgiyine
" and said {;
: "Can you go to your proud moth
u and tell her that you have espoused t
Z daughter Of dancer%
aDrusilla Sterling, / can say an
of thing TO anybody. II only you are TT
ID to me there is no obstacle to our uni
le that | will not easily overcome. l ha
+ given myself to you, body and soul, q
m God help him who comes between us
"a she felt her heart grow cold as
Ie spoke. Was this love also to prove !,
81 happy? D, it was too sad that IN t