The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-02-19
PLAYING WITH FIRE.

most kindly,
A trying position, even when the lat
est fashion, the newest thing in hats,
the last style of dressing the hair, is be-
ing discussed but doubly trying when
four feminine tongues are waxing both
shrill and eloquent, TO the utter drown
ing of any bass notes - one of the
tongues in question belonging to the
faRcee of the poor martyr, and the sub
iect-another mani
Yet again my sympathy betrays poor
George Waldron into the injustice
against which have just been striving
to protect him. If all the martyrs went
to the stake with such kindly, smiling
faces, surely our pity has been utterly
thrown away. They might better be-
stow it upon us, so George doubtless
thinks-we might bcstow it upon the
"other man
"a regular male nirt, my dear!" eX-
claimed little Gertic SomcrS, addressing
them all plurally by the singular adjec-
tive. They say the walls of his rooms
are literally lined with trophies-a pic
ture here, a slipper there, a glove some
where else, each suggestive of n battle
and victory. Doubtless over his door
way he has mctaphorcaIly Inscribed,
See the conquoring hero comes, and
permits no one but himself TO cross the
threshold, lest the mantle Of fame
should fall on undcscrying shoulders. "
Peals of laughter followed this last
sally, in which George joined, muir
murine the air of the verse suggested.
But it's all true broke in Hilda
Grey; "its no use trying to resist him.
Each one in turn thinks, up to the time
| of meeting her, it has been mere past
time; it has been left for her to subject
the invincble, My sisters, beware!-
it's dangerous experiment, like play
ing with fire.
Nevertheless, | should like TO try
it, said another voice almost rs
though the words had burst from the
speaker without consciousness or volt
ton of her own.
YOU exclaimed the other voices,
| in one breath,
The masculine tones were silent, but
| his eyes had turned with the others in
the direction Of the daring speaker, and
in their depths was a sort Of panied
surprise.
ayes, l." she retorted with musical
little laugh. why not?"
"What does George sayP" says one
of the three.
ale is here to answer for himself,
Why should he care? George, may |
flirt just little with Aubrey Maxwell,
and beat him with his own weapons, II
! can?"
81 shouldn't like you to be worsted,
Maud" he said very quietly. 'Tm
afraid, in that case, somebody would
be more hurt than either of the combat
tants."
"Don't anticipate such catastrophe,
my lord" she retorted saucily, sweep
ing him courtesy. 81 have no inten-
ton of returning you your freedom; on
ly want the loan of mine for little
while. Give it to me, George. ! shan't
have it long, even to play will"
This last sentence won the day. True,
he was to have her all his own soon,
this bright, beautiful, bewitching girl
il was, after ALL but a child's whim; but
he withdrew active opposition with an
ominous shake of the head, and sink
ing of the heart, which he declared TO
himself both weak and foolish.
| Again the din of voices rose higher;
but one was silent-one had been silent
from the first. In three pairs of eyes
was milthful fun in one pair a lurd
CLEAN of malicious envy, But at last
the little group dispersed. She alone
was within the room. Then the thin
lips moved.
II have lost him. Maud Rivcrsw she
half muttered, under her breath,
"but you shall never win Aubrey Max
well, though your half hours triumph
might grow into lifetime
The battle had begun, Was it to the
weak or strOngP
Even now that Miss Rivers is engag-
ed, she could not refrain from her old
love of coquctry,' the gossipS said; "but
what could Mr. Waldron be thinking OF
TO allow it?'
"What had he been thinking Of not
to forbid it at the outsctH he asked
himself, except that to deny Maud any
thing had never entered The honest fell
low head.
Once he demonstrated with her. II
was aiteran evening party,whcn he had
gone idly into Il dimly-lighted conser.
yatory, only TO stumbleupon Maud and
Aubrey Maxwell seated in the half
light, among the fragrance and bloom
of the flowers he seeming TO drink IN
each word and look she uttered she
= speaking far more with her eyes thar
lips He had gone ont from them ours
r ing himself, and the next day he tolc
Maud the thing must end.
, "Giye me just one week longer
don't want them to say ! was routed.
r But long after he had left her she SO
and then she must give up Aubrc,
Maxwell forever. OF course there coull
be no choice between him and George
She loved George, In two short month
she was to be his wife, and then -ant
then she must never see Aubrey again
what was folly now would be wicked
ness then.
t Blu, what isthis quick pain at her hear
, sharper than any stab? The memory
of a soft "Good-night' swept over her
$ she tender pressure of u hand, tn,
A volccful glance; and then the tear
| ktari thn ,V,,I 1,,,I, l.,I t., 4