American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-06-18

The girls face flushed as his hands
touched the ripples of dark hair. He
parted it SO as to show the pretty little
ears that were like pink shells. He
certainly took more time than was re-
quired for the Office. Either the rose
was the most stubborn of roses or the
hair the most tiresome of hair. The
touch of his hand was like q caress,
and the beautiful head dropped with
the shy grace of child. 1t seemed to
her quite unnecessary that he should
hold the heavy braids of her hair in
his hand SO long-and yet she was
spell bound.
That is perfect" he said at length,
with deep sigh. You ought always
to live in Spain and wear roses, Lean.
You are matchlessp'
Then q sudden stir near him recalled
Lady Viola to his mind. He left Lean
with an effort and went up to her.
ssNow, Lady Viola" he said
Are you sure, Mr.. Ross, that you
are quite at liberty, and that you have
leisure to attend to me?" she asked. But
the sarcasm was lost ON him.
Eyes, quite" he said. "How beau
tiful Lean looks with that crimson rose
in her dark hairi Now let me find
something for you All. see some ILL
les! Nothing could he better! 1 will
get you some"
He returned in a few minutes with the
flowers in his hand.
These will suit you q rGUir, Lady
Viola" he said. 1.-The white, snowy
leaves will contrast well with the gold
of your hair
But her heart sank within her. He
had spent several minutes in arranging
the red rose in LEANS dark hair; but
he made no offer to place the lilies in
hers He put them into her hands and
smiled with q kindly, honest smile into
her face.
"What are you thinking OF, Mr..
Rossr she asked. few minutes later,
when Lean stood by her side.
Il was thinking" he answered, slow
ly, ''that as you stood there together
you were each perfect in your different
ways was wondering which an artist
would prefer-the dark head with the
crimson rose, or the golden head with
the lilies; and could not decide"
That is a terrible confession to
make, +" laughed Lean; ''but the COM
fort of it is, neither of us can be jeal-
ousr'
The little dance-as Lady Cumnor
persisted in calling twas a great sue
cess. They all enjoyed it very much;
but, long before the evening was over,
Lady Viola saw that Ross had given
the whole passionate love of his heart
to beautiful Lean Dynevor, although
he himself hardly knew it. Lady Viola
was not one to bear malice. She was
generous enough to admit that it was
no fault of Leans. Her faultless
beauty and grace. her dark, bewitching
eyes, and face so full of passion and poe
try. would have hred away the heart of
any man. Lady Viola sighed as she
thought of it all.
!" am only twenty" she said to her.
SELF They say that the women of
our family are all long-lived. I may
live for forty years longer; but. long as
may live. there will never again creep
into my life one CLEAN of sunlight or
one hope Of happiness-never again!
OF what use Is it that my hair is like
gold and my eyes like the color of a
heartsease, as these men sayp They
have done no good for me- The only
love care to win has been won from
me in one brief hour. and is given for
everI'
She made her escape from the ball
room; and. leaving her partner to look
for her in despair, she went to the blue
drawing-room. She had a strange de-
sire to kneel at the window and look at
the silvery mere That would comfort
her, she felt, and she could say long
farewell to the spot she loved so well,
and where she had once dreamed her
life might be spent. There was no
trace OF resentment in her heart, NO
anger. but some little wonder that Ross
had been 80 easily won, and that her
beauty had been less than nothing to
him.
The blue drawing-room was not
lighted; it was not near the suite of re-
ception-rooms that were used for the
dance. The moon poured in flood of
silvery light which gave to everything
. weird. CHASTITY effect. 1t did not
daunt Lady Viola; she liked the thought
of being alone in the moonlight, where
she could do battle with her feelings.
She sat down by the great window, her
hair like q crown with the snowy lilies
in its golden depths, her fair sweet face
with its radiance dimmed, and tears
trembling on her eyelashes. So she sat
watching the mere. and thinking how
many happy hours she had spent on the
water-hours that could never come
again.
IL was oil OVet now, the sweet dream
of her life. She would go away from
Larchton Mere ON the morrow, she said
TO herself, and she would never return
until Ross was married and her dream
ended. The pale, sweet face was bent
over the white, jeweled hands, and hot
tears rained through the slender fingers;
It was the familiar burden of the old
song-.'Oh, love, my love, had you but
loved me?' lit was the old story of the
love of woman's heart given lavishly,
but in vain.
As she sat there shadow was cast by
the moonlight. the breath of odorous
roses came to her, and kindly hand
was laid on her bowed head.
Lady Viola" said Ross, "what are
you doing here all alone and in the
darkness? Let me ring for lights"
"Oh, no. pray do notr' she cried.
She was terrified lest, finding the traces
Of tears on her face, he should want to
know why they were there.
al have been looking for you," he
said. II noticed half an hour ago that,
although the lilies in your hair were
living and fair. those you carried in
your hands were dead"
Yes, they were dead, she thought;
and they were not the only sweet, bright
things that had died since night fell
over land and sea. Ross went on: