The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-10-22


What man could have helped it, wit
: such lovely face whispering close t.
u his own?
Mr.. Monteith looked, and the Devil
% dering was fully accomplished. Her fac
smote him at once into tender alteration
a her glancing dress, with all its amazing
loops and ruffles and folds, was won
derful to him. 'She came, she saw, sh'
conquered" The man, whether a lore
or vassal of creation, was her slave fol
r evermore, bought with a glance ant
fettered by the touch of a little hand thai
fell like white rose petal into his owr
great, brown palm.
r What an amazing evening it was tc
John Monteith! The dinner table was
spread in fairy-land; the meat and wine
had the flavor of paradise. And Mari.
on's singing of the little plaintive Scotch
airs her father loved! There are no
words to describe its influence over him.
Does any one wonder that three-fourths
OF the human race have always wor-
shipped some woman? It is the in
stlnct Of men to defy the soul that
awakens their own.
And truly John Monteith entered into
new and larger life at Marion's first
word. Hitherto, to weave the finest
goods at the least possible cost, to econ
omlze LABOR and material, and to amass
money had seemed to him ends sufficient
to Justify life. But now, even in the
first tumult of his awakening, there
arose before him the question, What
shall a man do to be worthy of such a
pearl of womanhood?
1t was later than usual when Marion
went to her room that night. She had
her check in her hand, but her face
wore an unusual shadow of perplexity
and doubt. Janet, sitting by the fire.
side, slipping her glass of mulled claret,
noticed at once the new expression.
You are late, child" she said, looking
admiringly at the lovely figure, with its
daintily gathered foot upon the fender.
IAN L? Papa kept me singing"
"What do you think of John Mon
teith?"
"Oh, he is NICE"
Nice Marion! The adjective is a
very improper one applied to men,
"ls it, Janet? l did not know.
Choose one YOURSELF
"Entertaining?"
"No, he is not entertaining. He list
ems, and lets you talk. After all, I don't
know but what that is entertaining"
Handsomely
"1t would be a sin to say no. Yes.
Janet, your nephew is handsome. I |
don't mind admitting the truth, even on |
a point Of beauty. Is he going to stop
"He is going into the mills with your
father"
"Where is he going to live?"
"He will board at Mr.. Bogart's, I
hear"
"What fight Minnie and her cousin
can have over him! should think he
would be man girls would quarrel
about. l have half a mind to stay in
Jersey and act as umpire. While we
are away, Janet, why can't he live with
papa? l should think they would be
good company for each other.''
"Suppose you suggest it?"
Twill. Idon't Ike our folks board
ing round. Besides, I have no doubt
that he will be all the better of your
keeping him in sight. Men are lost
quantities unless they are tied to some
woman's apron strings
New York;"
"Oh yes, but we need not hurry for
few days. shall let Julia get the fur
naces into working order and the chill.
dren's winter clothes made. She is
always fussy at the beginning of the !;
season, and very few nice people are At
home yet"
But Marion's few days heightened ont !
INTO few weeks. Mr.. Laurie was be- =
ginning to talk of his own holiday trim :
% Julia's before she again seriously, D
considered the subject. But someho5 q
ne quiet routine of the house had }een Vi
frightened by John Mon It
elth's presence at the breakfast and k
Inner table, while in the long fire-lit tt
venings there was always sdeep rich Il
'arytone mingling with the sweet So Il
rano in the wild, weird, lender ballads "
hat lulled old David Laurie into dream "
md. !"
Was Msrion in love? Who could tellp 80
iris haye blushed and smiled, and nj
mig tenderly, and glanced sweetly. and
ressed ravishingly, before now; and +,
len have read all these signs by lights n n
their own, and been miserably de- 81
eived. If she let her hand linger in ~ ~,
ohn's clasp, and dropped her white g. 6,
YIELDS over rosy cheeks beneath his low -;
g gaze, could he trust that it was for =. =.
we of him? If she wore the flowers ~ ~
Q brought, and sang the songs he liked, NJ NJ
urst her isk his fate on such evidences? - =,
b! it is often the bitterest part of loves he
sson that it knows not what it NAV ~
X, fears where it ought to hope, and 20
opes where it ought to fear. h
Two days before Christmas the halls y;
ere Uttered with trunks and travelling an
raps, and John Monteith, with q sor. Al
'wful face, was walking up and down he
nong them; yet it frightened, almost ha
sinfully, as little figure in cashmere 10,
I'd fur came slowly down the broad ba
airs. Marion was going away; would
70 never come back for him againp co
9 had not faith to ask the question; tn,
ID though she was in a fearful, ten sh
r mood, all the more reason, he ha
ought, to refrain from pressing his tie
vn claims at such time. He sits be- 10
1e her in the double sleigh which car vel
IS them to the railway depot. Mr.. he
!urie is driving, and the servant be- co,
10 him keeps him in busy conversation tri
out the greenhouses. For ten minutes ME
I'm has Marion all to himself; he sh,
ana tha fr1,.a carofullv oru,nd ho, A..