The Concordia eagle. [volume] (Vidalia, La.) 1873-1890, 1881-05-14


up and down the small drawing
room and listening to the querulous
complaints that its occupant, aconfirmed
invalid, is uttering from the sofa
on which she lies. 81 think but little
of my bodily suferings," she is saying;
"they cannot now last long. Every day
I feel more plainly that the end is not
far, and my doctor tells me the same.
The distress of mind that torments me
is what is so hard to bear"
"And what may that be about, if 1
might ask ?"
The future Of my child when L ann
gone. All Ihave, as you know, dies with
me. She will be penniless, and the
thought of what is to become OF her
cast on the world without home,
haunts me night and day. 1t is too
dreadful -
"a girl-and young-and not bad
looking. Where's the fear Some
bodyll marry her. Men are such
fools!"
The sick woman could not forebear a
smile. "Ah, but there are no men, no
fools here In this remote corner We
see no one, and the poor child, taken
up with nursing Inc and tied to sick
room, has made no acquaintances. 1t
is killing ME TO see her young life sacri-
| feed and to think of the future"
The mothers tears began to flow.
Her nearer, never very amiably inclined
| toward the weaker sex, or, at least in
it's company, increased his quarterback
pacings in much discontinue as these
symptoms of "water works turned on !"
became apparent. His hurried steps
soon subsidized, however, to steady
march up and down the little drawing
| room, while with frowning brow and
occasional chuckles, he seemed to be
connecting some scheme. After a few
minutes he came to a sudden halt be-
| fore the invalid's sofa. "Can the girl
act 2" he asked, abruptly,
"Act How do You mean? L"
ooh, you needn't look frightened /;
I'm not going to propose sending her
to the Gaiety or the Criterion 4
! Well, except in the little make be-
lievc plays and dressings-up that chill
dren delight mall children are, think,
actors born" ["Ay, and men and women
too" growled the cynicl =" except that
sort of thing she never has seen or had
any opportunity of acting. Why do you
ask?
And in reply her brother unfolded the
plan he had been connecting
that his niece, laying aside her " "trip
perry and her trinkets and other girls
nonsense" was to put on the mourning
garb and act the part of a widow, in
which assumed character she was to
come to stay with him in his London
home.
"But / don't understand"
"And you're not wanted to under
stand" he snarled. Its my whim;
and it may be for the girls advantage.
II she's willing and can hold her tongue,
I'll come back for her when she's ready.
And I'll pay for her outfit. Grape and
weepers, Ho, no, ho"
/ When the first surprise at her uncle's
strange proposition was over, the Young
girl jumped eagerly at the prospect of a
change from the dull home she never
yet had left. She was young and
spirited; at an age when love of va
riety and longing TO see the world and
plunge into its unknown delights are
natural. The playing the widow she
thought would be excellent fun. There
was Il spice of adventure in it, and it
would be like the private theatricals
and acting charades she had read of and
imagined so pleasant The old gentle
mans reasons for wishing her to do SO
was puzzle but then who could Won
der at anything he did? absurd oddity
that he was! Perhaps it was TO avoid
having to provide chaperon for her
he hated ladies so, elderly ones es.
pecially.
The result OF the scheme We have
seen; and the scheme itself was what it,
originator proceeded to divufge to the
would-be husband when that individual
presented himself with considerable
misgiving and agitation on the appointed
morning.
As the lady has not turned out to be
what you took her for, is not in fact, &
widow, perhaps the whole matter may
be of. A disappointment, no doubt,
wound up the uncle with one OF hi
grim chuckles; "but twas only right
to tell you in time. Young man, if vol