The Arkansaw traveler., 1882-06-25
MY WICKED PRIDE.

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 MY WICKED PRIDE. Exchange. swept down the leng dsaNins-room al Mrs. Sineiair's splendid heasc. and took my place @t the piane there. as proud :, Wnnlan-zaye. and as handsome woInan-..s any present that night. II was onlN = poor soseTness had heard some seornful voice utter these words as 1 passed. and mS heart was fuli .,i wounded pride and pam. full almos. ;oa bursting. l, wasr, the hurt though ,ha; was hard ;o bear-ihai cared for most; il was the though, that the love oi my life MAS was:cd and lest. ;ha; was the pang that was killing me. of course. being only a seveDess. !; was my duty ;e Pss, and sing and amu>e mN employers guests even though my heart was breaking. l. was well that was so proud l though, er might hase been found want ing in my duty tha, night. Ta sli still. ard hear them talk of hin 2 - irV 6eI5Icd fTSrIss f7Tv 7i' F7T'S:sT7f. eg marriage with another woman. d rioh heiress-ah. II needed proud heart and strong will Io bear that and make no sIgn. never had played better in my life. and the songs sang were as gay and mer1 as fl my hear; had never known 4 care.
 There vas a great mirror just before me that reelected ali-the- room. and ln | could see him. ;he false traitor who had dared 10 trifie with me, wooing the rteher woman. who ~as ,o be hls bndc. Il Soft. pretty. gentle little creature. who looked al him with such adoring eyes as very nearly wrung from me q groan of anguish and despair.
 knew then saw that glance. that had heard the truth-,his fair wealthy girl was 70 be his wife; he had only anus cd himself with the poor go,erness-
 @a> thr hAnd>oner bv fer. The mirror told me that. As flowers when crushed. give forth their sweetes, perfumes. so l. being tor tured a, heart almos, beyond endurance. had rioher. color. brighter eyes. more vivid beauty than had ever been inine in the happy tune when he had told me he adored me.
 But did care for that:
 No.
 hated the beauty that vas se useless and so vain. that II Could no; charm and ] hold the one man whom loved. Better thousand times ;o have been insignificant and plain: then. though l might have loved him vainly still. al least he would have mocked me. But such was my pride. that would have died rather than le, him see ,ha, l cared.
 He had though, 10 ,ritis with tne-bui lresolved ,o make him believe that il was l who had been trifiing.
 l avoided him all that evening. They released me from the piano now. and then. poor governess though l was. he tried to speak 10 me. but was always engaged. for pretty. well-dressed girl may have partners enough. even though she be poor: al last in the conservatory. ~hi,her had gone to lay aside the mask for moment and give ven; to my grief and pain. he found me. My avoidance had displeased him.
 An. my dear. 1 oomprehended after wards when II was too late.
 And he spoke coldk.
 You are in demand this evening. Ag- nes. have tried to speak to you in vain. hr. Roberts is ver, attentive. observe. and you seem 10 welcome his attentions. Is if with the intention of annoying me that you act thusE' Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad Why the great gods should have had any grudge against poor me know not. but certainly was mad. and in that mad ness destroyed my peace
 locked al him-the man whom loved so dearly. ooldly and with scorn.
 ' l never thought about you in the mat tsr at all. sad. MT. Roberts Is sen- Sble. agreeable man. and honors me by his attentions"
 'To tell the truth. l thought you were too busy with your fiancee. Miss Deane to take any notice of poor governess like myself
 He was very angry now. and his face flushed hoily.
 My hancee~ he repeated coldly. -Who told you tha, z laughed. laughed quite merTily
 Oh. have known II for quite awhile. = l sad. Did you suppose me ignorant of what everybody knows: Her face. her eyes tell the story. loo. for she looks at you with all her heart n them. until II IS really amusing.
 Then laughed again 10 keep from cDfing out sith rage ai he remembrance Of thastoUk-
 Yes she will be A mos; devoted and adoring bride Were you afraid ,o con fess II 10 me. because Of our little fiirta- tion: PshaW. did you think me So silly as to suppose there was anything serious in that.
 He arose ard stood before me-no lon ger flushed and angry. pale rather. ard with look of con,emp, 1T his dark eyes. before which my mad and passionate pride and temper quailed- Sd, down srih strange. sudden chill creeping over all my fre-frightened and sick al heart.