The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-12-27

ness CT his father at a German spa, be- |
fore the final sale. of Broadlands, which |
place, however, rem mained untenanted |
by the purchaser, whoever he was.
Her other lovers had been weighed in |
the balance and found wanting; how
would it be with him? Was he true |
enough to love her whether her circum-
stances were splendid or mean? But
he was scarcely ashore before hesought |
her out when she had spare hour
he claimed and filled it. Her room
now. was never without the flowers she |
loved best; sunshine seemed to have en-
tered into the shady plaeessofA her life
all at once. Heaven, after all her mis-
givings, had reserved this happiness
for her-Constant loved her. s'What
thing love is, world without end %
When she walked in the Park for re-
creation, strangers turned and looked
after her and people whispered, 'sPret-
ty Miss iBroadfand5; poverty agrees
with her wonderfully There was an
air of romance about her which stimu-
lated the imagination at this time, as if
she were keeping some delicious secret
in reserve. Constant Stanley had been
painting her as Guinevere, in his pict-
ure intended for theapproaehtpg exhi-
bition
F Il will make that smile immortal" :"
he saiagA zone OF sth6s sittings; Sthe
light of those eyes shall shine for ages
on my canvas; that perfect bloom shall
| bless the earth when you and /, dear,
are disembodied. Come changing
his key-"when viii you have done
with sthis hateful task of syourse Il am
Jealous OF your patients. | shall go
Emad myself, presently, in order to re-
ceiye your ministrations. sfst5J -ssfs
Hush she said, smiling; ''you talk
| like a mailman already"
| "Bewitched by your charms, shall
need but two more sittings only two.
| | wish it were a million; | wish we
might sit here together for icons, you
and II painting, you posing. l have
half mind to rub the whole thing out
! and begin again, just for the love of
painting it over, of keeping you here
before me. Do you know that you are
more beautiful than ever?" And he
drew his brush across the canvas as he
spoke, obliterating the immortal smile,
1.-THE .Rghtlinf the swide-opehl eyes, the.
bloom upon the oval cheek.
"Foohsh boyi''l she: said, 'you will
turn my head. If I am. beautiful, re-
member that it can not last. Look at
! old Mrs. Bangs-she was a beauty in
her day; look at her parchment skin, at
her dim, cavernous eyes, at her shrunk-
en- tissues and muscles, Beauty is only
a morning mist-it disappears.
..ShalFI change my allegiance for rancor
Because fortune changes her side?
Or shall l. like a vessel at anchor,
| T Veer with the veering tidep'
he sang q {. s. You viii be always beauti-
full to ME.
Miss iBroadlands. remembered that
when, some weeks later, after an insane
patient had thrown vile Of corrosive
fstuff into her. face, she had courage to
tie her veilaeross her bonnet and walk
ont into the Park again. Strangers no
longer turned to look after her. Poor
Miss. Broadlands, y Others murmured as
/ she passed; never Pretty Miss Broad
lands" There was no longer such a
persoRsas pretty Miss Broadlands She
sat down on rustic seat in secluded
part of the Park, and reelected upon the
/ fact. Nurses with children in tow
passed and repassed,, the swans SWAN
lazily about the pond. the swallows
dipped low for insects, the sunset burned
bright ia. the west > now and then, d
i. pair of lovers 4sauntered by, and she
1shivered. Was it not her own fault,
after. all, that she was no longer pretty
Miss Broadlands? Had she not taken
her fortunes in her own handsp Had
| she any night TO play the part she had
chosen, even in a good cause? And was
this the punishment? Had she lost
everything but what she had pretended
! ITO loseP Everything that she cared te
fpossessp Just then ashadow fell across
| her path, and Constant Stanley asked:
MAY Z Max ! sit here with you for, 9, little
Is'Yes,n she answered, and she lifteG
the heavy folds of her veil and con
fronted him. "You will not care to si
long You will never make my smile
my glance, my blooms immortal OF
& YOUR canvas. You would not care tt
paint.me through the @ons now. Dr.
you remember the night you told me
was more beautiful than ever?n
81 remember,s . he cried. ',Shall
schange my allegiance because fortune
changes her sidePn wtesaR~> ws-es
'You cant help it. I don't blam,
stypH You love beauty. "e%fse edfXs93 u .
I 'I love you,s' and he kissed tht
Scared cheek. .4 . a-,,ra49
8 Miss Broadlands had found her true
lover at lastAa lover who valued Meth
er wealth nor beauty, and whom sht
had tested more heroically than she has
meant to do. Had fate taken the affai
out of her hands?
"a thonsand congratulations, my
Il dear Stanley, said Mr.. Stanhope on,
day, meeting. the artist Ah,. you arr
doing fine thing for yourself. my boy
Hist! not a word I'll tell you'a secret
You fancy you are marrying beggar
nEeh? Nothing of the kind. On you
! wedding day I shall transfer Mis-
Broadland's fortune into your. hands in
tact! 1t is all ruse, this poverty 0
.thers. Has she ever said she was poor.
No. You've taken it all for granted
and it's frightened her lovers away
! You-you've stood the test.
: mo jokes, Staphope," " gasped Con
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