The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-07-26
BENEATH LOVES SUM-


who had his gilded hour beneath Loves sun.
And then, An me! the sunshine died away
And left the hero bare, duh. common clay.
Are you the hero or are you the sum-
word, mon ami, and my rabies done.
If you must blame, be just and blame the sun,
Erica ceased reading. She laid down
the magazine she was reading, and lean
inc back in her rattan rocker, looked
up At her sister with bright, serious eyes.
You are the sun, Bertha All, believe
me- dear!
Bertha smiled and shook her head.
alt is light which shall never die
away, a sun which shall never set
she answered with sweet resoIute-
ness.
She was standing in the great bay
window leaning idly against the oaken
casing, tworound, firm arms lifted an
elewise above her head, two slim clasp
ed hands, snow-white upon the black
ness of her hair
The folds of the loose crimson wrap
per she wore suggested-rather than re-
yealed the curves Of a figure youthful
aud exquisite The small, shabby slip
pers covered feet arched and dainty a
slender slip of girl, she, with pale,
regular-featured face, redeemed from
mere prettiness by pair of magnificent
midnight ewes. Undoubtedly Bertha
was the beauty of the family And q
very large family il was, too.
There was tall handsome, rollicking
Rick, bronze-haircd and blue-eYed;
there were Dot and Dora, the twins, as
much alike as peas in a pod; there were
half dozen younger children ruddy-
checked and strong-lunged, to all of
whom manufactured, lovely-hearted
Erica was father and mother in one,
And Just now she was to willful Bertha
most gentle monitor
but the bare, dull, common clay
will be there all the same, my pet, she
said Bertha dropped her hands with q
restless gesture.
NO" quickly, 81 did not admi
that"
"What child it is!' Erica laugho,
leniently.
A basket of bright-hued woollay over
turned beside her chair She begal
winding up each skein with the order
illness natural to her
"You see we know so little Of him,
she went on with dubious and deepen
ing perplexity. "Wait You met hin
three weeks ago at the Leonards, III
has called here four WHs il six times
You have gone once with him TO tn
opera and you are engaged to him.
can hardly realize it, dear. It is a.
$3.50 sudden it almost frightens me.
A" Unlucky the wooing that's long
dongl' gayly caroled Bertha. "0h
you ridic0lcas darling!
A flood Of sunshine poured in at tn
window In its clear light the room r
minded one irresistibly Of an improve
shed old aristocrat, seedy and out
elbows, but holding acertain suggesti'
of former magnifcence A faded velv
carpet covered the floor, chairs vene
able and "thready,' brooded rigid
erect and underfOot were rugs 80 wo
as TO have become suareful and Mill
tic. But TO carry out the smile ev
an ancient dandy may improve bis pr
sonal appearance with a bright tie
pair Of new-tinted gloves buttonhC
bouquet; and Just now the BraithwooC
parlor lost much Of its usual air Of be
rem decay thanks to the ruby fire
the CRATE, the delightful profuson
late magazines andperiodicals scatter
everywhere, the cluster of dollhouse TO.
on the centre-table.
Erica disentangled the end Of a ske
Of Berlin, and commenced towind it
fore she spoke again Then it was in
tone of deliberate aversion.
IL don like his face, my pet Fc
give me, don't 1t ia nervous, a
shifting and restless. He never loo
upstraightforwartly TO speak or answ,
| hope this dislike Of mine is unbound
prejudice, do sincerely"
ut is not like you, Erica" Bert
cried bitterly aggrieved II thong
you would be kind and sympathetic
you had ever loved yourself The
gers guiding the rosy strand tremb
little but went bravely on with tn
task
II! I did, Bertha
"YouPM
eyes And gave him up.
BAH the girl answered scornfu
strong with the extravaganza Of
young passion, you call that lc
That which falters is not love Low
undyingN
Her sister smiled sadly. Eyes,
is undying. ! would have been
wife was II not that he demanded
me q sacrifice contrary 10 every La
honor
There Is no sacrifice Bertha il
rupted, recklessly, 81 would not n
for the man love. You were cowal
Erican
Erica looked up with quick CT
ing Of her breath, Herbright ball r.
UNDECIDED to the floor.
"Bertha listen. dear. Imagil
dead mother desolate home, a e
Of helpless, lonely children! Thin
love. think Of happiness, bought
at the price Of desertion Of these
ones. think Of that, and call me-
ardlyf'
.Erica!N
A sudden dimming Of brilliant
the swirl OF a crimson wrapper a
ter OF white hands, and Bertha WI