River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-10-11
A SISTERS VENGEANCE.

towers.
Bouquet, sir2" she repeats. "Here is
one amssure you viii like, myrtle and tea
roses. Shall AIR ange it for your"
He ben 1sssforward that she may pin the
blossoms on his coat. lapel.
He, notices how small and white her hands
are and wishes she would raise her
fnneed lids.
"There; don't you ike it." she says.
The price is a shilling.
Elmer draws coin from his well-tilled
wallet, and lays it on the counter.
Keep the remainder for the cause" he
says.
The young girl smiles, and raises her eyes
to his,
Can it be that he, man Of the world,
who has been admired and sought by doz-
ems of beautiful women. has fallen in love
with pretty hoWer-seller at charity fairY
He moves away, and accosts an acquaint-
ancs moving around the brilliant apart
ment.
who is this young girl with the hand
some black eyes the lower-seller?'
George Ellis looks up at his companion
with an amused smile.
What. Richards, ale you smittenF he
says We'll, you are by no means the first
one with whom those eyes have made sad
Iryingl Elmer gave an involuntary
start.
All, yes, that name is familiar to him.
A sad pale face rises before him with
wistful blue eyes and trembling lips.
1t appeared to him once before this even
ing, when he first heard Beatrice Iriyng's
voice; it haunts him all the evening, and
when the fair is over, and he returns to his
handsome apartments, he sees IL still, and
beside it CLOVIS the flower sellers brilliant
face.
Elmer Richards starts like guilty thing
as this thought comes to him; he knows
| why the sweet lire ended so early; why the
| little grave was made so soon for her whose
| last words were Of him-pretty M1ly
/ Irving
why indulge in these morbid fanoies?'
he thinks. 1T is a thing Of the past now,
and as such should be forgotten.
| So he dismisses the sad, unpleasant
memories, and leaning back in his chair,
| lights a cigarette, and, watc hing the curling
| sees in their midst adjm vision of the rose
tinted face of Beatrice Irving, the flower
seller.
eWhat, Richards, are you going to snub
| your friends in this manner?"
Jerry, old boy, is it your" he ex-
| claims. Pom my honor, did not know
you! Step up into my room and tell me the
news"
nice place you've got here" says
| Jerry, as they enter the luxurious apart
ment.
when did you return?" Elmer asks
aOnly two days ago, is the reply. Been
down to see the folks; lots of company
| there-a whole household. Oh. blythe
| bye, Richards, Esther sent you an invita-
! ton to come down and enjoy yourselfi
| Nothing else on hand have you? MOI
! Then of course you'll accept. 1t viii be a
good chance for sou. Amosta dozen girls,
Esther says, and everyone either a beauty
or an heiress.
"What. are you married?" Elmer in
quires.
aNo, but engaged, and that amounts to
about the same thing, Jerry replies
Bessie Townsand-don't you remember
! her? Well, she's there, too. But say, yoU
| haven't told me whether you are coming OIL
| not !"
eyes, I viii come"
soon as possible, mind, says Jerry. Els
ther will be looking for you. Au revor!
He goes out, and few moments later Ell.
| mel, looking out of the window, secs his tai
form striding up the street with the same
careless, swinging gait he remembers O
old.
A few days later, Elmer Richards enter
train enroute for the Ir0ws' country resi-
dence. That evening he makes faultless
toilet, and descends to the lighted rooms.
Esther presents him to the other guests,
| and soon he Is engaged IN lively converse
ton with Jerrys betrothed; Bessie Towns
MI 7 H.
| off to the conservatory. AS they enter,
| recumbent figure rises, and in the dim ligh
i Elmer sees the yellow fash of jewels.
Are Won here?" cries Esther, Miss IrY-
ing, Mr.. Richards"
The figure takes a step forward, and "a.
of light streaming through the half -opel
| door, falls upon her face, the brilliant fac
| and lustrous black robes of Beatrice Irving
Beatrice is a charming convershonallst
| and Elmer thinks it is infinitely NOR
| agreeable to pass the time with her in thu
| dimlv-lit observatory than to chatter witt
/ this one and that in the illuminated room
beyond.
At last they arise, and join the company
Ashley emerge into light, Elmer glanc
It his companion: she looks wonderfully
| fascinating tonight.
| The summer days pass quickly by, and
some of Esther's guests take their depart
are Beatrice Irving and Elmer Richards
| are among the last that lipger; it has been
blissfull summer 70. him. one he will
| never forget.
One morning Beatrice announces her in
| sention of returning to her old home on the
morrow, aud that day Elmer determines to
know his fate.
During the evening, he requests her to
walk with him in the garden, and she COM
plies; perhaps she has an intuition OF what
| is coming.
A few commonplace remarks pass be-
tween them; then Elmer Richards begins
his passionate declaration of love, and Bea-
trice listens with clasped hands and down
cast eyes.
As he ceases speaking, he ventures to
glance into her half-averted face. 1t wears
| a fierce, triumphant expression, strange
look that one would not expect a girl
to wear when listening to a lovers plead,
ngs.
She turned and faces him. and in the
moonlight he can see the yellow lights in
her eyes fame like those irradiating from
her jewels.
"Ifr Richards. sine says, calmly, I can
never be your wife,!
He draws back, and his face grows white
peoted a doubtful, wavering answer, few
months probation, perhaps, but this cold,
fat, refusal, neveri
"Then why have you led me on all these
weeks?" he asks, hoarsely. Are you heart
less, that you can SO trample on mans
heart? Are you a coquette, o IHtf On,
Beatrice, I cannot believe it. Tell me you
love me.
mo, I do not, she replies, firmly. Lis
ten, Mr.. Richards Five years ago there
lived a yourg girl bright happy girl
whom all that knew her loved.
"One day a stranger came to the village,
and well, Elmer Richards, You know the
story; 1t is needless for me 10 repeat II; you
know of whom / am speaking Little Mime
Irving
Where is she now2 Who ruined her life,
and broke her heart You, Elmer Rich
ardsl An, you start and turn pale, ana wen
Won may for you know you are guilty. AT
her death-bed l made vow that If you eY-
er crossed my path / would have my re-
venge She was my sister.
"Your sister," Elmer echoes.
ayes. Did she never speak Of me to
voU?" Beatrice says.
ayes. ges, Elmer replies; but she
called yoH-"
STress, interrupts the girl Yes, that
was her pet name for me.
There was a long silence; then Elmer
raises his white. haggard face.
Beatrice, he saws, i meant no harm 20
voar Young sister did not dream Of such
a sad ending. I was young then, young
and foolish. Can you forgive meF VIII
But she interrupts him with a hooking
.zch. and turci1g, fiips down the gar len