The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1884-11-08

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pie. My Eva prefers this MAYNARD to
me, and tries to become as absurd as he
is by the grace of nature. Well, I can
bear the parting if it comes to that !;
better that than the other alternative. :"
And he strobe proudly on to his Office,
where he made life miserable to his
subordinates all that day.
eva Wilmartl," said Mrs. Kent.
when they were putting on their bon
nets to go shopping with view to their
dresses for st. Valentines ball. "vou
don't really mean to stick to your sun
Yes, do mean it, replied the Young
lady, tying very determined bow un
der her chin as she spoke. "Never,
Helen, never will l give up on s::ch sub.
lect as that to the best man that lives.
We have few rights and mean to de-
lend them," she continued, absently.
Ito the end Of my bonnet strings.
Helen, do you think they are becoming
tied this way?" Her eyes in the glass
looked expectantly at her sister, and her
beautiful head leaned sideways Oh the
pause of doubt.
Yes, becoming enough. Iknow You
can wear almost anything-but, Eva,
remember you are only five feet one"
$50 much the better" said Eva,
oracnlarly, and the sisters departed on
their mission. Eva was grave and pre-
occupied all the morning, but Mrs. Kent
did not wonder, being we'll aware that
her sister objected moro strongly to
looking like fright than to almost anv.
thing else, and not herself seeing wsy
out OF the dilemma. In vain she en-.
deavored to persuade her to change her
mind. Miss Wilmarth was firm as a
rock, and went on buying the different
articles for her proposed insane toilet
IN the most Dusiness.ike manner.
The expedition was long and fstiguing.
have good mind not to 20 to the
ball, said Eva. YEARLY. when they re-
turned. II am tired. Ihate the whole
thing"
"And your sunhower said her sis
ter, wickedly.
"Oh, yes, my sunAowerl I must 60,
to wear it. It is great pity that people
cannot understand each other, though
you cannot be always explaining your
sell, you know, Helen, because people
choose to imagine things"
Phil Egerton went out of town cross
and sad, dispatched his business while his
thoughts were full of Eva, and returned
before the festival OF the patron saint of
lovers. 1t was weak, but he could not
help it. He had never cared for any
o:het girl In his life. Eva Wilmarth
! represented the whole sex to him. He
felt himself capable of giving up every
thing for her, and yet he believed her
ready to fOrsake him for that miserable
idiot. Maynard. The more he thought
of it the more impossible it seemed to
believe in such desecration. Time
after time he went over the history of
the past few weeks, seeking to trace the
progress OF her alienation and to ascer.
tain whether by doing anything that he
had not done or leaving undone any
thing that he had done this terrible
catastrophe might have been averted-
but he got no light. He passed dread
full week, and in tie long nights, unable
to sleep, he meditated what he could
make of his future when Eva was lost to
him irrevocably. There were moments
when he feared that in losing her he
should also lose himself, and sink into
evil excitcments to drown the pain that
would scathe his life as by fire; but
generally his mind settled upon Lead
vile, or some beneficent polar expedi.
ton, as affording calm retreat where
he might drag out manned and crushed
existence till death came to his relief.
He got home then before st. Valentine's.
and on the afternoon of that day he was
sitting IN his Office listlessly looking
through pile OF letters that had accu-
mulated during his absence. Taking
up one of these he suddenly recognized
the handwriting, and with great heart
thr0b he tore it open. It was q valen-
tine, sunilowcr of goodly proportions,
with this motto:
The constant flower follows its love- the sup:
My constrn, heart .urneth to thee alo,e.
Phil was thunderstsuck ail. puzzled.
he put his head in his hands and
thought it all over again, harder than
ever before. As result of these retlec-
tions he determined to go to the ball nv
himself, in the character Of a spectator.
1t Maynard was one OF Mrs. keut's par
ty he would observe them. At least
Eva was no fiirt; that he knew. Could
1t be that he was unjust to her, tllut he
might be mistaken? Blissful thought /!
Il that could by any possibility he true.
He went early to the ball, AMI, from q
quiet lurking place, watched the arriv-
ais. At last they came, Mr.. Kent with
his wife, Eva escorted by an old -bache-
lor cousin who was considered an almost
fatal bore by most people. In the crowd
he could only see the top of Eva's email
head, but she was not accompanied by
the odious Maynard, that was sure.
Here was the odious Maynard arriving
al by himself, with serene air and q
lily on his coat. Egerton could have
Wept in the sense Of relief. Still he