The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-15
B0LLY'S FILTRATION.

mot, a young fellow of twenty four, son of a
banker, free and CHEEKY in manner and DISPOSE
ton. He very indulgent to Dolly, for he
felt so confident of her love, and was himself so
sincere that the admiration she excited was his
triumph The freedom with which she received
and encouraged it never panied him, though
mother and l used to watch her with serious
anxiety.
Sometimes our mother would say few i'm
pressive words; then Dolly would throw her arms
round her, and with kisses assure her she would
be a better girl or she would pout a little, with
tears in her bright blue eyes. She would be
very denure through two balls and at the third
worse than ever; scarcely could Frank get one
waltz for himself.
One evening he brought to our house a
cousin of his a barrister, a man some years
older than himself. He was rather famous,
though only thirty, being an acute lawyer, and
consequently looked up to at the bar.
Dolly owned to me that evening that Frank
had confded to her that was Jack Dacre's ideal
woman.
$50 don't blush so angriy, darling said she,
for it would be the most delightful arrange
ment. He is Franks ideal man and dearest
friend. 1t would be the happiest thing for us
all" And Dolly gave me hug and kiss, and
ran off to bed.
Mr.. Dacre came very often after that one
visit, and l soon found that he was my ideal
man, for he strangely resembed my father, both
in manners and his chivalrous courtesy to WON
en-, as well as in appearance 1t was with a
chill at my heart that 1 was the first to make the
discovery that he was falling in love with Dolly
he, the soul of honor, seemed bewitched by
| the charms of his bosom friends afianced wife
knew it before he did, but of course not before
Dolly, who had genius for unerringly detecting
| every symptom, however obscure, of dawning
love- either in her own case or anothers.
My mother and Frank were utterly blind to
| the danger. L was very unhappy, and exceed
| ingly sorry for Dolly, for Frank, for Mr.. Dacre
and, own it, for myself; for, though had not
fallen in love with Franks cousin, l must say he
was the only man had seen whom felt could
fall in love with.
An accident brought matters to climax
We were sitting in the drawing room after
dinner one evening, when noise in the street
drew us to the window. The pole of carriage
had entered the shoulder of cab horse. Dolly
| became i'll and faint at the sight and Mr.. Dacre
who was at her side, threw his arm round her to
| save her from falling. He led her to a sofa and
stood aside as Frank drew near; but from that
night he never came any more. He and [ only
had seen the half-petulant way in which Dolly
had turned from Frank. had caught another eX-
From that evening she become cold petulant
teasing to Frank. At first he laughed, then was
hurt, and finally the engagement was broken off
This is soon told: but what NV mother and |
suffered must be imagined l dared neither to
| tell her the truth nor to hint to Dolly that I
knew to whom her heart was given, though |
loved her so dearly; and felt so sure that this
was the first true love of her life This deter
mined decided somewhat stern man was sure
to charm our little butterfly, if she noticed him
at all.
Mother and 1 arranged that Dolly should go
away on a short visit. Frank was to come one
evening, to return the letters Dolly had sent him
They would not feel the abruptness Of this rup-
ture so much if they were placed personally
by him in my hands, and had his letters also
to give him. Mother quite UNEQUAL to see
ing him. for she loved him dearly, and the task
was left to me. l not sorry, for | felt
could say all that was likely TO comfort him. low
ing both of them so deeply.
So poor Frank produced his sorrowful little
packet, received the one l had for him. and
stood leaning against the chimney piece, while
sat quite unable to utter word but with tears
dropping quietly from my eyes, At last he told
me that he knew Dolly had been faithless to
him. He felt sure she and Jack Dacre loved
each other, and he spoke so humbly of himself,
as If it was quite to be expected that his cousin
should be preferred above any other man, that
was greatly touched, and my tears fell faster and
faster.
"Jack is the soul of honor, Kitty; but must
make it clear to him that he is free to do as his
neafU dictates. Ills anu nef happiness must not
be wrecked 1 will got my father to send me to
our branch house in India, and will not return
till they are married. Jack is rich enough to
marry at once. l shall embark Thursday"
Then he charged me with tender blessings for
Dolly and at his request, 1 went to ask my
mother to bid him farewell Presently she
glided in, pale death She held out her
trembling hand in silence, but Frank folded her
in his arms, and she sobbed his breast. |
stood by weeping bitterly, and, when we were
calmer, Frank embraced us BOTH finally, and
placing me in my mothers arms left us. Poor
fellow, how brave he was, how gentle and pa
TENT
In a month from that time Dolly was affanced
to Mr. Dacre, and the maTriageywas arranged to
take place at the beginning of the long vacation.
We were by this time convinced that it was the
best thing that could happen No one could see
Dolly and doubt that this was the only man she
loved. His calm, intense character impressed
her, his great talents awed her, and her pretty
innocent pride in her manly lover her meekness
and quietness were most promising symptoms
of happiness in her married life.
Dear mother was so supremacy happy was
very fond of my new brother; he was such a
power for good and peace in our home that we
never had been so contented before. Frank
wrote freely to us manly patient letters, full of
unselfish interest in all around him. His sorrow
had sweetened, not embittered his character
He had set himself to alleviate his anguish by
doing good, and his first act on reaching his des-
tinaton had been to use his keen commercial
gifts for the welfare of the widow and children
of officer Of the army, and at the cost of
time, talent and energy, to rescue her small for
tune from unsafe hands and invest it profitably
His letters were filed with similar incidents,
naturally and simply told, and affection in
creased for this truly brave man
Doly's grandmother took it into her head that
it was her godchilds duty to pay her farewell
visit before her marriage. Though, as she
had never troubled herself much
about US, we were rather startled at
this demand; we all thought it would be best to
the iuVitatiOn-for SiStar
looking well-and it was settled that she should
go and spend a month with the old lady in her
lovely north country home. Mr.. Dacre was
pressed to go as often as his professional engage
ments would permit; so Dolly left us in pretty
good spirits, in charge of the elderly servant
who was our substitute for a regular ladies