The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-02-16

now was never without the flowers she
loved best; sunshine seemed to have en-
tered into the shady places of her life
all at once. Heaven, after all her mis-
givings, had reserved this happiness
for her-Constant loved her. ''What
thing loveis, world without endr p
When she walked in the Park for re-
creation, strangers turned and looked
after her and people whispered, ''Pret-
ty Miss Broadlands; 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 the approaching exhi-
bition.
Il will make that smile immortal"
he said, at one Of the sittings; 1.-THE
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"-changin
his key-"when will you have done
with this hateful task of yoursP / am
jealous of your patients. shall go
mad myself, presently, in order to re-
ceive your ministrations,
"Hushr" she said, smiling; '.you talk
like mailman already"
'Bewitched by your charms, shall
need but two more sittings-only two.
1 wish it were million; i wish we
might sit here together for aons, you
and II painting, you posing. 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 eyer?" And he
drew his brush across the canvas as he
spoke, celebrating the immortal smile,
the light in the wide-open eyes, the
bloom upon the oval cheek.
Foolish boy!'' she said, ..you win
turn my head. If l am beautiful, re-
member that it can not last. Look at
old Mrs. Bangs-she was 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"
'shall change my allegiance for rancor
Because fortune changes her side?
Or shall l. like vessel at anchor,
veer with the veering tide?"
he sang. .'You will be always beauti-
full to me-"
Miss Broadlands remembered that
when, some weeks later. after an insane
patient had thrown vile of corrosive
stuff into her face, she had courage to
tie her veil across her bonnet and walk
out into the Park again. Strangers no
longer turned to look after her. Poor
Miss Broadlands." others murmured as
she passed; never pretty Miss Broad
lands" There was no longer such a
person as pretty Miss Broadlands. She
sat down on rustic seat in a secluded
part of the Park, and reflected 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
brightly in the west; now and then q
pair of lovers sauntered by, and she
shivered. 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 hands? Had
she any right to play the part she had
chosen, even in good causep And was
this the punishment? Had she lost
everything but what she had pretended
to loseP Everything that she cared to
Just then a shadow fell across
her path, and Constant Stanley asked:
'.May I sit here with you for little
while?''
EYES," she answered, and she lifted
the heavy folds of her veil and con-
fronted him. "You will not care to sit
long. You will never make my smile,
my glance, my bloom, immortal on
your canvas. You would not care to
paint me through the icons now Do
you remember the night you told me l
was more beautiful than ever?"
II remember" he cried. "Shall 1
change my allegiance because fortune
changes her sidep"
'You can't help it. l don't blame
you. You love beauty
II love you," and he kissed the
,carred cheek.
Miss Broadlands had found her true
over at last-a lover who valued Meth
II wealth nor beauty, and whom she
mad tested more heroically than she had
meant to do. Had fate taken the affair
nut of her hands?
IA thousand congratulations, nv
lear Stanley" said Mr.. Stanhope one
lay, meeting the artist All, you are
LONG fine thing for yourself, my boy.
list! not a word-rll tell you secret
lou fancy you are marrying beggar,
ID? Nothing of the kind. On your
day l shall transfer Miss
sroadland's fortune into your hands in
act! 1t is all a ruse, this poverty of
lers. Has she ever said she was poor?
70. You've taken it all for granted,
md it's frightened her lovers away.
stood the test
mo jokes, Stanhope," gasped Con-
tant.
"Jokes! This is q solemn truth,
hank your starsr'
As for Stanley, he felt as if cold
1ind had blown them apart. The
voman whom he believed all truth and
incerity practicing deep-laid scheme
q lnno~~<s-.~f Il n n