The Opelousas courier., 1885-09-19
DOLLIE.

partment of the large drapery estab
lishment Of Mes ;rs. Ba'nbridge & Sor
which the steady wlir of a hundred
sewing machines could not who'll,
drown. Where the presence feminine
can be found, he sure the tongue fem
mime will be heard.
The superintendent of the room
understanding this, did not attempt to
enforce silence, SC pretty Dollie Wynn
and May Bruton talked very conf
dentially in their corner of the great
room; and no enc interfered, SO long
as fingers were busy as well ast1agues.
And this vas what May said, Dollie's
blue eyes being riyeted upon the quilt
ing on which she was at work:
Il saw her yesterday when / was
going out to dinner. She was just
stepping into her carriage, and Mr..
Edgar himself handing her in. She
looks old-nearly forty, | should say;
but they say she is immensely rich.
and her dress was splendid. So | sup
pose her money goes against her age
did you hear they were to be mar
ried soon?"
"Bless mel didn't / tell you that ?
My brother is in the ~stationer's where
the wedding-cards are being printed.
They are to be married on the 9th.
Mr.. and Mrs. Edgar cambridge, and
the card of the brides mother, Mrs.
William Wilson. Twelve! Come; we
will go for a walk"
mo, | am tired" DolIie pleaded.
And her friend left her, never heed
ing the sudden pallor of the sweet
young face, the dumb agony in the
great blue eTe1.
When she Was alone, Dollie stole
away to the little room where the
cloaks, shawls and hats of the girls
were kept, and there, crouching in a
corner, hidden entirely by a huge
waterproof, she tried to think it all
out.
What had it meant? What did
Edgar cambridge mean in the long
year he had tried by every masculine
device to win her love?
She had not been unmaidenly; heart
and conscience fully acquitted her.
She had given her love, pure. true
and faithful, to the son Of her employ
er; but he had sought ii, delicateIy and
p~ersistently, before he knew that it
was given him.
The young girl, now sewing for a
living, had been daintily bred and
thoroughly educated, her father having
been a man drawing a salary sufficient
to give his only child every advantage.
But when he died. and his wife in a
few months followed him, DolIie had
chosen a life of honorable labor in
preference to one of idle dependence
upon wealthy relatives.
And yet in the social gatherings of
these relatives anil the friends of sum-
mer days, Dollie was still a welcome
guest.
It was at her Uncle Lawrence's
suburban villa she had been intro
duced to Edgar Bainbridge. After
this she met him frequently, and in
her simple dress, with her sweet, pure
face, had won marked attention from
him.
With the f~rankness that was one of
her greatest charms the young girl had
let her admirer know that, though she
was Lawrence Wynn's niece, she
worked for d living in the dressmak-
ing department of cambridge s. Son.
Then he had made her heart bound
with sudden. grateful joy, by telling
her he had seen her leave the "shop'
night after night, but would not join
her for fear of giving annoyance by
exposing her TO the remarks Of her
companions.
After this. however, she often found
him waiting for her at some point fur
Their from the establishment, AMI al
ways SO respectful and courteous that
she was glad of his protection in her
long walk.
But he wa going to marry an heir
on the 9th, only 3 week away, and
30 be had but trlfied with her, after
bill.
Poor little Dollie, %cronehing among
Bhe shawls and cloaks. felt as II all
sunshine was gone from her life for
ever, as if her cup Of humiliation and
agony was full to ~oyeriowing.
But the diDner-hour was over, the
girls coming in Or sauntering from
resting-places in the work-room, and
ne hum Of work commenced again,
as y must whatever aching hearts or
weary hands crave rest.
DoIlie worked with the rast
ieellngs 70 n0nnbed BY tie su,.da.
blow that she scarcely heard Mav,s
lamentations over 8 sudden a,s,d 81
0rdarxvv1rk thn@ ~