The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-08-27
In a Moment of Pique.
IN1OU'RE too good a fellow tc
~ he trifed with. A lien ,


~ y be trifed with, Allen
@4S1 said Charley Leonard in a
VS. confirmed tone. II hate
to see a woman make fool of you
and Nora Lind"
what makes you think she's
making a fool of me?' Allen asked
in quiet way that concealed the
depth of his feelings.
MY dear boy, you must look at
these things in commons sense
light. Miss Lind is an heiress-
the richest girl in Cambridge; you
are
"What?''
"Well, you know very well, Allen,
that from worldly point of view,
you are poor, like myself"
81 have a few thousand, Charley,
and then there is my profession. l
could support q wife comfortably on
my income. 1 have enough to
make any woman happy if she loves
me-"
"Yes-if! That's just it" cried
Charley, springing up and pacing
the room with a restless stride.
women do not love nova days
not with their hearts, at least"
Allen looked up quite quizically.
"Ah, 1 thought there was some
thing behind all this cynicism, he
said. "You have been playing with
the divine fire again. You and your
Dulcinea are 'outr'
'Don't joke about it Al, for heav-
ems sake! It's a home thrust this
time. Three weeks ago l thought
my happiness was assured. The
woman 1 loved had promised to
marry me, and now, for the merest
trihe, she has cast me aside. No
wonder have no faith in women"
81 am sorry to hear it, Charley,
and 1 hope it may prove a lovers
quarrel. But you must not expect
me to share your doubts. l will
not deny it; l love Nora Lind with
my whole soul, and l intend to ask
her to marry me-"
II wish you success, Al. Forgive
me for meddling."
The door opened and rough old
fellow came in-one of Aliens eli
ents. Charley picked up his hat
and left with the brief remark:
"Fll see you later"
1t was while Allen was engaged
with this client that the postman
came in and threw down a thick
envelope with graceful superscrip-
tion that strongly contrasted with
the careless, dashing style of his
business correspondence. Aliens
heart bounded. His patience hard
ly lasted until he was alone and
could open the letter. 1t was longer
than Miss Lind's notes usually were
two pages, beginning, my dear
Mr.. Westlock, and ending, "Your
friend, always, Nora Lind
"Your letter was really favor"
she said on the first page. "Seaton
is pretty place, but horribly dull
in winter. 1 shall be glad to get
back to Cambridge. 1t was very
kind of you to ask me to 60 and
see Bernhardt next Wednesday. 1t
will give me great pleasure to &c"
Then the letter rambled on in a
pleasant way till the bottom of the
fourth page there was a complete
break. The second page did not |
90 with the first at all. Neither |
words nor ideas were connected. |
Allen turned it over in bewilder- |
ment and finally held it still and |
read:
Il am only flirting with Mr.. West
lock and leading him on for fun.
Don't distress yourself, dear Blanche.
l know what is best for my own
happiness. 1 shall never marry
man whom l 90 not love-"
The paper trembled in Aliens
hands, and he almost gasped for
breath.
"Good heavens! What does this
he cried hoarsely.
Slowly it dawned upon him that
part of letter, not intended for his
eyes, had been inclosed in the enve
lope that bore his address. But
what did it reveal to him?
Allen crushed the note in his
hand and sank back in his chair. 1t
was hours before he could command
but finally he rallied and
enclosed two theatre tickets in the
note:
"MY DEAR Miss LIND:-Circum-
stances compel me to recall my in
for Wednesday next. in
close the tickets. You have so
many attendants, 1 am sure you
will not want for an escort. Hop
ing you will enjoy the performance,
l am Miss Lind,