Daily Republican., 1886-12-24
A FALSE W0MAI.
BIZ MRS. 4. BURKE COLLINS.

BIZ MRS. 4. BURKE COLLINS.
The blaze Of countless Zig hts, the per-
fume OF rare flowers, the flashing OF |
costly jewels. and over all that music |
that music Of other days" slipped
a way unnoticed from the crowd Of gay,
light-hesrted people. and stole out upon |
a moonlit galieiy-to think! Ahi sub
tie fascination which lurke, like opium
In the poppy's heart, In the slow, over
powering reverie. And yet mine was
not an idle dream. l had much TO re
tiaot upon as l stood under the moonlit
sky, with grtst yellow roses climbing
up the trellis al my side, and STOPPING
TO peer cautiously into my pale face.
IL was an old, old story-yet old as
the hills, 1t is ever new; and certainly
the sting was as sharp, and the sorrow
rs bitter as though I had never heard
such story before. Let me write 1t
down here. i had been betrothed to
Allan Earle. We loved each other. 1t
heart ciings to that belief now In my
to friendly hand. We were 30 happy,
Allan and I. was the only child OF
wealthy parents; Allan was In comfort.
able circumstances, an orphan, ssd
there was no reason for our marriage to
be long delayed.
But my father was suddenly called to
Europe to attend to business there, and
| he decided TO take my mother and my.
| ssIf with him. cared little for the trip,
chi, fl becauee 1t would separate me-
for u long time from Allan; but after
ward, 1t seemed to me that my reluct.
anee was but the shadow Of sorrow to
come, ny, very near even theI But
We sailed, and two Of us never came
back. For the vessel * FIRE In mid
ocea; aud Of all the passe n2ers no more
Than hslfa dozen were saved, l among
the Dum bsr. Ny parentsl-lh, Heaven!
was 1t not horIiblt?-bo went down
in the hungry ocean, and were never
more seen.
Over q year had passed since that
to 'rible time and 1 was home again.
Bat, oh. how wished that had never
comet For during all my absence l
had heard no word OF my lover, save a
short cote; and now, when l arrived In
my native city, the frat news that
lRreeted me was the announcement oil
Allan Earle's engagement to his cousin,
Helen Day.
1 could not believe It, But Allan had
not yet called upon me, although had
sent line to let him know Of my ART.
val, and so was gradually prepared
for the worst.
shall never forget our first meeting
after my return home. 1t was at q
grand reception, and We came suddenly
lace TO ace. Fur q moment IL seemed
As II alan would faint, 30 pale had
! his face suddenly grown He put oui
his hand in cordial greeting, but the
look in his eyes was enough to make
my heart ache. Few words were spoken
glanced into his pale face, and ther
h3 drew my hand through his arm aut
led me away TO tho con servstory. WI
lpaused before a tall Towering plant
and Allan's eyes souaht mine, viii
such O strange expression
81 DO not see Mr.. langley" he oh
served slowly. Langley was my cousin
q young Euglishman, who had come u
America on the same vessel whicl
brought me home. A kind.hsarte'
fellow, who would sacrifice much t
make me happy. l felt strange SUI
prise ss ALLAH spoke his name.
"Mr. langley l returned shortly
II 90 noL KNOW. AN my COUSIN
keeper, Mr.. Earle?"
Allan co.ored What reply he wa
shout TO make l cannot say, for ju;
then there was the frou frou OF siibe
skirts, aud fairy vision in blue sil
ard white lace, with pearls about he
slsnd er throat, fitted to tue spot.
Allan's face grew ghastly, and b
I eyes met mine with q glance OF will
bsseGcbing.
But ho recovered his seIf-possesslo
at once, and turned to the new come
"Miss Dry, he said, "allow me-
a present Miss Esther Perthl'
heard my own name like one In
e dream. as l bowed coldly to Helen Ds.
my rival.
II She was laughing and chatting me
n rily moment after with Allan 40
some one else.
8 In he midaS of it ell I stole ava,
and came out upon the gallery In 81
:. moonlight, with no one near aud on
the yellow roses to witness my grief
He loved heri Thai doll-faced, blu
eyed girl with yellow hair and pin
G and " hits insipid face. L .elt my hea
- swell in wild rebellion.
, He had loved mel or this so carta
was that could have staked my Ii
q upon 1t. =.
y What then had changed him? N
loss Of fortun@for l was more wealth
snan himself; an helress In my ON
u right.
y and faithful and had written to hi
after That awful disaster at sea, tellir
MIN of my strange preservation, al
- tho awful calamity of my parent
death.
- rad written of my arrival in En-
r. land, where [ had found my au
Langley and her son Mark. who b'
az moth hasD good to me, and tried ha
to blot from my mem ry the avn
scenes through which had passed.
After thAt-thongh my letters
nainod unansweIe1-I had writ
b yet again, and had painted in Glowi
cslors the srand old ancestral home
tue Lsns leys in Dorsetsbire, and tt
him that they were daily growi
2 dearer to me, and that shrank fr;
! parting with them.
Still no answer. Then pride h
Il stepped IN, and after that l wrote
more.
y, could not get the memory of 1t
out of my mind to night, as l ste
alone under the moonft sky, wh
within the open lace draped windo
the baud was softly discoursing
sad, sweet strains of "Mon Reve;" a
the fall OF tbs daucers' feet upon
polished floor cams to my ears
Something else reached me al
There was lady just within the v
dow, beyond the range of my visi
who was chatting with gentleml
and the sound of my own name
We, tracted my attention.
the 'Oh, yes, 1t Is true, there's no dol
,ar; of 1, 20 she was say ing eagerly, IN
ing Perth is en- gagged to that handsome n