The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-10-27
HER OWN ENEMY.

An extremely pretty girl was Desiree
lie Strange, and one who had many adj
mirers, but not such as her heart prayed
for. One by one the poor curales were
given their congo. likewise the strug-
Cling authors and erratic artists.
When poverty comes in at the door.
love hies out of the window" was a
maxim in which Desiree LIE Strange be-
heved.
'.If | cannot marry q rich man l will
not marry at all!' this country wears
daughter told herself. with a deep
drawn sigh; this girl who was utterly
sick of cold shoulder of mutton and
plain boiled rice and treaele; who had
to wear her gowns till they were thread
bare. and her shoes till they would r.end
no more.
1t was pure accident OF course. merest
chance, that just as she reached the old
stone bridge on the left of the moor
the picturesque, lichen-robod bridge.
beneath which the river danced and
rippled as smoothly often as limpid
woodland stream-Daniel Vessels
should suddenly appear.
20, how you startled mer' cried the
girl, whereat the young man laughed
and offered her penny for her thoughts.
"Well, if you must know, l was think.
ing of you, she returned candidly.
Thinking of me?" he echoed. and a
deep flush covered his honest, handsome
face. Something pleasant. l hope,
Miss lie Strange? Don't you remember
the ancient adage, Talk of the old gem
tleman.' etc. and l suppose talking
holds good tor thinking?'
II thought it was Talk Of the angels
and you'll hear their wings" said
Desiree. shyly.
30, SO L am white-winged angel,
am L? Well, could scarcely be any
thing better.
And then. involuntarily it seemed,
they both halted and looked down at
the river with its edge of fallen leaves
and whitening bracken, with its little
wavelet5 all rosy dimpIed and amber
crested beneath the suns dying smile.
How pretty these flowers are?" re-
marked Daniel presently. 1.-The OK
eyed daisies are particularly fine.
DO you think so? Perhaps Annie
might take them for her parlor vases"
and she held the little bunch up care
lessly for acceptance. He took them
with a quiet Thank YOU but he did
not say he should give them to Annie,
his landlady's red-haired grand-daugh-
ter. In Daniel Vessels eyes there was
no girl SO beautiful as Desiree lie
Strange; TO HIM she was Just perfect,
with her crown of rippling hair, almost
the color of the FURNISHED autumn
leaves, with her scarlet thread of a
mouth and wild-rose tinted cheeks, and
eyes deep and blue.
I when | met you Just now," he said
/ diffidently. ''you said you were thinking
| of me. Desiree." in a half-timid whis-
/ per, ''my darling. l think of you al
| waysr' And now. the ice broken, be
! told her how there was no room in his
! heart for aught but her, his soft eyes
1 dark with intense feeling. Eloquently
/ he pleaded -passionately. You will
not throw away n love like mine; nc
man win ever love you as l love you,
1 Desireer' And he moved a step for
ward as though to clasp her TO bim, but
the girl shrank back terrified.
20 how could you mistake my mean.
| ingr' she exclaimed. IL never thought
cant you understand? l was but
turning over in my mind the probabili
ty of your eventually coming to care for
Jane or Muriel.n
Il could not marry your stepsisters, y
declared Daniel emphatically. Then in
! a low, earnest tone, so tender. so gentle
SO pleading. that the words seemed tc
find their way to Desiree's heart: You
dearest, are my ideal wOman;" don't
YOU think you could learn to care for
me little? l am very young barris-
ter. it is true, but not wholly dependent
on my profession for lodging ano
! crust; besides, Desiree, darling. do no
mean to be always briefess barrister.
have gone through the usual cram
ming. my father is ambitious for me
and-who knows?-perhaps some day
l may rise to eminence. %, dom
blight my future"
/ He opened his arms rs though ht
would clasp her to his throbbing hear
/ and keep her forever. for all time. Blu
the next moment he had checked him
self, his hands dropped heavily to hi:
side; for there was no answering love
in Desiree's face. only a stony, fxet
stare
How handsome he isr' the girl coult
not but think. The perfect face and tn,
form of splendid manhood were his. o
what a thousand pities he had none o
this worlds wealth. Had he been onll
| moderately rich Desiree lie Strange
would have suffered him to take he1
small hand in his broad palm, and they
would have been eventually married
and, like the legends of nursery days
lived happily ever after. But Desiree
lie Strange did not see fit SO to do. 81
could not marry poor man" she said
softly but firmly. "A barrister's caree
is so full of disappointments and strug.
giles; Jane and Muriel have their grand
mothers little fortune, which make
them in a measure Independent / hay,
nothing"
Only your beautiful face-your loV
ing, gentle heart!' he whispered tender
ly. But she broke in with:
20. do not say any more. The kind
est thing you can do is to forget me.
have never cared for yoa-neverl For
give me if / have seemed to encourage
YOU.
Forgive yous' he passionately ejacu
lated, and the genuine misery in hi:
voice went to her heart Forgive your
he repeated in a hoarse. low tone, hi
face at white heat, the words coming
through his lips ike set iron. If
care Tor me then, Desiree LIE Strange
Answer me truly"
III You were rich as merchan
prince or Indian nabob | would no
marry your' she cried with startlin,
yehenence, but her voice trembled a
the close of the sentence as though tn
heart were denying what the lips ut
tered.
With sad smile he turned from he
and looked down into the waters tina
: were no longer gold or crimson fiecked
Desiree instinetvely moved away.
She felt she had no strength to proIon,
the scene.
Presently thick rain-drops fell with
melancholy. monofonous thud on th,
tangie Of fallen leaves; bat Daniel Yves
sells did not move.
Long after Desiree's footsteps has
died away in the lane he reInalnes
standing where she had abruptly lef
him. with his arms folded over the OLD
stone bridge, thereby unconsciousl
, crushing wealth of beautiful hchen
and fairy fronds-
Down into the angry, frothy water
he gazed fixedlT, paying no heed to th
.. rain-slrops. which fell more heavii
every moment
The shortest way from the common t
the vicarage was BY following the beai
. en- path on the outskirts OF Brandt
Hall. and along here Desiree hurried
while the sad autumn rain pattere
.. dismally around on the slenderly-robe,
. trees, on the wflted harebeIIs. on til
dying bracken- The wind piped shril
ly through the reeds and rusies hans
ing the river and whisiled mournfulI
midst the underground in low, sal
notes