Evening star., 1886-10-02
Copyrighted 1850

The chances of war had left Dawkfs Ennis a
widow at twenty-oue, and two full years before
the end OF the struggle. jeff had fallen in the
hea. of battle-a comrade saw him go down.
but for long months Dawkis clung to a feeble
nickering hope that he had escaped and would
return to her. But the two years passed, peace
was declared, and she knew beyond the shadow
of doubt that Jef her brave and gallant JEFF,
had gone away from her never to return.
II was cruel His horse his dogs his gun
even the silver-moupted hunting norm hanging
against the wall, had power TO wiring ner heart
afeesh every day.
This is foolish and simple Dawkis" said Old
Miss Black more, sternly hnding her one spring
day weeping silently over an embroidered shot
bag.
IL cannot help 1t, Aunt Justine" her soft low
voice breaking, her delicate sorrowful mouth
quivering.
Miss Justine sighed secretly, but the severity
of her countenance remained unrelaxed.
Ill has been two years and more"
would you have me forget in SO short q
time? in sad reproach.
"He would not have desired you to grieve
SO long. You are young, Dawkis."
Il am twenty-three,' said Dawks, solemnly.
She was a slender, exceedingly graceful young
woman, with smooth colorless skin, dark hair
bound In a loose silken coil about her head,
and melancholy dark eyes; and she lived with
her aunt on q plantation near Marin, Louisi-
ana. There hac been wooers ready aud eager
70 help her forget her grief in q year after JEFF
fell. but she opened her soft sad eyes in such
Indignant surprise and scorn, they were glad
to leave her presence. Miss Justine resented
their over readiness then herself but now she
felt >Orely troubled ut the persistent way Daw-
kis chung TO the past. 1t Was spring time, the
tonQuils andviOlets were blooming thickiy along
the borders of the garden, and the birds build
ing their nests in Ih. Grape myrtles and live
oaks filled the air with gIau siIvery notes. The
cloud ol war had rolled away, peace and pros
perity were PROMISED, newer hopes were
spriDging up, why should not young he.trts
cast OH their burdens oI sorrow and DC happy
once more?
shadows surrounding her, Ionged To hear ner
laugh once more gertly, sweetly, but light
hetrIedly.
"It will do for sixty to grieve hOpelessly, but
not twenty y-three, she mused, -DIwKi>.
Dswkis started slightly ana turned towards
Yes Aunt Justine"
Have You forgotten Mr.. Desseaut?'
II remembe now, said Dawkis, u faint flush
cOlOrins her delicate face.
"Do You remember that he is TO come to see
us tnis evening"?
y es, nurrleUly, land must give orders to
sne folded the crumpled shot-bag, and re-
placing 1T in the drawer, leit the room. Miss
Blackmore smiled iaintly, aud picked up q
stitch In ner knilting.
Felix Desseaut cstIne up into the country from
New Orleans 10 look alter solne nesielleu
properly IN Marion. He came In the latter
part Oh the winter, intending to stay only d
Gays, out his eyes rested Oh DawAis Ennis one
Gay IN the village church, anu he fell III love
with her. IL Was absurd, he told himself
angrIly, that her lace should haunt him so.
There were hundreds, Of pretlier women, more
brilliant women IN the world. why then
Should this young widow IL her straight bItcn
gown, her nun-llke bonnet, bewitcn li.nI- Air.
fellx Desseaut could not understand, Uut ai,er
few iaint struggles against tne charm,
yielded II.
Dawkis met his overtures coIdiy feeling
somewhat Indignant that ne should presume
To call on her anu show 80 piaIuly, III respects
fuily, that he admired ner. HAD she not
bli Interest III society, taste admiration?
her 0lscourag1ns cOIuucsS wound sent
away a less experienced man, buL Mr. Desse,uL
Knew wOmen-OI So ne LnUuguL- 1t needed
only patient, persistent wooing w win the musL
Obstinate, anu then lie nad Miss Justine i.Is
side. Sne favored his suIi, and knew tns,I
her lnnuence would be ior, not iig.,InsL him.
Well. Tie possessed ALI the attributes woiiIeu are
supposed to prlze Ine nI,nest-wediLiI, social
position, u Lair snare oi goou looks aud pUiIsued
manners.
His wooing progressed slowly, but her icy
manner tnaweu, ana SHE met MN Wi h FRIEND
Illness at ledSt, aud TIL, enlug sis he siIoiieu
across the wide wasted neiIs iyIng Uetween
Marion anu ner home he uId not ike a
man VINO eH pecLed ueleat.
IL Was very quiet little tea party, but
Dawkis, as II To atone to AIiss Justine Tor those
tears shed III the aitefuoon, lalAed More than
Usual, and let ner eyes rest ON tue guest with
frequent lainL soit slnIies. sac had i,Snleueu
ber solnore dress, too, with IrIis oi wlIlr lace
anu spike vi pure wlille nyacInLn. W ueu
they etuTneu To tue p.lrlor am. l. ncIk Z..,.,-
one the Olu the s,pIi.cr ,t5tI,c-
noid-ofousnL al eanules, sne olrued .ne plano.
Dust hau settled upon its yellow Key ., Ior il
was rdreiy sue piaye.i or ss,ug nov. Jeff's
iaSorite songs she nad salneIed together "a. III
lalo away, UUa There wee Otners iu tne music
rack, al u "i.IIe Miss Justine dOZed contenI-
etly III ler arm hir. Desse.iul ie.,,,,d
asaiust TIE plano, hVr s.ender nnsers wanucreu
bOiIIy On The ye.iUw "a Keys, iicT sweet voice
hlieu the rOOIn Win the ue.sr old s.i.g, vi lue
past Miss Justine snIied uaspIJ III her
dreams, and Mr. DesseauI ~ aa.ci.Ius lIIe lovely
ciiau5eIui iacc tue Singer, ieiI ueeler anu
deeper III love- W L.en went away Il.;tI
hisnt he eauent her uaud la passionate pres
SURE, he InuIIIIUred sOne lur. leu worus en-
tEeiy unlike Ills ususti seii- Possessed farewell!
DawAIs urew BACK co.OrIn. less with pleasure
tLan Win pain, Jul tuere stood Miss Justine
besituliis gIasSIuIiy upou
~ naI a pies,s..nL evening have had.
. AhA !ou' .h'.HA gu, III! dear child, anu
she put her "ltiiered lips To Ine young
cLcek next tU
Dawkis signed under her breath, anu taking
up ner canule went To IIer room, leeiln. su a.
denly weary s,au uui. SLe Iooheu at iier lkt,,.
Ia the InITrUr, pale and sliil Dut ON now youIy
al the wnIte iUou. er iru,i, tne How er on lltr
Dteast, anu something seemed Else I'D anu
cnoke
''On Jen. oh my hearts love, your memory is
better tus,n any other mans oye she, WINS
pered tears rusnius To IIer eyes and lI,lLlno
Vut the >dd VISION ln the lass.
out lusai evening seemed 10 be the beginning
VI a cisiuoe III Dt"Ais Ennis, not I, very pro-
nouhced csaauge, qua siIiI noticeable. Sue per.
United Eer,eii ~ be drawn more into ,uctcty
sns seeued To grow "Tis snter, more .,liinIaIeu
OU ana renenlUeI t.IouSu al lue world
enooId lorSei, she niurinuIed Io LIsnlI,ot
Jeu idNOfite dog, the u,iiess vi u paca uf lean
tong-eared ugly nOands.
ohe leaned aslIusI tIe garden fence a cluster
Oi white rosSs IN one manu-, LigulIool crou,ued
a. heI Ieet she stopped anu toucIIed al, mead
cafessiheiy; lie sat up on his u..uncues aud
no"ieu AiourhIuiIy, and All the o.ner dog,
nowieo ooioloasIy Ia syn ipatny.
DAWES: laws S.r. Desseaut is in the par
iOr, said Miss Justine breahIIy into her .,d
thuug1ts, anu with a hns,I bat ON L,suIl,.,I'S
ugly head, Dawn moved SLOWLY rs1ueIantiv
towards the house.
Mr.. Felix Dc>seaut had made I'D his mind in
was time to put Ills late TO. iIs.l toucn lie
Aao uceh d pdlieut WOOef, isluer., a,
away >, anu "hiie sue had not exactly encour-
ak&1 MN, she nad accepted uevolIon
oue seeined 10 look psIer anu more slender
thau ever ~nen sne eaLereu the uarkeneu lar.ur
Win the fuses IN ner hAlu, and a panx O; lear
went tnrougn niin.
"Are you ~eiis" ne cried eagerly, anxiousy
scanning her lace.
"On. yes, perfectly well, thank you,D she said
with "A snlIe.
They talked little in a desultory way. and
then Desseaut, with good deaI oi Restrained
passion abu e.serDess, tod the story oi M,
1ose- IL Was not a very smooth coherent
speech he flushed anu sIaniIered but his de,-
perate earne,tness cou4d not doubted
Da"kis eIaspeu anu uncaspeo her fingers
nervOusIy.
You must give me time to think of this. she
faltereI. ~
As long as you can wish, only remember NV
ospense anu De nierciiuI, ne said husAIly.
why"
-. al can wait, aud win your love, Dawkis. L