The Opelousas courier., 1886-11-20

tory. Myra listened with her needle sus
pended and her lips apart, her face paling
and flushing with warm, womanly sym.
pathy. Her pretty eyes filled with tears
as she read the little written scrap PHILIP
placed in her hand. She went over il
silently two or three times, with a very
sad, compassionate glance; then, to Phil
ip's anna cement, tore the paper into
shreads and threw them from her out
of the window. The wind lost no time
in carrying them away.
stMyra!' he looked almost wildly after
the flying pieces. What in the world
induced you to do thata"
"It was the right thing to do, dear"
she answered, with quiyering lips. mo
woman should betray her heart in that
way. If / ever could be tempted to for
get pride and dignity SO foolishly, |
would be oblige to any one who would
destroy the evidence of my folly"
"But supposing I should find the
owner-the person to whom that paper
was addressed2n
"That isn't likely now, Philip; of
course, if you do find him, you could tell
him. But, Philip" looking earnestly at
her husband, sif / were you, / would
never tell any one else. Such things
seem pretty and interesting; but they
are more than that. They belong to the
hearts deep experience, and we should
not hold them lightly to talk of and
smile at. No, / think the poor girl who
wrote those impulsive words would be
glad to know they are destroyed. Be-
lieve me, Philip, y smiling at him gently,
women can judge for women. | have
done what is right"
Philips answer was his usual one when
Myra looked particularly pretty, as she
did just now.
.tYou are an ANGEL he said, after.
ward, land, of course, you are right;
but I I'm thinking of the mans side,
don't you see? That mes age belonged
to him, whoever, wherever he is, and /
would never think of stopping it on its
way. To my masculine view it seems,
don't you know, a little like-like
robbing the mails"
cit isn't like that at ALL said Myra,
in a mil lily argumentative tone. 81
wouldn't do that myself. And, beside,
if the mails are going to bring trouble to
people, they ought to be robbed-the
sooner the better"
sob, my dear girl!' said Philip,
laughing.
swell, of counsel" rejoined Myra, de-
"But it is SO hard to make
men understand things as they really are.
Philip
eyes, my love-"
Il want you to promise me that you
won't tell any one-any one-about that
scrap of writing, unless you find the
The person for whom it was intended. /
want you to premise this for the poor
woman's sake. Won't you, dear
81 promise-for this poor foolish
woman's sake" said Pbilip, looking
down with rapture at her lifted eyes;
md he was nearer to the truth than he
knew.
One bright Sunday morning not long
lftet this, when there was a cradle in
heir house, and in it a little golden
head, worth all the rest of the gold in
The world, a card was brought to Mrs.
.ortham. 1t bore the name of Walker
W. Carroll. She Passed it to her hus-
,and with a shade of annoyance ON h
ace.
hAh, this is your old friend, Carroll, I
uppose-the n you have spoken of so
he remarked, pleasantly.
YES. / hadn't heard that he was
,ack from England, though" Myra was
unning a brush over her hair, and look
ng at her face as she spoke. wonder
f his wife is with him2 But what an
lour to call! 1t can't be half-past nine"
.Lucky we are up, said Philip, with
laugh; or, rather, thanks to that brigand {
nd pirate in the cradle there. He never
Gems to enjoy his sleep until he has
obbed us of o;irs. Sha'n't / go down {
nd receive your friend, if you don't fell S
uite ready, Myra.n q
am quite ready now, thanks" sad $
1yra, promptly land don't leave the t
a5y, please, till Maggie comes up.n :
She passed Philip in crossing to the :
DOR, turned back and kissed him, and
,ent downstairs.
A tall, brown and bearded stranger
as standing in the parlor, looking at
door expectantly as she entered, both
outheld in friendly welcome. a
whip t
4sMyrat!' c
81 am so glad C
.tSuch a lovely surprise- t
"And how have you been 2" 8
II heard you were married. a
And you never wrote t
Who IAN reproduce the first hurried t
ords of greeting after a long separa- s
on 2 Spec b and smiles, and bushes n
Id eager looks mingle inextricably. /
once. After q moment or two the a
lists OF feeling clear a little; it is easier t
speak, but not so imperative. Fl
Myra q tdown by her friend on a little n
The welcoming look had not quite g
out Of her face when she said, i'm f
,essively: "
sWill, | must ask you something now. ii
o you remember the little hallmark / t
ade you before you went away? / put a
in your hat myself the night before 9
ID sailed 81
do I remember? / should think SOL a
ut imagined what happened. The very K
sxt morning I lost my hat. Ii was a
necked off my head and picked up by c.
man.. d
.tYes, ! know said Myra. quickly; g
my husband-by Philip Northam.i v
aYou don't say sol ISrr husband? n
nd ! got his hat in exchange. Hal ha! k
he longg-lost hail It's about time we b
lould return them, now Z
But Myra was not smiling she sat +,
asping and u~ncIasping her hands, nerv
viii, did you notice--did you exam
e my little gift very closely2n she
ked, with strange hesitancy. sYou Q