Wichita eagle., 1886-10-02
9ai19 r eagle
HER OWN ENEMY.

but not such as her heart prayed for. On
by one the poor curates were given thei
congo, likewise the struggling authors an
erratic artists @When poverty comes in q
the door love flies out of the window" was
maxim in which Desiree Le Strange yer.
stanchly believed
"If cannot marry rich man will no
marry at ALT" this country wears daughte
told herself with a deep drawn sigh; thi
girl who was utterly sick of cold shoulder o
mutton and plain boiled rice and treacle
who had to wear her gowns till they wer
threadbare and her shoes till they wcult
mend no more.
It was pure. accident, of course, ncres
chance, that jus. as she reached the old ston'
bridge on the left of the moor-the pictur
esquc, lichen-robcd bridge, beneath which
the river danced and rippled as smoothly
often as limpid woodland stream-Danie
Vessels SHOULD suddenly appear.
"Oh, how you startlad me-" cried the girl
wkereat the young man laughed and offered
her penny for her thoughts. "Well, il YOU
Mrst know, was thinking of you," she re
turned cardidly.
thinking Of me!' he echoed, and q deer
flush covered his honest, handsome face
Something pleasant, hope, Miss LIE Strangei
Don't you remember the ancient adage,
Talk of the old gentleman etc, and sup
pose talking holds good for thinkingp
Il thought it was Talk of the angels and
you'll hear their WINGS" said Desiree, shyly.
'Oh, SO am white-winged angel, am Ii
Well, could scarcely be anything better"
And then, involuntarily it seemed, they
both halted and looked down ut the river
with its edge OF fallen leaves and whitening
bracken, with its little wavelets all rosy dim
pied and amber-crested beneath the suns dy-
ing smile.
allow pretty those flowers arem remarked
Daniel presently. "The Ox-cyed daisies are
particularly fine"
"Do you think SO: Perhaps Annie might
take them for her parlor vsses;" and she held
the little bunch up carelessly for acceptance.
He took them with quiet THANK you," but
he did not say he should give them to Anne,
his landlady's red-haired granddaughter. In
Daniel Vessels eyes there was no girl so
beautiful a Desiree Le Strange; to him she
was just perfect, with her crown of ripping
hair, almost the color of the FURNISHED au-
tumn leaves, with her scarlet thread of a
mouth and wild-rose tinted cheeks and eyes
deep and blue.
"When l met you just now" he said diff
IDENTIFY, ''you said you were thinking OF me.
Desirec,' in half-timid whisper, "my dar-
ling, think of you always" And now, the
ico broken, he told her how there was no
room in his heart for aught but her, his soft
eyes dark with intense feeling. EloGuently
he pleaded-passionately: "YCu will not
throw away a love like mine; no man will
ever love you rs l love you, Desirce' And
he moved a step forward as though to clasp
her to him, but the girl shrank back terrified
"Oh, how could you mistake my meaning!'
she exclaimed 81 never thought-can't you
understand! was but turning over in my
mind the probability of your eventually com.
ing to care for Jane or Muriel."
Il could not marry your step-sisters," do
clared Daniel. enphatically. Then, in low.
earnest tone, SO tender, SO gentle, so plead
ing, tha: the words seemed to find their way
to Desirce's heart: "You, dearest, are my
ideal woman;' don't you think you could
learn to care for mo a littles / aIn very
young barriSter, it is true, but not wholly de-
pendent on my profession for a lodging and
crust; BESIDES Desiree darling, do not mean
to be always brieflesS barrister. l have
gone through the usual examining, my father
is ambitious for me, and-who knows?-, cr-
baps some day may rise to emncnce. Oh,
don't blight my future"
He opened his arms Us though he would
clasp her to his throbbng heart, and keep hei.
forever, for all time. But the next moment
be had checked himself, his hands dropped
heavily to his side; for there was no answer
ing love in Desiree's face, only a stony, fixed
stare
"How handsome ne isl" the girl could net
but think. The perfect face and the fern of
splendid manhood were his Oh, what q
thousand pities he bad mono of this worlds
wealth! Had he been only moderately rich
Desirce lie Strange would have suffered him
to take her small nand in his broad palm,
and they would have been eventually
and, like the legends of nursery
days, lived happily ever after. But Desireo
LIE Strange did not Sec fit so to do. IL could
not marry a poor man." she said, softly but
firmly. "A barrister's career is SO full of dis
and struggles; Jane and Mu-
riel have their grandmother's little fortune,
which makes them in n measure independeD..
have nothing
"Only your beautiful face-your loving.
gentle heart!' lac whispered tenderly. But she
broke in with
"Oh, do not say any more The kindest
thing you can do is to forget me. have never
cared for you-never! Forgive me if have
seemed to encourage YOU"
'Forgive you" he passionately calculated,
md the genuine misery in his voice went to
her heart. Forgive you!" he repeated in a
hoarsc, low tone, his face at white heat tho
words coming through lips like set iron. IF
could promise you riches, would YOU care
for nae then, Desiree Lo Strangel Answer me
truly"
IF you were rich rs merchant prince, or
Indian nabob, would not marry YOU" she
cried with startling vehemence; but her voice
trembled ut the close of the sentence, as
though the heart were denying what the lips
uttered.
With a sad smile he turned from her. and
looked down into the waters that were no
longer gold or crimson flcc,led
Desirec instinctively moved away She felt
she had no strength to pro,ong the scene.
Presently thicl, rain drops fell with mel
lncholy, monotonous thu1, on the tangle of
fallen leaves; bat Daniel Vessels did not
move.
Long after Desicce's footsteps had died
away in the lane he remained standing where
she had abruptly left him, with his arms
folded over the old stone bridge, thereby un-
consciously crushing q wealth of beautiful
chens and fairy fronds.
Down into The angry, frothy waters he
yazed fxedly, paying no heed to the rain
lropS which fell more heavily every moment.
The shortest way from the common to the
ricarage was by following the beaten path
,n the outskirts of Bramble Hail. and along
iere Desiree hurried while the sad autumn
ain pattered disn,ally around on the slend-
,rly robei trees Oh the wilted harehells, on
he dying bracken. Phe wind piped shrilly
hronch the reels and r,,shas fiankinc the