The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1888-09-22
ments and is gone to the field.

ments and is gone to the field.
| The two girls draw up their chairs ir
the coolest and shadiest end Of the hall
The profound sleepy stiffness of II sum
mer noon is upon all the World. The
poppies in Angels belt dronp heavily
She leans back with her hands ciaspeC
| behind her pretty restless head. in utter
iszy content, her eyes on tAe lovely
azure figure in her fathers great chair
| swaying back aud forth with that ea sy
and quiet grace peculiar to Leila Bon
| ham.
",rhe fairest thing
| That ever Knocked mans picturing.''
"Ab, those days back at st. Mary's,' -
she says looking at tho childish figure
so lsZiIy content, lyon bring them
back 80 vividiy, Angel. l shall never
forget the morning you came aud when
first saw You, as passed through the
reception room to my music lesson.
You were such baby, and your eyes
were so big and frightened. l fit just
like taking you up i'll my arms I" com
fort you.'
81 ac1s frightened, for l had never
been away from my home before and l
could hardly keep from screaming with
nervousness and rage after Parry left.
And Oh, how hated it all, the mother,
the sisters, the girls, everybody-bu,
you. II you hadn't been The friend 10
me yon were, should have Iuu away
some day, and tried to get back home.
1t was the first time in my iift that l
had ever been forced to do any thing l
didn't Want to. l havn't forgot til! yet,
how the girls used to say 81. Mary's
was "entertaining an angel unawares."
Goodness! but hated them for it, and
wished that had been called anything
else but that"
And so in rememberings of st.
Mary's and bits of Miss Bonham's If.
since then, the hours pass. 1t is
good deal lake fairy tale to Angel,
this picture of life so remote from her
owp, and 80 gay and blessed and full
Of movement. Beside ii her own
is loneliness and isolation itself, but
there is no faintest spark Of envy in
her heart, rs she listens.
BY and by Miss Bonham grows
silent and bit absent. There Is
new tenderness growing in her eyes,
fighting with the shy reserve babiiual
TO them.
81 haven't told you quite every thing"
she says at length, wave Of pink tint
inS her face like sea shell, and warm
ing even her perfect bare throat, al
have not told you the most thrilling
part of it ALL" with q shamefaced at
tempt at hunor, "that isl have a
loverH'
Angels heart gives violent leap ut
the word, and the blood leaves her
face. But in moment she is all eager
interest, almost suspiciously SO.
"Tell me OF him." She cries softly,
slipping down in the old childish way
at her friends knee. ''See, am moth
ing but a child, as you say-you
needn't mind me I'll never tell"
And, glad to unburden her heart TO
so sympathetic listner, she tells her
pretty little love story in her shy,
womanly way. 1t neither occurs TO
her to mention, nor to Angel to in-
quire the name of this Sir Gallahead,
who is so altogether superior to other
men.
Angels eyes are like stars when the
little romance is ended.
"But don't see how you cOuld let
him go away like that. What if some
thing terrible should happen to him
and you never saw him again? think
it wasn't kind
Miss Bonham grows pink again and
embarrassed. She lOuks
away from the earnest eyes If!ed to
her.
"You little saint" she laughs softly,
'I think you are happily named. But
will not let you think so meanIy OF
me. l repented, aud wrote to him the
next day. He will laugh at my hekle>
ness when he gets it.'
Sand do you love him, truly, HnIy :''
impels Angel to ask, hold
ing tight the slender hands in hers, and
with strange nervousness.
A sudden transformation from its
usual serene and calm genilencss
glorities Leila Donham's face.
"My love is my life" she quotes
with passionate vehenence.
The afternoon slips into evening.
Angel springs to her feet with start
as she hears her fathers voice speaking
to the hounds. She leaves her friend
to her idle rocking with eyes still ten
der and absent, and runs out to inter
cept him. Again is he converted into
a "fine old country gentleman" and is
brushed and made smart with n flower
pinned in his coat.
"What happy leeile gal il air." the
old man says, stroking the shiny hair