St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-07-20
A GREAT TEMPTATION,
Story Of q Bachelors Love and
Sen-Sacridce.


think now. looking back sadly
over my life experience. that / fell
In love with Lorna Hillburn when she
was baby and 1 a man nearly forty.
Absurd? Well. it may have been.
My whole life from my boyhood until I
was past middle age was a hand to-
hand struggle with poverty, downright
grinding want, when l, . y0ungster.
split wood for my mothers washings,
by which she earned our bread; little
easier when was old enough to be err
rand boy in the wholesale store OF En-
mis- 4 Lee, dealers in country produce.
There was another lad about my
own age in the employ OF the firm. and
we shared an attic room for seven
years after poor mother gave up her
life In weary toll. David Hillburn
was boy like myself. toiling up the
ladder of wealth, and we worked
shoulder to shoulder. fast friends ever,
until we proudly contemplated the
sign over our produce house. that told
the partnership of ''Hillburn & East
man."
This was when our ladder was firm
~ planted in the savings of close
economy. David took a wife, a pretty
blue-cyed mite, and four noble boys
were born. who dropped and died
when mere children.
So. as said, David and were near
ly forty when Lorna, the only girl,
was born, and / became the willing
slave Of every baby caprice. every girl
ish within, until she was fair maiden
of eighteen. and l knew that I loved
her-I, man old enough almost to be
her grandfather.
had sense enough to keep my Sc
cret locked in my own breast and
Lorna had no suspicion of it when her
own troubles began.
Long before this the house of "Hill-
burn & Eastman" had ceased to exist,
and the partners, men Of large wealth.
had retired upon the fruits of their la
Dor. But while was satisfied to draw
the income of sure investments that
were not enormously profitable. David
had restless mania for speculation
that kept me very uneasy. He could
not be content without some active in
terest in business affairs, and speculat-
cd constantly. winning and losing. but
never firing Of the dangerous employ
ment
At the time We left the old firm of
a I NJ ~
unfairly. to consider we did him a
grievous wrong by going into the same
business. the only one we understood.
From that time there was a feeling of
ill-will toward us, that deepened as
Ralph Ennis became enfeebled by age.
So when Donald Ennis, the grandson
Of our old employer, a handsome fell
low OF twenty-five. began to hover |
about Lorna. David became anxious to
separate the two.
old Ralph Ennis owes us a grudge."
he said to me, land l don't want it |
spent upon Lorna"
But Cupid laughs at grudgcs in a
past generation. and these two loved |
each other deeply. All me! kept my
pain closely locked in my heart. when
! saw Lorna's violet eyes full of love-
light not for me. when saw soft rose
tints on her cheeks deepen at Donald's
voice or footstep.
David Hillburn was strongly opposed |
TO the visits of Donald Ennis from the
first but he did not wish to insult the
young man, and Lorna met him con.
stantly in society. When the fact that
they were lovers was too evident for
concealment, David had not the heart
to tell his darling the truth.
For, in the shadow of those four tinv
graves. Lorna had grown up literally
the idol of both parents. Had she not
been blessed with a sweet, gentle dis
position, she .qust have been utterly
spoiled; for I do not think she was
ever crossed in her life by either father
or mother.
David was not surprised when Lorna,
hiding her face upon his shoulder.
whispered that Donald had asked her
TO be his wife. but he was troubled.
And, not many hours later, his pro-
nhetic fears were realized. Ralph
lis. on being asked by Donald for a
- - upon his new hopes. hurst into
= $500 of vituperati0ns ending in