The Forrest City times., 1891-05-22
he hero for 1s-year-old Wally.

| some SIX years ago Wally had been | committed to her care, regarding her as a sort of second mother. Although l cousins, Helmine was always address ed as "auntie" by her young charge. | In the sadness of her heart Guilpar- gus Sappho came vivadly to her mind, Helmine, like Sappho, was in posses sio of rare intellectual beauties, and a heart which glowed with the passion | ate fervor of first love. There was Meiitta, the beauteous youthful com panion of Sappho and Pharon, whose love both sought.
 No, no, shs would not lend herself | to play a part in the repetition of this sad story. It was then she determin- ed to see '"T'ristan-Phaon," Seeing 1 Wally was loving her, and as for her self he would esteem her highly, which was all she could now expect.
 She wrote, inviting him to come to | town, making mention in an off-hand manner, of the young relative, whose youth and cheerfulness sometimes made her forget her own age. An answer to this epistle came the follow ing day. 'I am trembling with impa- tience," he wrote, flor the moment to come which will either verify or crush the fond hopes which have uncon- sciously arisen within me. lam, alas, far different from what you imagine. |" 1 "He comes,', said Helmine, land my joyous dream is dispelled. An, it is not only painful; it is humiliating Is there no way in which to prolong the delusion?"
 l The following plan suggested itself to her, and she wrote: "That disappoint- ment may not be too keenly felt by either of us, have devised this plan for our first meeting: Let us attend in disguise, ot course, the masked ball of the Philharmonic Society"
 This idea met with his approval, and 1t was agreed that heappearin in black, she in a blue domino, both carrying in their hand a white camelia They | would not remove their masks, and not until next day would they look upon each others eountenance. Then she would invite him to her house, re- ceive him in her plain house dress, the charming Wally at her side.
 It certainly seemed apparent that Waily was interested in the near sighted doctor, for had she not lately displayed a wonderful interest in the latest results of Dr. Kochs new method, and was she not posted on facts concerning it like physician? Still this would hardly make differ- ence, and Wally would soon come to her senses
 All these thoughts darting through l the poor girls head, made her feel sad ly out of place in this gay scene.
 A couple of masks passed by, carry ing on q lively dispute of some kind. There, too, was Wally in her dainty pages dress Helmine had been pre- pared to swear that the ribbons on her shoes were blue, but perhaps the light was at fault. Certainly, there stumbled a near-sighted Huguenot, undoubtedly the Doctor.
 Helmine remained shyandhumbed in her velvet seat, regarded tixedly the frescoes on the opposite wall Sounds of music echoed from the distant ball. room. Her mask fairly burned her 1 hot face. What folly was she commit ting, and for what purpose? Had love and happiness indeed parted company with her forever?
 Her thoughts were beginning to be 1 unbearable.
 Suddenly a black mask, holding ! white camelia, stands before her. She seeks self-control for he must never i guess her thoughts. He is evidently tall and slender, and in polished. | gentlemanly way excuses himself for having kept her waiting at all pleading his ignorance of the rooms, etc. He takes her hand, and his warm clasp says far more plainly than the white camelia; ''lsolde, 1t IS l. 7"
 A feeling of tenderness takes posses sion of her, and sadness born of lost youth. She throws 1t of, how ever, and chats pleasantly without apparently being embarrassed by her 1 uncomfortable feelings at this mas querade. There they sat quietly side by side yet the lifting of those masks might reduce to misery two longing hearts. She tried to prepare him gradually by reciting wittily her many doubts and the disappointments con nected with her appearance at the ball. and how the evening had seemed spoiled beforeit had fairly commenced. To this he replied bitterly: "Lifeis all one sad disappointment"
 Hesitatingly, Perhaps passed over her lips
 The crisis had now arrived, and with manly decision he said: Let us throw off these masks; I, for one, have not told you the whole truth"
 "Nor L."
 "I have deceived you, Isolde. That photograph IS certainly my own, but 1t was taken twenty years ago, and since then have passed through se- we're illness. l can lay no claim to Iove-I am old"
 With cry of delight she tore of her mask. "So am l; so am I" she al- most shouted, forgetting all. "You are joking, he managed to say, for Helmine did not realize how youthful and pretty she looked in her excite ment. Pushing back the hood of her domino, she said: See, Tristan, see have many hairs. I am 36 years old, nearly 40 Just think
 And l, he said, showing a head thickly covered with gray curls, am far over 40 I did not wish to tell you, to dispel your delusion, but I could keep silent no longer" And they were both chldishly happy over their gray hairs.
 At this moment page entered the room, a Huruenot in hot pursuit. "Ah, please Miss Wally," the latter cried in a breathless, pleading tone yI,ho ,>o,,., +,,.,ol ,sNf.a, ylr.it..9