The Opelousas courier., 1891-10-03

nowadays TO say much about that. ON
shouldn't gush. 1t isn't according tt
our philosophy. One should discuss
even love calmly and dispassionately,
and accept the result, whatever it may
be, calmly, as part of his individual
destiny'-and Henry smiled kindly and
complacently.
Dorothy looked at him curiously. An
hysteriSal desire to laugh or cry seemed
suddenly to have taken possession of her,
but she controlled herself.
"Well,o she said, finally, eff you are
so calm and collected now as a lover,
what would you be if I were SO foo-if ]
were to marry you2n
"Ahi' replied this nineteenth century
lover eagerly. '.there is where the beauty
Of the thing comes in. II you would marry
me you would find that instead of retro
grading, as it were-becoming Indifferent
land everybody does in time, you
know, Dorothy-no one can keep strung
up to concert pitch foreyer-I should
grow more and more fond and tender of
you and careful of your welfare. You
would see my character unfold and ripen,
disclosing new beauties each day, as the
rose opens to the SUM-. I should become
o bright and shining orb to light your
pathway
nTot the grave" finished Dorothy, as
Halls ~eloquence came to a sudden stop.
"a charming prospect, certainly. 1t
seems as though I had heard something
like that last before, but I certainly will
give you credit fer great originality in
other respects"
"Oh, you can laugh" said Hal, a trife
discomforted, "but l assure you this is a
serious matter for both Of u.s."
Eyes, you are right. It is a serious
question" replied Dorothy, the laughter
in her eyes c~ontradicting somewhat the
gravity of the rest of her face; ssquite
serious; but before / consider your some
what unique proposal, Henry, it might
be we'll for me to reply to a letter / had
from Mr. Hazelton this morning, II
isn't well to have too many offers under
consideration at once, Eou know, and he
certainly has the prior claim, for he did
not hesitate to tell me that he loved me,
even though I am sure he does not"
The laughter had died out of the
girls eyes, and it was with something Of
o panied expression that she regarded
Hal.
He did not notice this, however, he
only heard her words, and he rose sud
dely by her side-his six feet of strong
young humanity towering above her.
EYES," he cried, wrathfully, land
you would rather marry a man who says
he loves you, when you know he is. no
more capable of that feeling than this
stone (finging it far put to sea) than to
marry me, when you know without me
saying it that ! worship the ground you
walk onl'
"Hai, don't tgushi'"
"That is the way with you girls" he
went on, his anger rising aul his face
growing white, "yod will marry for
money every time, though what you
wan. Of more I can't well sec. Cousin
Dorothy, / wish you joy in your choice
Of that old monkey"
Dorothy stood up and confronted him.
Her wrath had risen, too, during the
last trade, but her voice was even and
cool.
The huge mastin who had come down
to search for his little mistress, looked
rebellious also, as he stood By her side
and gazed from one to the other of the
angry pair. .
aHeury, I fail to see what reason or
what right you have to speak so disre- |
spectfully to me. Since a longer dis
cussion cannot ia. to be painful to US
both ! will bid you good afternoon.
Come Max and the little red figure
tarnel and walked proudly away over
the rocks.
Hal gazed after her and his senses
suddenly returned.
dorothy, come back"
His voice made no more impression
than the roaring sea.
She did not answer. She was far out
upon the seaweed covered rocks with
Max by her side.
dorothy, dear, Dorothy, Stop
"She is gong straight for that dan
gerous, slippery place that she knows T
hate, = he muttered and started to follow
her; then he paused abruptly, ange
again coming to the surfaced. "She
has Max; she doesn't need me.
He turned upon his heel and walked
swiftly toward the house, q few rods dis
tant. He went directly upstairs to his
own little den and shut the door with a
bang, then he threw himself down-in his
f~aTorite chair to think.
This act wa performed for about two
hours to the accompaniment OF many
cigaret' es. With the eighteenth one
the last remnant of Halls anger burned
away he arose and yawned and emerged
from the blue smoke a sssadder and 4
wiser man."
He would go down and see il Dorothy
had returned, but he would be very dig
nlfied and non-committal until he was
sure That she had repented.
He descended the stairs l~eis,y.eIy.
whistling an air from Era Efayolo with
marvellous skilLsff . he thought he de-
scarlet spot IN the dusky hall.
He sauntered inditferently along, then
to 9 sudden stop.
II was his mother. She heard him
coming and waited for him.
Where IS Dorothy2n
81 left her on the rocks a couple of
hours ago-with Max he finished, see
ing the reproach upon his mothers face.
stMax has been here more than an