Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-03

had been watching the unfolding of this
fair bud. and ! had resolved, come what
may. to make Pearl my wife. My love for
her was not an ordinary attachment; it was
an alteration, a deep and soulful yearning.
I could not put it in words. 1 was afraid
TO speak to Pearl. l was afraid I'd frighten
her. and so I went about with this thorn IN
my heart
Uncle Francois had died a year previous
TO this time, and now father was stricken
with apoplexy. l was hastily summoned to
his bedside. His speech was thick and
broken, but, oh, God! I understood him
only two well.
'?'My dear son-I have long been aware
Of your love for Pearl he gasped, sbut 1t
must not be. cannot tell you au-Peari-
your wife-must not
''With this terrible must not on his lips,
he relapsed into stupor, and never spoke
again.
My mother was left By will with full
power of distribution. To disooey ner
meant disinheritance. She was as pltlless
as father had been.
Pearl was sent 10 a convent. married
shortly after and upon my mothers death
my wife and | asked Pearl to make her
home with US, and she did, coming to US
with that old-time smile so sweetly sad,
loving and barring for our children-a real
pearl in our household. AS God lives. l
IldL love was "lliI4h LILY
heart; but month in and month out |
awolie to find it still there. Struggle as |
might l could not rid myself Of it; it would
not 90! Thirty-tiye years have not killed
it. 1t will never diet will never die,
sobbed my poor cousin piteously.
took his hand and spoke a few comfort
ing words to hiIn, and then l asked:
But why did Pearl never marry2'
''She did not care to marry, she said, !"
replied my cousin. No one suited her ex-
actly, although she had many offers"
GastonS wife now called US, but his eyes
We're so swollen and red, that 1t was I'M
possible for him to return to the drawing
room. l hastily poured a basin OF cold
water. recommending him to battle his face
and compose himself while l reioined the
family.
| need not tell you that Mademoisele
Pearl now, more than ever, awakened a
sympathy within me strangely tender and
sweet. ] could not keep my eyes on her.
The delicious sadness lurking in her large
round blue eyes enthrailed me. l followed
her from room TO room lnVentlng excuses TO
speak her name. longed with yearnlng
that oppressed and panied me, to look into
her heart. TO know if she really had loved
CASTOR so deeply, so fervently as to say,
Thou or no one
At last we were left alone in Gaston's
workroom, charming little den, quite shut
off from the rest of the house. Never had
Pearl seemed more deiciously gentle and
feminine There was playful melancholy
in her manner that drew me towards her
more strongly than the witchery OF a
maiden of eighteen. l must have kissed
her hand with more ardor than allowable,
for was aroused from my dream by feel
ing her Juggling to get it away from me and
hearing her say:
''Oh, Monsieur Jules! Monsieur Jules ~
'Ah Mademoiselle PEARL exclaimed,
''if you could have seen Cousin Castor
weeping this morning If you could have
heard his confession"
She caught her breath, her waxlike face
grew whittier and her clear blue eyes lost
their summerlike serenity.
Seen him weepingl" she repeated in a
tone of wondernent.
Yes, yes,'' said !, this morning only a
short while ago, upstairs, when we We're
all alone
But why7' she almost whispered.
''What has happened"
''Ah, Pearl, = l replied, taking her hand,
still strangely young and girlish, Il know