The Opelousas courier., 1892-08-27

SFSndW! save Hf lLer NAoSe 1AN0Af
he tried to poison me. l must have
splendid constitution to stand the aus
Gus doses he poured down my throat.
lon't believe in medicine. Nature
would work her own cures much niofs
quickly"
Edna" said the lady, more gra9sly
Ian was her wont, lit pains me to heGf
~ speak SO Of the doctor. I know no
man more truly honorable, intelligent
and ambitious. He stands high in bis
profession, has written several valuable
medical works, and though comparative.
ly young, has won an envisble name and
fortune"
Comparatively young" said the still
unappeased girl the is double my age"
'tBut you are only eighteen; and ever
double that does not make him very
aged. Though he may occasionally
ehidey still he il very fond Of you, and I
know desires nothing better than to
make you his wife,"
"He does the .unladylike tomboy' far
too much honor to even dream of such q
thing, but aforesaid tonibdy declines his
generous offer with thanks" responded
Edna with satrical humility.
"Oh, aunty," she continued, her voice
softening and nesting closer to her, 81
think I love Alphonso and he wildly
adores me. just think of those lovely
luminous eyes of his and that darling
curling mustache. He is really irresisti-
ble."
"But can barely support himself, not
to mention d wife," said her aunt; look
Ing anything but pleased.
ri prefer love with q crust in a cot
tage to gilded misery" cried the roman
tic girl, grandlY Indifferent t the luxu-
ries which she had never lacked.
excellent in theory" my child"
said the other, shut very unpleasant in
practice, and the love that you count SO
much on, how do you know that it is
genuine3 Have you any proof that it is
aught but protestationa"
'sOh, aunty," exclaimed the girl,
drawing back, really hurt, ''ean you
doubt him, and am | not attractive
enough to win bis lovea"
ayes, my sweet child; you are worthy
81 the love of the best man living, but
i am somewhat of a physiognomist, and
I do not feel the enthusiastic confidence
in your cavalier that I could admire.
You are known, dear, as my heiress, and
I fear that Alphonso is attracted by the
golden bait"
"You are cruel, Unjust, unkind, !"
sobbed the girl; she worships me. I
am sure no mercenary Thought ever en-
tered his head. You ought to hear the
beautiful poetical way he talks to me-"
s.Put him 80 the test, Edna, and If he
proves true, then I will be the first to
interest myself in his advancement"
ssHow shall T do lt7" questioned the
girl. ST will follow your advice, but
for my. W part I will not wrong him
by the shadow of a doubt"
Her aunt thought a moment, then
said:
81 do not like to teach you to tell a
falsehood, but in this case | think the
end i~ustiies the means. i do not want
him to know you will be rich, so this
evening, if he calls, you might, IN the
course of conversation, casually remark
that I have made a will hequeathing my
entire fortune to several charitable insti-
buttons, but that, in case of your mar
rage, I will provide a trousseau-
nothing more"
"Agreed," said Edna, and left the
room.
That evening the mellow light from
the chandelier filed the richly furn ished
room and fell on the pretty, girlish from
Of Edna seated at the piano, singing ID
her sweet, bird-lik voice, "In the
Gloaming."
At her side stood a handsome, stylishly-
dressed youth who gazed at her in a rapt,
~ecstatic way and turned her music with
an air deferential in the extreme. At
the close of the ballad she turned to him
ard said earelessly:
"Did T ever tell you about auntie's
queer wills"
"No-I think not said he, pretend
ing 10 hesitate, but the quick CLEAN OF
interest that leaped to his eyes belied his
tone.
stshe is leaving all her money to some
charitable institutions. I think it is very
good of her. don't you9"
Much as Edna tried to blind herself,
she could not fail to see that his face had
heightened considerably, and ii was in
doleful tones that he inquired:
ibid you not expect to be remem-
beredan
"Oh, no." she answered, 81 could not
expect it. She has done SO much for me
siready, has always supported and edu-
Gated me, and will provide me with an
outfit il" with a little blush, 81 were to,
marry
Somehow the conversation tagged after
this disclosure, and not long after
Alphonso, with the most elaborate
courtesy, took his departure.
When three weeks had elapsed with.
out q call from her Adonis, Edna
acknowledged her aunt's wisdom and
said, with a nervous little laugh:
"Who would think that so much de-
ceit could lodge behind those melting
eyesa Why, they were like the loyeliest
chocolate caramels.n
81 IN rejoiced to hear you take It 90
lightly" returned her aunt tenderiy. II
think = your vanity rather than your heart
II think 50, too; but if you only knew
how unutterably, enthusiastically small it
makes me feel. / know now that my
personal valuation is nothing
"Do not think it, interrupted her
amt hasfiIu tknnlu uoatordnr Dr