St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-03-26
nv. His cousin-three degrees removed

| terp0SltlOn or IrOVldenCe. She could G
as she pleased regarding him, and max
him useful. Not that she didn't &C
her own sweet pleasure in every
thing; but queens may not be 80 absolut
as cousins, and there was a sense o
possession and comradeship as well. Sh
had known him forever as measured b,
| her own life, and he was brother NOR
than anything else, and few years
absence did nothing toward altering tn
sisterly regard. SO Miss Nancy Hardy
the belle of the season, adopted Ton
Wentworth as deus OK machina; and
when she so desired, the wires wer
manipulated, and the convenient cousin
lowered into the center of society stag
and made to act his little part. Tn,
only one who objected was Mrs Whorter
the girls chaperon, who thought tina
there was something deeper thar
cousinly regard in the young mans mind
but when she feebly objected ION genera
principles alone), the younger lady gave
a scornful sniff, and commented upon the
years that she had known him.
So the season of 1856 passed on, the
young man continually ON his guard, and
playing his part so we'll that he oc
casionally introduced q gentle quarrel
to prove that the state of things was as
it always had been. But he grew tc
know the girl better than he had ever
done before, and learned her sweet sim
plicity. She was butterfly and child
-aimless in life, careless Of the future,
delighting in the homage she received.
But she took oil the admiration of the
men so naturally, betraying no partially
having no knowledge or thought of the
truth OF love as il should be, that her
self-constituted mentor dared not to
venture upon o warning, as he would
have done if his suspicious, always
alert, suggested anything serious. Life
to her was full of youth, music, and
pleasure; love was an abstract quality
that she did not realize. Wentworth
understood it all-and waited. He had
outglow his uncertainty; he had become
a man.
So the sea of society pitched and rolled,
burying many beneath its deep waters,
while Mistress Nancy rode on the topmost
wave and ruled. But there came an
awakening ono day; tiny cloud passed
over Already. Wentworth, who had
been lulled into feeling of security,
was suddenly awakened. He had called
at the house, and with the assurance
of familiarity entered at once into the
drawing room; and as he entered, a pic
ture was revealed that stirred his pulses
and made his heart throb wildly with
jealousy. A young man stood before
the fire, silent and abashed. His cousin
sat to one side, her head bent in thought
also silent. They both turned at his
entrance, and then the young man, with
q low bow to the girl, went out, not no
ticing the intruder. AS the door closed
Wentworth went forward and the girl
rose and took his hand. Her eyes were
full of gentle, womanly tears
"Oh, Toni" she said, choking back a
sob, "why do such things happen? Why
do men love me, and then feel badly
because-because-"
Toms heart gave great bound; he
was wholly satisfied. II don't know,
Little One, he answered, tenderly and
gently, patting the little hand that lay
in his. But he did know; and he |
also knew that if he told, he would give
up hope and Danish love. The time had
not yet come; he must continue in his
FOOLS paradise: standing unarmed at the
gate to guard. Then he suggested a
relief, and it showed the curb that the
young man possessed over himself, prov
ng also his ready deviation from tho
path Of truth
"What do you say to canter?" he
asked. "The horses are now waiting,
md Iii order them around"
The suggestion was a happy one. But
lpon reflection Tom afterwards doubted
he wisdom of the step. As they gal
oped through the city half an hour later
mother horseman hove in sight, and with
he permission of Mistress Nancy, Joined
he party. And this riler-a grave.
officer of the army seemed
o interest the young lady exceedingly,
ntil Tom said something Ito HIMSELF
hat touched severely upon the tickleness
f woman, as excmplitied by hereto.
ore perfect being. When the ride was
yer, and with glowing cheeks, Miss
lardy testified to the pleasure her cousin
ad given her, that peculiar young man
as not greatly impressed; for he had
OF even been Gale upon to exercise his
lachine duties, and Major Barton had
one oil the talking when she was silent.
Having had his suspicious aroused, Mr..
'homas Wentworth did not spend his {
me in building castles; he settled down
} business and engaged in chaperonage.
lie would have welcomed any change of {
oeling in his cousin, but toward him she {
the same as ever. Major Bar '
IN was entirely too prominent those 1
avs, and Mrs. Whorter once questioned
i'm as to whether he thought "the major
as in earnest" The good lady had be. I
ONE convinced of his Observation-Disclosures
nd was surprised and shocked to hear the
lajor called an "old fool" The young
ian had no bed Of roses those days, and /
ach hour seemed to be fitted with par t
cularly sharp thorn made ON purpose ]
} disturb him. The Major was very at !
ntive, and Miss Nancy sublimely un- '
'nscious to oil appearances, but large i
re devil Of doubt had entered the {
outh's mind, and again opened that /
aled chamber of cynicism and distrust. &
he could only find some pretoxt to t
lido the Major he would have been
sppy, but that gentleman was t
uniformly polite that Virginia t
livalry was not to be cast in the S
ade. 4
As the winter Of AS had been all sun S
line to the young lover in the cloak of @
usin, so the early part of 46 was Il
DOM. Toms life was an atmosphere of |
bano majors, who loved him for his b
usin's sake. Secondhand affection of il
is kind did not appeal to him, but lit f
, attentions and dinners could not ad- v
it of his being otherwise than gracious, S
ID he went to these dinners solely be- a
use Nancy had asked him to once, for q