The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1893-08-26

Il 1" !: ]: !
WM. EXX Kick, Is it true
W.. kHNlAMIh Y1f1N that your IA
NA( IYUVWD Their wants
lVD II you to marry
Ve u Miss II a X
ett?" asked
Minnie Morris, looking up into her
lovers face with eyes which expressed
iife-and death earncstness.
why, who on earth told you, pet??'
Never mind who told me, Dick. Is
Il true?"
well, he did make some suggestion
of the kind; but don't know that the
lady would have me. Everyone isn't as
easy to please as you, little one"
sOh, Dickr' she groancd. ''I- j
couldn't give you up, think, unless !
was sure 1t was for your happiness"
Gould you give me up at alp" he
asked, banteringly; but her reply was
quite serious.
Yes, could, and would If was con-
WINGED it was for your good" the little
woman said, with such an expression
of resolution in her face as convinced
Dick that She was quite Quixotic
enough to make the sacrifice.
And how am to convince you that
would be happier engaged to Miss
Hackett?" Dick asked, scratching his
head. with a droll expression of per
plexity.
dear. your father will never
forgive you if he finds out not only that
you won't take Miss Hackett, but that
you will take me"
81 haven't broken it to him yet, "
Dick answered lightly. I'm an un-
selfish fellow, and like to keepmy little
trouble to myself as long as can"
As he spoke he lifted "his little
: trouble clean off the ground with the
set her then gently down. Her little
ness and lightness had for him charm
complementary to that which his great
size and strength had for her.
Hell hear Of it and disinhcrit you,
Dick"
81 don't think so. My father is not
always like what you see of him. Be
fore he fell in unexpectedly for the
property he was the most generous of
men; but his sudden riches, which
made him socially, ruined him moral
1y. He became suspicious, cynical and
miserly, with, however, the strangest
occasional reversions to his old gener-
Gus self. Now, if / caught him in one
of these lucid. intervals and confessed
ourengagementt to him then, believe
he'd not only approve of it, but give us
lump sum down for our emigration
plan.''
but he won't hear of it from you,
Dick. Gilbert will tell him."
Colbert? He doesn't know of IL him
self,
Eyes, he does; he told Miss jackson
of it."
''Phew! He'll certainly put a spoke
in my wheel in that caser' Dick ex-
claimed with indispensable concern.
'rd better be beforehand with him,
Minnie, and make a clean breast OF 1t
at once to my father he added.
When, however, Dick hurried home
10 make this confession to his father he
found that his brother Gilbert had been
beforehand with him.
$50, SIR his father cried, the mo-
ment he entered the study, and before
he could even open his lips. 80, sir,
I'm to congratulate you upon your en-
gagement to Miss Morris! Very good;
very good! I shall be glad to make
precisely the same settlement in her
case that promised to make If You
had married Miss Hackett."
Here Dick stammered amazedly: Its
really exceedingly good of you, father. p"
Not at all, sir; not at all prom
ised to settle on you fortune equal to
Miss Hacketts, and now promise to
settle ON you a fortune equal to Miss
Morris. That's fair, sir, hope" he
added, with harsh, sardonic laugh.
Hardly, SIR" Dick replied, bitterly.
att is neither generous nor just to help
only those who need no help"
"lt's Christian, anyway, which is bet
ter than being generous or just. He
that hath to him shall be given, and he
that hath not from him shall be taken
that which he seemeth to have. Eh?"
ats hardly the moral of the parable
of the prodieal, sir. Like him came
to ask you for q sum to start us"
Not a penny! Not a penny! Not Q
pennylr cried the old man, furiously.
'.If you choose to take your own way
you make your own way"
VERY well, SIR" And Dick turned
abruptly on his heel and Quilted the
room.
1t was terrible blow to him, since
he was some thousands in debt, and
had been brought up in the idleness
and helplessness of a man with great
expectations He hurried of, rather
weakly and selfishly, 1t must be con-
fessed. to confide the whole trouble
debts and ALTO Minnie. Great was
Z, SUNRISE and relief to find that she
mcs Md tu;hen the blow had fallen,
course hea.. aw be had failed to make
happy gath was merely impending.
they had cards light, Dick, dear, you'll
and made gran6d him, brightly, over
er. she succeeded in
{ somehow Frank could not enjoy In
vening. bis lady love was there, -
mt and full of life. But that dark spa-
!, casting gloom about her wher- fry.
she moved, was there also, and she cry
than Offset her sisters Brightness =
. forbidding specter she sat apart,
folded arms Now and then the vari
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