The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-08-02

him, he thanked. her much in words,
but more in looks. An ugly little worm
crawled up between it's petals. making
the gift too suggestive. Returning it.
he said:
Il. as usual. seem to be present"
dashing off the worm, returned the rose
to the hand Of the girl. saying:
You are only safe without me-"
This was too much for Sparkle; she
translated it to mean that he considered
their path divided, trial a girls heart
is never prepared TO endure. Many a
woman buries her husband with less
sorrow than young girl loses her first
lover.
Sparkle's heart got a new pang one
day when in bringing Carl Brandon's
letters from the postoffice she discov-
cred one of the envelopes addressed in
delicate, beautiful hand and flowing
out from it some exquisite perfume,
such as a backwoods, country girl had
never inhaled before, but such as is
known to the frail denizens of cities as
valerian is known to the hunter who
wants to catch male minks. AS every
thought Is excited through some of the
avenues Of the five senses. perfume has
its office as much as words of objects.
Some of the so-called fashionable per-
fumes would better be called a con-
centrated essence of the charms of
Venus. No surer mark of indecency or
vulgarity accompanies any woman than
the odor of these strong perfumes.
Carl Brandon would always hand
Sparkle his letters to open and have
her read them for him, and when too
weary to write with a pencil, propped
up in bed, the bright little girl would
be his amanuensis. While carrying this
perfumed message of indecency home
to Carl, Sparkle had been imagining ii
was letter from some elegant, beauti-
full sweetheart in some faraway city
The postmark she could hardly make
out, but thought II Philadelphia. She
wondered if he would also ask her to
open that and read it to him. Something
said she would not read that letter.
She handed him the letters, one at a
time. he looked at each a moment and
then would hand ii back and say, open
II, Sparkle, which she did, saving the
suspicious one until the last, holding it
with look that showed embarrassment
and knowing she should have with.
drawn before he could have the oppor-
tunity to hand it back, and yet larry
ing moment to observe his embarrass-
ment and agitation, which was Of no
small consequence just then. His face
colored to a deep crimson, the first
time nature had found enough super
f1uous blood for capillary congestion,
but the flame was not greater than that
in her own face. 1t was one of those
embarrassing positions that the only
way to get out of is an immediate sep
artion of the parties, so, as he could not,
she had to go. Rising with much con-
fusion, she said. Il beg your pardon;
you may read that one"
Carl Brandon did not even attempt
reply. What reply could he make?
The letter explained all.
Later in the evening, when she ap-
peared, having been absent a greater
length of time than upon any other day
since the accident. she was truly a pic
ture of despair. Jealousy and wounded
feelings had done their work. Alter
nately she had been thinking and cry
ing, and had settled beyond question, in
her own mind, that she was nothing to
him and this fair writer was all Re-
Numbering a photograph that she had
found in the papers he gave her. look
ing at IL carefully, recognized il was a
beautiful woman and perfumed with the
same odor the letter bore and on the
photograph observed, further, that ii
was the work of an artist in Phila-
delphia. Linking each fact to the
other, she understood it, yet, woman
like, with heart heavier than the bur-
den of care. approached her task once
more, resolved to do her duty, be it
ever so unpleasant. Carl Brandon OBJ
served the change; it was too marked
to be unobserved, and felt in turn quite
as miserable as the girl. 1t was one
of those events that suggests the neces-
sity of an explanation, the very at
tempt at which would increase the
trouble.