Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1896-02-20

Il
ture which he. admired so greatly
Really, Monsieur Trudaine, really
suca-an appeal from you. at such 9
time, amazes me-" Having got SO far
he stopped and said no more.
When we first sat down together
here. had no thought of making this
appeal, no idea of talking to you as
have talked" pursued the other. MY
words have escaped me, as told you,
almost unawares-you must make al
lowances for them and for me. l can
not expect others, Monsieur LomaQue,
to appreciate and understand my feel
ings for Rose. We two have lived alone
in the world together; father, mother,
kindred, they all died years since and
left us. l am so much older than my
sister, that have learnt to feel toward
her more as father than as brother
All my life, all my dearest hopes, all
my highest expectations have centered
in her. was past the period of my
boyhood when my mother put my lit
tie child sisters hand in mine, and said
to me on her death bed, Louis, be all
to her that have been, for she has no
one left to look to but you Since
then the loves and ambitions of other
men have not been my loves or my
ambitions. Sister Rose-as we all used
to call her in those past days, as love
to call her still-Sister Rose has been
the one aim, the one happiness, the one
precious trust, the one treasured re-
ward of all my life. have lived in this
poor house, in this dull retirement, as
in a Paradise, because Sister Rose, my
innocent, happy, bright-faced Eve, has
lived here with me. Even II the hus-
band OF her choice had been the hus-
band of mine, the necessity of parting
with her would have been the hardest,
the bitterest of trials. AS it is, think
ing what l think, dreading what
dread, judge what my feelings must be
on the eve of her marriage; and know
why, and with what object, made the
appeal which surprised you moment
since. but which cannot surprise you
now. Speak if you will can say no
more" He sighed bitterly; his head
dropped on his breast, and the hand
which he had extended to Lomaque
trembled as he withdrew it and let it
fall at his side.
The landsteward was not a man &C. !
custoned to hesitate, but he hesitated |
now. He was not usually at loss for
phrases in which to express himself,
but he stammered at the very outset OF
his reply. Suppose l answered." he
began, slowly; suppose l told you
hat you wronged him; would my tes-
.imony really be strong enough to
shake opinions, or rather presumptions,
which have been taking firmer and
irmer hold of you for months ana
months past? Suppose, on the othe:
land, that my master had his little
-(Lomaque hesitated before he pre-
bounced the next word)-"his little-in-
irmities, let me say, but only hypo-
hetically, mind that-infirmities and
suppose had observed them, and was
Wiling to confide them to you; what
purpose would such a confidence AN
'wer now at the eleventh hour, with
Roses heart engaged,
With the marriage fixed for tomorrow?
20! no! trust me-"
Trudaine looked up suddenly. 81
hank you for reminding me, Monsieur
4omaque, that it is too late now TO
make Inquiries, and by consequence
90 late also to trust in others. My
lister has chosen; and on the subject
t that choice my lips shall be hence
orth sealed. TIE events of the future
re with God; whatever they may be, I
ope l am strong enough to bear my
art in them with the patience and the