The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1897-06-09
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1H\WOhAIN!5 |NF L-UENCE|
Hateful, Margaret Then you don't
share the worlds opinion Of that useful

TO stop, OF course, but just
rode on. Awtully rude, wasn't it? l
couldn't help it.. I detest her. She
care snap of her finger for
me If were poor, but simply because
hate such people! Thank
heaven, I'll soon be away from them for
awhile. ! told you ] was cross, Miss
Hilton
/ see it, my DEAR" was the half grave
response. Have you quite decided to
go to that outlandish placer"
"Whata doleful expression. If that
outlandish place means Siasconset, Pm
afraid I must plead guilty to such a
dreadful decision, and think I shall
find my experience both novel and de-
lightful. l mean to do just as please.
Take another name and forget Margaret
Leigh entirely. I'm tired Of her."
Poor Margaret Leigh. | fear you
don't appreciate her; and since you are
quite determined to go to that land S.
end of creation suppose the best thing
for mo to do is to hope you won't re-
greet it.
Margaret laughed at this view Of the
matter.
You see, lam not looking for beaux, !" +,
she said, with mock gravity. I've al
ways liked old men better than young
ones. I'm sure those delightful old fish
ermen will suit me immensely. Besides,
I'm tired Of civilized life and shams
generally, 30 | welcome something gen.
une for change. I suppose you think
I have very earping disposition, but
do SO want to air my grievances. II it
were not too undignified | should like to
lie on the floor and scream.
Don't do SO, my dear The doctor is
right. You do need change. don't
recognize my old Margaret.
:" A flattering way of expressing an un-
fattering opinion laughed Margaret,
giving Miss Hilton's hand q rebuking
little pat. Il am growing degenerate,
am | not? feel outrageously reckless
to-day. I have most overpowering
desire to shock this prim and severely
proper ne.ghborhood. Don't look so re-
proving, Miss Hilton. You couldn't
scold if you tried, and I'm afraid I take
advantage of that knowledge. Your
expression reminds me of Mr.. Webb.
He was dilating on my grandfather's
virtues this morning-to me, of all peo-
pie, mind you!-when stopped his elo-
quence, and Mortified him in the bar
gain by saying if my grandfather was a
specimen of the good men, / preferred
the bad. do, too. / don't believe that
because a man goes to church every
Sunday and occasionally puts his name
to q subscription list, where it can be
seen and read by the neighborhood, that
he is entitled to any admiration on that
account. There are other varieties Of
charity which admire more, and these
my grandfather did not possess. dare
say he belonged to the class of abnor-
mally good people who are perfectly
content in their own self-righteousness
They are precisely the kind Of individ-
uals detest. Give me an out-and- out
sinner any day I'm certainly glad I
didn't know him, because I'm afraid I
| should dislike him even more than do
now.
Don't scold me, please, Miss Hilton.
I know such feelings are neither kind
nor just. try so hard not to have them,
i but when think Of papa Il"
She paused abruptly, her face and
voice filled with emotion.
Miss Hilton stroked the bowed head
with an infinitely tender caress. would
be the last TO blame your loyalty to your
] father, she said gently, but Iwish you
i could forget.
How can forget?" was the fearful
answer. How can forget the poverty
and want that embittered my father s
life and caused my mothers death? II
you had known papa as did, she con-
tinued, more quietly; aif you had under.
stood his hopes and ambitions; if you
/ had seen how his sensitive nature shrank
from his uncongenial surroundings, OF
/ guessed how his heart longed for the
sweet peace and restful influence o.
! home, you would be unforgiying too
His father. deprived him Of all thai
made life worth living. I can never
forget that The time has been when
4 felt hard and bitter to all the world, be.
cause one man had been SO cruel to him
The money enjoy now would have
made his life so different. It is so hare
for me to think of this. / know l shall
regret all my life that uncle found US too
lato. All these thoughts rush over me-
when I think of my grandfather, ant
then feel inclined TO express my opin
ion strongly.
"You can't understand my bitterness
because you are always easy and gentle
l don't believe you could be angry i
you tried; but I have very fire Of pas
sion in me, and it flares up on occasion
Let us talk OF something else. Dit
. tell you of my letter from Cousil
BrianG No? 1 intended to. 1t came
after luncheon. I wonder he cares tt
write to me. Yes, I know wrote t,
him first, but I felt called upon to d.
that. | was SO unhappy over the vii
that / wanted him to know how I re
beiled against it with all my soul. Yo1
remember what a candid, generous let
ter he wrote in answer This letter il
. equally characteristic He tells me h
} IS coming to America soon. Do yol
, know, am really anxious to see him.
Il am sure you will like him, put il
Miss Hilton, with suspicious haste.
confess / always had tender place il
my heart for Brian. He has some ex
cellent traits, despite his shortcomings
| He lost his mother when he was yer,
!, young, poor boy, and his after training
was left in the hands of servants, an,
was not very judicious, as you ma
: imagine.
He and uncle quarreled great deal
didn't they asked Margaret, after
thoughtful pause.
/ yes, quite often, was the answer
, Brian spent money more freely tina
. his father approved Your uncle one
| remarked to me: If Brian were nc
sure that would pay his bills he woul
be less industrious in making them
: think he was rather anxious for him
7 marry and settle down to the practic
i of his profession. He could not tnlerat