The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-02-27
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iAiIoil' anu seated NcTselt upon II, q:
she replied.
Not the world that Mrs. Downs rep.
resents. met her u while ago. She
wanted to stop, of course, but l ius
rode on. Awfully rude, wasn't it?
couldn't help it. / detest her. She
wouldn't care a snap Of her finger 70.
me II were poor, but simply because
-Oh. | hate such people. Thank
heaven, IL soon be away from them 70,
awhile. told You l was cross, Miss
Hilton
i see it, my dear was the half grave
response Have you quite decided tc
go to that outlandish place."
What a doleful expression. If that
outlandish place means Siasconset. I'm
afraid must plead guilty to such a
dreadful decision, and | think | shall!
lind my experience both novel and &C.
llshtful. 1 mean to do just as l please.
lake another name and forget Margaret
Leigh entirely. Im tired of her"
| Poor Margaret Leigh. l fear YOU
don appreciate her; and since you are
quite determined to 90 to that land s.
end of creation | suppose the best thing
for me to do is to hope you won't re-
greet il.
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
crmen will suit me immensely. Besides.
In tired of civilized life and shams
generally. so | welcome something gem
Ilne Tor change. | suppose you think
/ have very carping disposition, but I
DO SO want to air my grievances. If it
were not too undignitied should like to
lie on the floor and scream"
Don't do so, my dear. The doctor is
right. You do need a change. | don't
recognize my old Margaret.
A flattering way of expressing an I'M
i!atterlns opinion" laughed Margaret.
! giving Miss Hilton's hand rcbukinc
little pat. I am growing degenerate.
am not: | feel outrageously reckless
to-day. | have most ovcrpowprinc.
desire to shock this prim and severely
proper neshborhood. Don't look so re-
proving, Miss Hilton. You couldn't
scold il YOU tried, and I'm afraid take
advantage Of that knowledge. Your
expression reminds me of Mr.. Webb,
H" was dilatinS on my grandfathcr's
virtues TINS morninS-to me, of all peo-
pie, miEd you.-wllcn stopped his eIo-
quence, and Mortified him in the bar
gain by saying ii NY 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 a subscription list, where it can be
seen and read by the nei borhood, that
ne Is entitled to any admiration on that
account There are other varieties Of
charity which | admire moro, and these
my grandfather did not possess. l dare
say he belonged TO the class of abnor-
maily good people who are perfectly
content i'll their own sclf-rightcousness
Ihey are precisely the kind of indyid-
uaIs detcst. Give NE All out-and-out
sinner any day. Pm certainly glad |
didn't know him. because I'm afraid |
should dislike him even more than do
now.
Don't sco.d ne. please, Miss Hilton.
l know such feelings are neither kind
nor just. try 50 hard not to have them,
but when | think of papa l.
She paused abruptly, her face and
voice filled with emotion.
Miss Hilton stroked the bowed head
with an infinitely tender caress. "Iwould
be the last to blame your loyalty to your
father, she said gently, but wish YOU
could forget"
How can J. forget?' was the fearful
answer How can forget the poverty
and want that embittcred my fathers |
life and caused my mothers death? II
you had Known papa as did. she con-
tlnucd, more quietly; If YOU had under !
stood his hopes and ambitions; if you
had seen how his sensitive nature shrank
from his unconsenial surroundings or
guessed how his heart longed for the
sweet peace and restful influence of
home, YOU would be ,Iniorgiving too,
His father deprived him of all that
made life worth living. ! can never
forget that. The time has been when |
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 hard
Tor ne to think Of this. l know shall |
regret all my life that uncle found us too
late. All these thoughts rush over me
when | think of my grandfather, and
then feel inclined TO express my opin-
ion strongly.
You can't understand my bitterness
because you are always easy and gentle.
I don't believe you could be angry if |
you tried: but have very fire of pas
sion in me, and it flares up on occasion.
Let us talk Of something else. Did
| tell you of my letter from Cousin
Brian: No: | intended to. 1t came
after luncheon. I wonder he cares to
write to me. Yes. know l wrote to
him first, but | felt called upon to do
that. was so unhappy over the will
that | wanted him to know how I re-
belled against it with all my soul. You
remcmber what candid, generous let
ter he wrote in answer. This letter is
equally characteristic He tells me he
is coming to America soon. Do YOU
know, | am really anxious to see him"
/ am sure you will like him, put in
Miss Hilton, with suspicious haste. Il
confess | ALWAYS had y tender nlaco in