The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-04-10

answering love 1 was at once drunk
with joy, 1t was in a country
village that 1 met her. 1 was visiting
some distant relatives. She was poor,
but what cared l for that2 My own for
tune was sufficient to give her every
comfort, though 1 had not at that time
fallen heir to my fathers inheritance.
She was young and beautiful and /
thought she loved me. Well, it is the
old story; 1 need not linger on it. An
other came upon the scene. Ihad never
told her of my wealth or position; that
either could influence her 1 never
dreamed, and so one day I awoke to
learn that she had given her hand to
him whom she thought outbid me in
gold and glitter. ibid not seek to unde-
ceive her. A strange, calm philosophy
took possession of me, and / felt it was
best as it a until one day, on taking
up the morning paper, I read the notice
of her marriage. With the printed eyi
dence of her perfdy in my hands, phi
losophy and reason alike deserted me,
and the pent-up feeling within me
burst in an unrestrained tide. The
blackness of death seemed to gather
round me, and for days and weeks I
knew nothing in the grasp Of a fierce
fever, from which I struggled back to
life weak and wretched, but with a
brain cleared from mist, which saw
things once more in their proper light.
Eight years passed. Meantime the
woman whom I had loved was free. In
the first year of her widowhood / met
her-met her, as I thought, calmly and
dispassionateIy, only to learn that I
dared not trust myself. Another two
years passed, and l yielded at last to her
cntreaties that we should meet again.
l found her as beautiful as Of yore, the
bloom on her checks as fresh, the light
in her eyes as bright; and yet, Kate, /
looked upon it all as one views the ra-
diant glitter of the iceberg, which to
approach is death. Beside this glowing
fame, whose ferceness consumes itself,
a pure, sweet light shed it's luster Ger
my heart, not so bright, not so brilliant,
but with a calm, increasing flame,
which I felt could light my way to the
tomb, which made the dark recesses of
my heart open to the sunbeams which
dispelied forever the false glamour of
my eyes, which,"
"Ah, Kate, I was just looking for you.
It is too damp for you to be out, child
broke in Mrs. Harrison's voice. 81 will
help entertain MI. Creighton for a lit
tie while. You had best go within"
Then, as the young girl turned and
left them, Maude Harrison stopped and
stood face to face with the man before
her.
what were you telling that girl,
may 1 inquire? You seemed much in
terested."
Il shall be very happy to inform Mrs,
Harrison, but unfortunately the story
would be no new one to her a ]
was telling her only of a boy who loved
a woman whom he deemed as true as
she vas beautiful, whom he found as
false as the very fiends which came tc
mock his misery. An old recital! Dc
You care to hear it?"
MAX" and there crept a wondrous
sweetness in the woman's tone, ST loved
you through it all. True, 1 was false
hut not to you. To you 1 was loyal
hut to him who called me wife, who
went to his death blessing me, who
smiled on me in dying, to him my
whole life was a lie! All, was I false
indeed! Think you you alone suffered
That 1 during these two long years oil
torture did not daily press the dagger
deeper into my heart? 1t was almost
more than L could bear, but God was
merciful, and ended it ere my strength
gave way"
Pardon me-" and in the mans tone
was no answering softness. "Of the
man who called you wife 1 care not te
speak. I have learned to look on him
without envy
"Cruel! Do 1 not know how little ]
deserve at your hands? Be generous
Max; let me in some way ~atone!"
do you really wish it? Then let me
tell you. Out of the ashes Of that pas
love has sprung a new and holier fame
We have both tried the past, Maude
The might have has gone forever
but there is q future! Thank God fol-
that. l love the girl who is under
your protection"
"Stop! Not another word. YouwhS
have loved me confess TO love for her, /
child. You say it to try me; but listen
There is 10 need. 1 glory in the Low,
1 had for you; 1 know no shame in it
confession. Max, look into my eyes ana
read there whatever won will"
Hush, Maude! Do not utter word
you may regret. Let the dead pas
/ bury it's dead. For a second time Low
has bloomed in my heart and l speal
) too solemnly not to mean all / say
Maude-" but with white lips and gilt
tering eyes the woman swept past hir
: into the house.
Looking Out from her window, Kat
4 stood thinking, wondering when sh
! should hear oil the story which she fel
might NEAR so much, when with
(, hustle of drapery her uncle's wife stoo
beside her.
"Traitressi" broke from her whit
. lips. You who have partaken of m
t bounty. only to rob me of all I held dea
: OF earth! Did you not see how l love
3 him? Yet what do such as you knov