The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-12-18

go away, and yet
But you avoid me on every posi-
BILE occasion. l never see you when
call: What can l have done, Miss
Pauline, to merit your disapproval?'
"You have done nothing, and n
deed, Mr.. Eliot, l do not avoid you"
Pauline said, very earnestly.
"Then it must have been my fancy.
Since you have nothing against me,
Miss Pauline, you will surely shake
hands with me and wish me good luck
at the end of my journey"
He held out his hand, and Pauline
could not choose but put hers into it.
Far down the river trailing line of
smoke marked the approach of the
train.
You'll have to hurry" she ex-
claimed.
"How anxious you are to be rid of
me. Well, 1 shall come again, re-
member, little Pauline" He looked
down into her face with curious
smile. ''And now, good-by.'
He lifted her hand to his lips, then
dropped it and hurried away.
Katherine wondered not little at
her sisters subdued and preoccupied
manner that evening. She wondered,
too, that Wilton Eliot should have
gone away without so much as bid
ding her good-by, for Pauline had
given a matter-of-fact account of her
chance meeting with him by the river.
.l1 ind 10 oil
unhappy over it, especially as she had
just received q letter from the aunt
whose namesake she was which en-
closed a generous check and the re-
quest to use it in the replenishing of
her wardrobe Katherines elasticity
of temperament was one of the most
delightful facts about her.
A week later Sterling, the social
portion of it, at least, was startled by
the news that Wilton Eliot had lost
all his fortune through an unwise
speculation 1t was Mrs. Westford
who brought the news to the Wards.
Pauline, who had been for walk,
came in to find her mother and Kath-
crime still in the first bewilderment of
their surprise.
ooh, Pauline, what do you think
has happened to Mr.. Elliott" was the
exclamation that greeted her as she
entered the parlor.
Pauline turned perfectly white, but
managed to control herself sufficiently
to ask
what has happened to him,
mammal"
"He has lost all his money. Did
you ever hear of anything so dread
ful?" and Mrs. Ward drew a little
futtering sigh of sympathy and con-
dolence. Her relief was so genuine
that Pauline felt she must either cry
or laugh outright. She chose the lat
ter alternative as being the safest.
ooh, is that alI?" she SAID.
"Why, you ridiculous child"
screamed Katherine. What more did
you expect? For my part, can't
possibly imagine worse disaster 10
befall a man like Wilton Eliot
81 can-several," said Pauline, who
had grown suddenly grave.
"What?' demanded Katherine.
But her sister slipped out of the
room without replying.
For several days thereafter Wilton
Eliot's misfortune was the theme of
conversation in the Ward household
with Katherine and her mother, that
is, for Pauline made no mention of
the affair and did not care to hear it
discussed.
Then the nine days wonder ceased
to be wonder, and Wilton Eliot
dropped out of the minds of every
body apparently.
So few months glided by. One
morning Pauline had been sitting at
chanically, for her thoughts were not
on the music before her. Suddenly
her hands fell from the keys into her
lap and tear rolled down her cheek,
splashing upon her blue gown. At
that moment two hands were laid up
on her shoulders, and Jack Donelsons
voice, vibrating with happiness,
sounded in her ear.
"Pauline-Pauline, guess what
Katherine has just been saying to
me! Katherine, my Katherine now.
for she has promised at last to be my
wife,
Pauline sprang up with little joy
full cry.
"Oh, Jack, has she really? Oh, l
am so glad, Dear, dear Jack, you
cannot know how glad ami"
"Oh, yes, 1 cam" the young fellow
said laughing and coloring, "for 1 am
so glad myself" Then for the first
time he noticed Pauline's tear-wet
lashes. mot crying, Pauline-surely
not crying?"
Pauline laughed nervously.
Il don't know but l shall-for joy.
Let me go, Jack; want to find Kath-
crime
And she rushed out of the room in
search of her sister.
Katherine was in the parlor, gazing
abstractedly out of the window at the
snow-filled street She turned about
as Pauline entered.
"Oh, Katherine, Jack has just told
me, He is so happy. Are you?"
Pauline threw her arms about her
sister, and looked affectionately into
her face.
"Of course am, silly pate! Jack is
dear boy, and with money enough 10