The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-06-24
MARION'S MISTAKE.
BY JENNY WREN.

It was strange wooing, that of Mel
son Ellis. Perhaps its very strange
ness won Marion Reynolds into assent
She has been so accustomed to see men
at her feet--to have them smile at her
bidding and obey her slightest whim,
that there was singular fascination il
knowing her momentarv caprices had
no power to sway the current of one
mans will, that what he thought right
he held to- even should it subject him to
her displeasure. His wooing had not
been very demonstrative. In a few
simple, ightforwarl words, he told
her of his love. and asked her to be his
wife, but when she had as quietly an
swered him in silent wonderment at her
own submission, he drew her to him and
pressed a single kiss upon her forehead.
and for one moment, as she lay in his
arms, look came into his face as OF
man who has Won grand race, whose
triumph all the world must exult in.
Women smiled when the engagement
was announced. A dangerous rival was
removed from their pathway. Men
frowned. Who was this man who had
outstripped them in the ranks? They
had not even recognized him as COM
petitor, and. 10. he had borne away the
prize. But OF all this outward conf iec-
ture the lovers needed bttle. Once Nell
son said to her, as he bade her good
night after returning from an evening
nf IicSinofInr 1f fnS Shi ion n hla hnil.
Il shall be so glad Marion, when all
this is over, when society will be con-
tent to let us drop from its roll, and re-
tire into our own quiet home life"
"Oh, but Nelson," She answered, $50
ciety is not going to give us up simply
because we are married. | expect to
make quite sensation, ass.lle you, as
Mrs Ellis
"a sensation. My wife sensation?
/ trust not. Wives, Marion, have other
duties, which hope the girl | love will
find greater pleasures than any society
can offer. | am not d jealous man, Ma
rion-at least not consciously so: but
to see you as ! have sten you tonight,
giving your smiles, your glances 10
other men, has shown me how little
could tolerate IN wife. But | will
atone for all you give up, dear, by de-
voting my life to you, and making your
happiness my own"
1t was hours after he left her before
Marion fell asleep. She could have
yielded society with all its glare and
glitter without Il pang, but what he had
said had grated on her He had asked,
not as something yielded for his sake,
hdttakenit as a simple matter of course.
He seemed to ignore that it might to
her be sacrifice to yield that which had
really given her keen enjoyment.
when he next met her Nelson missed
tomethlng. Her greeting had lost none
OF its warmth, her smile none of It's
sweetness, but there was now and then
an absent look in her eyes which
haunted him long after he had left her.
II was at this time that Allen Fame
came upon the scene. He and Marion
had been friends when children. He had
carried with him all these years the pic
tured memory of her face, and When he
returned to find its radiant beauty all
ohnimmed, the first gladness was met
Win an absolute shock of finding an
o'her its possessor. He had not been
eohscious OF his dreams until he was
'uuely awakened from them, as one
"d'hlhg peacefully in his sleep upon an
ahguarded parapet, suddenly is aroused
to.a sense of his great danger. Marion
met hlm with warmth which broush,
ray OF hope into the darkness. lie
ne eht yet retrieve his late return, and,
saotiy, quietly, he laid the snares which
we're 10 entrap her feet
suppose it would be hard enough 10
give you up, Marion, to anyone" he sal
!" nef one evening when her lover was
aosent. Notwithstanding my own love
- hopeiesS, cannot make secret of its
.Aislehce to you. | could not hide it, if
would, but to see you give yourself to a
a,an VINO prizes your loveliness only as
aiurk his slave, who will possess it On y
'nst ne may hide it from the world w no
'l' doom your~y young life to be spent
oaiy for his own selfish ends, is intoler-
able to me-"
lou do Mr.. Ellis great injustice
Allen. But even did think him SO self
as you portray him, | certainly
"oaia not discuss his faults with any
sae so long as looked upon him as ny
promised husband"
nut when again and again her be
s9'asa urged her 70 appein' Jay whss