The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-09
THE LAST HOPE.
An old-Fa.hloned Love story.

ting before a wide window opening out
upon a lawn made beautiful by the lights
and shadows from the afternoon sunshine
and the masses of clouds sailing across the
sky. She was absorbed in these exquisite
effects of light and shade, and she did not
hear the light step of her sister beside her.
Now at the heightened tone of her voice she
half turned around.
Mrs Candles? Oh. yes, suppose So"
you don't speak as though you cared
much for going. 1 saw Eva Gamble this
morning on Commonwealth avenue and she
said only lovers of music will be there, and
then a few young people who are to have
a lovely little dance after the musicale is
over. But it, no use talking to you. You're
not listening"
My dear Lillian, am. But why cannot
/ catch a glimpse of beauty at the same
timer 1 don't believe you have even noticed
what glorious day it is, but thinking
more Of the costume you and Elsie have
been connecting for tonight. Confess now"
and Dora turned a smiling face around to
her sister.
well. I really think you ought to tell
Elsie what gown you intend to wear. The
poor thing will probably find something
awry at the last moment" answered Lii
liam, with a trace of petulance. ''If you
showed a little more interest in these COM
monplace details you would often be more
agreeable companion. People wouldn't
think you so cold and unenthusiastic as
they often do"
DO they think that?' asked Dora, with
almost an accent of pain in her voice. 1T
is cause of regret surely, that people are
not satisfied with me, notably my gay
pleasure-lovng little sister Well, dear,
well have to hunt for some conventional
mold to fashion me all over"
I'm sure you didn't used TO be so indif
ferent to these lovely little parties that Mrs.
Gamble gives. Why can't you forget that
disagreeable affair, and let US both be hap
by as we once were?"
This time Doras dark eyes left the clouds
to themselves. and were fastened on her
sisters face with an expression of unmis-
taxable reproof.
= do you know, Lii, often regret that
ever yielded to your entreaties and told you
about that unfortunate letter. You keep
it in memory constantly. If I am ever
moody you speak of it as direct outcome
of that letter. If 1 bury myself in a book
you infer that / am eating my heart out
with grief l wish to assure you that de-
spised letter has been forgotten, and wish
you also to understand. dear, that you are
never again to allude to the subject.
The rich voice began to tremble, and
DOraS eyes went back to the book she had
been holding. The next moment, however,
she threw it impatiently on chair and alb
ruptly left the room
Mrs. CANDLES rooms were well filled by
the time the Winfords entered
What a striking looking girl Miss Win
ford is" remarked Miss Curtis to Mrs
Mortimer Brown as Dora passed on her
fathers arm.
yves, she has fine face Beautiful, in
ray opinion, except for its sad expression
rryl1a ha iG NJ a
what do you suppose is the cause?"
IAN unfortunate love affair." people say;
about it after a while. We're so near the
piano shall have to stop taking now;
We are TO hear Prof. De List, you Know.
Mrs Gamble had called this musicale,
but some of her guests were hopelessly in
sensible to the finer, more subtle creations
of musical genius In order that they might
not be bored beyond the limits of their en-
durance, Mrs. Gamble had lit up an ex-
tensive grounds and opened long suite Oh
rooms behind the drawing room leadlng 10
the conservatory. so that all who chose to
talk instead of listen might indulge their
propensities without disturbing the true
lovers of music who renamed pehlnu III tue
1T was not long before Lillian and Dora,
the latter in spite of her own wishes, touno
themselves in the midst of a group of merry
young people. 1t was from no indlHerence
to music that Dora responded to gentle
mans offer of his arm for a stroll among
the trees He was an intelligent, agreeable
fellow with few weH-thougnt-out IDEAS
sion. But even while attentive to. him
Dora's ears were half for the beautl1ul
sounds which fioated out through the open
windows. And soon she stopped her com
panions voice by an abrupt command: On
please listen"
He did listen for few minutes. Very
pretty is 1t not? But we are too far away.
Shall we go nearer the windows? -
When intensely interested In nooS' a. a
Landscape or anything which ministered to
her love of beauty, Dora had the bad habit
of not interrupting her enjoyment by an.
Swering trivial questions. This was one of
Iillianss greatest trials with her sister.
Suppose take you back to the drawing
room" continued Mr.. Brooke. You can
hear there
Thank YOU" .
But at that moment the rnusic ceased amid
storm OF applause it fe muslcl ba EFF fi me
piano, evidently with no intention or re-
spending TO the cries OF encore from diiier-
ent parts of the room. when he heard a
quick step behind him, then voice say In a
low tone; .r -. ~.
once more, Professor De Lizst? Please, for
FOR your sake. Mees winford. you'd
play it many more times Fan once, re-
sponded the little professor, with a delight
ed glance Up at the tall figure before him.
The next moment he seated at the
plano, With Dora near him.
Even in the midst of playing he sometimes
glanced at her absorbed and thoughtful face.
She was one of those rare women who can
cross a room or stand In view Of crowd
without being conscious either of herself or
of the scrutiny of others. Now, as Sne
listened to the music which was speaking TO
her inmost soul, the scene around her, the
gayly dressed people, the brilliant lights, all
became to her the dream and the shadow.
while thronging memories of a scene in the
past, OF q face and voice, even her own
words in answer, became to her the tangible
reality.
This was the vision Dora saw: She her
self sitting in the very window where she
had been this afternoon. but her companion
was not her sister. but tall, full-pearded
man, who stood on the veranda, Just out
side They had been talking busily, but a
silence had fallen between them as they
both watched the sun set in mass Ct glow
Ing crimson cloud.
by some strange association, a sunset
such as this always makes mo think of
Gottschalk," Or. Van Auley SAID. as he halt
turned his eyes from the western SKY.
Why
do you see that bank OF vapor TO the
left, its brilliant hues of crimson and gold
fading away? OF course it is a well-worn
figure TO compare our hopes and aspirations
to such cloudlands. We build such grand.
colossal castles, only to see them fade into
nothing / am no pessimist, and yet think
the older we grow VIC build fewer of these
phantom castles. But you asked me why l
thought of Gottschalk. Did you ever hear
his Last Hope2 1 know that many people
who cannot appreciate anything but CLASH