The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1899-05-20
THE WIDOWS SCHEME
EI AM so sorry this has happened" she
said with forced calmness II like You

take care OF papa and my brothers and try
to take the place of my poor mother"
81 felt from the frst," said Harry sorrow
fully, "that it was hopeless to think of you.
You are too good for me-"
Don't say that, please, for like you
much more than anyone know. If / ever
did lo-marry, it would be just such a man
as you-good, clever, and generous. But
you see that it is impossible, don't your
He looked into her appealing eyes, but
could not answer. Nothing is 30 sublimely
tragic as beautiful girl sacrificing herself
to a mistaken sense of duty, and she APP
peared so sublime to him that he couldn't
help thinking her in the right.
In affairs of the heart man, especially .
young man, needs disinterested woman
to guide, to encourage, or to check him, as
the case may require. Now, Harry Watson
was so fortunate as to have a charming
widow as his confdant and friend. She was
several years his senior, and he was once
much in love with her-or thought he was
She had poohpoohed his proposal and told
him that, although she thought him fine,
clever young fellow, she had no desire to
take boy to raise, and that he mustn't talk
nonsense. OF course he was tragic and went
out west to hunt for grizzlies, hoping to be
masticated by one, but he presently came to
his senses and returned to the city. He was
naturally rather shame-faced when he met
the widow, but she was so jolly that be soon
forgot his preyio absurdity, and they be-
came fast friends.
"You poor boyl" said the widow in hui
morous sympathy. "What would become
of you if it were not for me? But if you
obey my orders / will guarantee that you
will win her."
After talking the whole matter over Harry
felt comforted, and he felt sure that the
clever widow was going to do all in her
power to help him. But he did not imagine
that while they were discussing the subject
the peerless, selfsacrifcing Esther was
weeping bitterly and almost rebelling against
her fate. 1t was only by magnifying her
duty to an appalling grimness that she
finally recovered her composure and soothed
the pain at her heart to an aching numbness.
As soon as the widow felt that Harry had
recovered from the first bitterness of his
disappointment, she ordered him to 60 and
call on Esther. He obeyed, and few such
calls restored to some extent their old re-
lationship. and they could talk more like
brother and sister.
"Are you going to the Madison musicale!"
the widow asked.
eyes. Esther and her father will be
there" Harry replied.
"Well, / shall be there, too, and may
want you to do me favor VIII you do it?"
Certainly"
On the night of the musicale the widow
was triumphantly beautiful. There was the
light of battle in her eyes, and that with
good reason, for she had brought her own
affairs and those of several other people
to crisis. But no one could look at her
perfect figure and animated face without
feeling that she could conquer the most OBJ
durate by her charms and have her will.
Harry had never seen her looking SO be-
witching, for he had never seen her 80
thoroughly alert and aroused. Had Esther
not been present to allure and yet repel him
with her lilylike sweetness and nobility of
soul it is possible that old thoughts might
have been aroused. But his eyes were DWELL
ing constantly on her pure, calm face, and
she seemed to him more than ever unattain-
able. When the evening was well advanced,
the widow tapped him on the shoulder with
her fan.
II have come to ask you for that favor"
she said.
II am ready to do you bidding"
Take Esther into the conservatory and
propose to her."
II can't"
you must. If you do, l think / can
promise you that you will win her-if not
to-night-soon afterward. But you must
propose tonight"
Hope made him courageous, and he did az
he was directed.
When be had found sufficiently retired
alcove in the conservatory, he renewed his
proposal with the stately beauty. But it
was in vain.
ut cannot be-" she answered. my duty
is quite clear to me, and / must sacrifice
my own feelings to it. feel that to take
care of my father in his declining years is
trust imposed on me by my dead mother"
"Then you are not Indifferent to mew
She was too honest to deny her love. She
bowed her head in assent, and the tears
welled in her eyes.
Il must get papa to take me home"
She turned and walked away from him
quickly. Before she had gone dozen PAGES
she stopped as if transfxed and looked with
dilated eyes into an alcove she was passing
Then she ran back to Harry, and, almost
fainting, caught his arm.
take me home! Take me away from
here!"
He fastened to call carriage. When they
had entered it Esther began to cry, and he
tried to console her. Instinctively he put
his arm about her, and she did not resist
A moment after-it was the natural thing to
do---he kissed her, and, leaning her head
on his shoulder, she wept until her sorrow
had abated. He could not imagine what
was the matter, but when they arrived at
her home she enlightened him. As she was
leaving him in the conservatory she had
seen her father kneeling before the widow,
proposing to her, and had seen her grant him
: kiss of acceptance.
II shall leave home!" she cried, angrily
Il have home to offer you" said Harry
1t never occurred to Harry that the widow
had ordered him to propose to Esther so
that she could bring her father, as if by ac-
cident, to see the little scene. She had
watched his movements, and, judging the