The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-06-09

|
man."
IF You do not Yosr him, Beatrix. and
are not ambitious Of shining as Princess
de Ferros," said Pete Lennox, SAY,
No to him, my dea.. You could not look
after the interests of Erceldean in Italy"
The young beauty bent down and kissed
her uncle's gray, grim face.
II am glad to please you, uncle" she
cried-"I am glad to do something that
will show that / am grateful for your
goodness, that share your interests. that
the honor and glory of Erceldean are far
dearer to me than any earthly honor that
could befall myself. am pleased to re-
nounce my princely lover, with his an
cient title, his handsome face, his chival-
rous manner and his vast possessions, for
the welfare of Erceldean." And Peter
Lennox, in his gratitude, kissed his niece
more fervently than he had kissed anyone
yet.
So the prince received the kindest letter
that could be written under the circum-
stances. Kind as it was. it almost drove
him mad. He could not bear the thought
Of losing the stately young beauty on
whom he had fixed his whole heart. He
met her that same evening at soiree Civ
en- by one of the leaders of fashion. She
was about to pass him with a bow and
smile, when something in the expression
of his face, so wistful, so full of longing
pain, seemed to strike her. She stopped
and spoke to him; and then, encouraged
by her kindness, he asked her to walk
with him through the brilliantly lighted
| rooms.
There is a piece of sculpture here, Miss
| Lennox," he said, as they found them
selves in deserted room leading out of
the picture gallery. that l should like
| to show YOU 1t was the result of years
| of long study and hard labor, and is the
| only work the young sculptor ever produc-
| ed. Can you sympathize with life that
seems to empty itself, to pour itself out in
| one grand effort, and then ceases to ex-
| istT
| II think not" she replied slowly. 81
would rather husband my resources than
exhaust my life in a single effort"
'Still there Is something very grand in
| it. If Leonardo da Vinci had died after
painting only The Last Supper if
| Haydn had succumbed after writing moth
| ing but the Creation If Canova's artistic
career had ended with the production of
| his Venus we should have loved such
men perhaps better for seeming to have
given their lives in one grand effort. You
would find it still more difficult, Miss Len
| nox, to believe in any mans expending
his life in one great love-" he concluded,
| as they stood in an alcove empowered
with exotics.
II do not believe in love at all, prince.
| All that / have seen of it since l have
| lived in a world that never ceases talking
| Of it has been a caricature."
"You never speak untruthfully," he said
-"of that am quite sure. And you tell
me that you do not believe in lovef"
81 have seen none that l believe in
vet" she replied. Il have heard the word
applied to every kind of meanness, to
every caprice, to whims Of all kinds, even
! to sin; but of real love I have seen moth
ing"
"Great haevensw be cried, 81 stand be-
fore you, ready to die for you; praying
you to accept my life, my love, my for
tune, my name, to take all that am or
have, and you tell me you do not believe
in love-"
II will hope it is a fancy, prince; I
should not like to think that you had
thrown all the strength and energy of
your life into a pursuit which can never
be successful"
"Why should it not be successfuly' he
asked, gently, bending his face so that he
could look into hers-few women could
have resisted the musical voice or the
handsome face. miss Lennox, you are
beautiful as a dream. L can make you
queen of splendid domain. Ferros is
one of the loveliest parts of Italy. love
you so well that ! would devote every
moment of my life to you'll would fore
stall your every wish-every desire of
your heart should be fulfilled. Will you
put my love to the test?'
81. cannot, prince replied Beatrix. 'T
believe there are some exceptions. 1 will
be more len;ent for the future. 1 will
Judge less harshly. There may-it is just
possiblc--be few cases where love is in
deed genuine. 1 will admit that yours is
so. Even then l cannot accept it,"
Miss Lennox," he said, Il shall not
take your nay i will moi give up the
Idea of winning YOU; to lose the hope of
that would be to lose my life. Mine may
be the madness of iove-the madness of
despair cannot help it. l shall never
give up the hope Of winning you, Miss
Lennox, until you marry another or l
de-
Then l am sorry for you," she said.
ut will be wasted love-"
you are so young and so beautiful"
he said, looking sadly at her. 1.-The roses
of life lie at your feet, and you trampie
on them. Some day-remember, prop,i-
esq to you who are cold and proud, with
your heart steeled against love-yol will
love, and that love will be your crown
Of suffering. II that day add hour DO
come-as believe they will, Miss Le,.ntx
think Of me- and promise, if can help
you then, will.
But she smiled as he left her.
'Those Italians are all so ardent and
impetuous," she said; and yet slIudder
like that Of cold or fear came over her
as she smiled.
Prince de Ferros kept his word. He
would not take NAY for an answer.
Not that he said any more about love to
Miss Lennox; he gegan to have far too
keen comprehension of Miss Lennox's
character to venture upon that. She vas
quite unlike other girls. How few would
have refused to share his princeiy do
main! How few would have asked them
selves or cared whether they Lowell him
or not! "She is prouder and colder than
Others" he said to himself, "but she is
thousand times nobler.''
Society amused itself by watching the
struggle Who would win, the italian
prince or the English duke? 1t could not
decide Miss Lennox seemed. to like one
Just as we'll as she did the other. She
l. 4 s-As~ oxs-